The Masked Singer Panelists Should Really Know Who The Astronaut Is

It’s always amusing when someone the panel has continuously guessed (like Sherri Shepherd) finally appears on The Masked Singer. It is even more entertaining when a panelist’s guess is actually on the show but in a different costume. 

This seems to be the case for the Astronaut whose real identity was proposed for a Group A contestant. Now that Group C is performing, the panel has suddenly forgotten this earlier suggestion. (We can’t blame them. Group A performed weeks ago.) If my theory about the masked musician is correct, I predict the panel will be shaking their heads when he is revealed, feeling like they should’ve known the Astronaut’s identity from the beginning.   

Besides his shiny gold costume, power stance, and it appearing as though he can’t see out of his foggy helmet, the first thing that stands out about the Astronaut is his height. Compared to host Nick Cannon, he is much shorter. His movements on stage are a little clunky and robotic, but that could just be the design and material of the costume that force him to move slowly. He also seemed very nervous and timid at first, but with each performance he works the stage and becomes more energetic.

For his first week, the Astronaut’s clue package focused on space and he crashed into Earth. He said he believes “if you want something bad enough, not even gravity can hold you back.” He then spoke about struggling after beginning his career at a young age.  There was also a mention of “code blue.” He sang Lauren Daigle’s “You Say” which was shaky in the beginning before he overcame his nerves. 

His second set of clues really centered on the theme of a “fresh start.” The Astronaut talked about getting a foothold in this new world before he crash landed, again. He said he was a “bright star” when he was younger but he “overreached and got burned.” That led to him feeling alone and a clip is projected of the Astronaut in the past looking lonely. But then things become brighter and happier for the Astronaut and an image of a French horn appears. He also planted a flag with the Orion’s belt constellation on it.  For his second performance, the Astronaut sang “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” by Stevie Wonder who he called “a dear friend.” 

Astronaut’s brother took over for his third clue package to give some more hints about his true identity. His brother was at a campfire and the camera zoomed in on coffee. He said his brother can be “a total space cadet” and recalled the Astronaut falling in front of thousands of people. While the brother told this story, the camera focused on a bridge. 

For his third performance, the Astronaut sang “Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran. Compared to his other performances, he was able to really show off his vocals and hit plenty of high notes and runs. His LEGO clue said “mall” and it was given to panelist Nicole Scherzinger. He asked her, “Remember when we were both together to celebrate a huge birthday?” The judges were completely dumbfounded and their guesses ranged from actor Joseph Gordon Levitt to Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder. 

We are one week away from the Super Nine performing together after a whopping nine contestants have already been sent home. Based on our other Masked Singer guesses so far, it seems like this season has narrowed it down to celebs who are currently musicians or have some type of musical background (with the glaring exception of White Tiger). The Astronaut seems to fall into the first category. As someone who had “I Want Crazy” on repeat in 2013, I’m convinced that country music star Hunter Hayes is inside the space suit.

Like the Turtle, who Scherzinger said was Hayes, it is easy to pick out the country singer’s voice if you are familiar with his music. Honestly, when Hayes started singing “You Say” (although it was shaky) I instantly knew he was the Astronaut. The clues so far also seem to confirm this is the correct guess.

Hayes is on the shorter side as 5”6,” which explains why Cannon towers over him on stage. Although Hayes is used to performing in front of crowds, he hasn’t been in the spotlight recently, as the Astronaut mentions. So, it would make sense that he was nervous during his first performance. He also usually performs with a guitar, making him appear slightly awkward moving on stage with just a microphone. 

The biggest clues in the first package that suggest Hayes identity were the child star references and “code blue.” Hayes released his first studio album, Through My Eyes, at only 9 years old. “Code Blue” could refer to his most recent album called Wild Blue (Part 1). 

As mentioned, the Astronaut keeps stressing that being on the show is a fresh start for him. Hayes released an album in 2019, but he hasn’t had a major hit recently. His appearance on The Masked Singer could jumpstart his career. Plus, the flag with Orion’s belt points to him because the constellation is named after a hunter (get it?) in Greek mythology. 

The second clue package also touched on Hayes’s musical background. The French horn could be a nod to the 30 instruments Hayes can play, but it could double as a clue to his family. His parents have Creole (French) ancestry and Hayes grew up singing in English and French. Also, Hayes has a connection to legendary musician Stevie Wonder because they have performed together. 

The last set of clues are trickier to decipher, but they still go with my theory that Hayes is behind the mask. The close up of the coffee could be a reference to the multiple coffee shops he used to play in and his love for coffee. The Astronaut’s brother mentioned the musician falling in front of thousands of people was an obvious clue (that the panel missed) that he is used to performing in front of people. There is a video of Hunter falling on stage, but it isn’t as dramatic as his brother described. Another clue from this package was a close up of a bridge. Hayes was born in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. 

The last major clue is the Astronaut giving a gift to Scherzinger. The two have a history together. They both performed for A Capitol Fourth TV special which was kind of a “huge birthday” since it celebrates America’s Independence Day at takes place at the National Mall.

Unsurprisingly, the panel is way off with their guesses about the Astronaut’s identity. He is one of the more obvious contestants this season, but I’m not sure if any of them, including Scherzinger, will figure it out. Until then, I’ll enjoy rediscovering my love for Hayes’s music.