Who is Harp on The Masked Singer US?

Harp performs on The Masked Singer US
Harp performs on The Masked Singer US (Image credit: Fox)

Everyone loves to guess the identities of the contestants on The Masked Singer US season 8. When it came to the identity of Harp, though, fans pretty much nailed it from the start. 

The show’s new format meant that there were only four performances during the season 8 premiere and only one moved forward after winning the title of Queen/King of Masked Singer for the night. After a breathtaking performance, that title went to Harp. Harp rose above the noise on opening night to land the distinction of Queen of Masked Singer. Hedgehog and Knight were unmasked and sent home, and Hummingbird’s identity would be revealed in week 2. 

In week 2, Harp faced off against Panther and Pi-Rat, and she ended up moving on after defeating Panther in a battle royale.

In week 3, Harp continued her domination and beat out the Mummies and Fortune Teller to move on to the semifinals.

Harp managed to hang on through the semifinals after Snowstorm was knocked out of the competition so that Harp and Lambs would face off in the finals. We have Harp and Lambs' journey to the finals mapped out if you need a refresher.

So who was Harp? Let's find out!

Who is Harp on The Masked Singer?

Fans had it figured out from the very start. Harp was none other than Glee alum Amber Riley. Though she tried to hide her voice and sing with different pitches to throw the judges off, ultimately her identity was figured out the moment she started singing.

Who is Harp on The Masked Singer US? Song picks 

In week 3, Harp sang "Thank You for Being a Friend," the theme song from The Golden Girls as part of TV Theme night.

In week 2, Harp sang Whitney Houston's "I Have Nothing" for Vegas Night.

In week 1, Harp performed Pink’s "Perfect" and she was pretty darn perfect in the eyes of the fans and judges. 

You can watch her performance below.

Who is Harp on The Masked Singer US? Show clues 

The show clues were, as always, both helpful and misleading. Just when you think you have Harp’s identity figured out, new possibilities spring up. 

Harp revealed that her weakness is "players" and her clue was that she’s a "luxury car fan."

When asked about her proudest accomplishment, the clue provided a wealth of information. "I think maybe the award I won for my acting. No, actually the one I won for my singing. No, it’s probably the one for my comedy because I got to share that with my besties."

And then there’s her package voiceover. As Harp was being introduced, this is what she had to say about herself: "I can’t believe I’m here on premiere night. But I will tell you, life has a funny way of putting you where you need to be. When I was a teenager, I auditioned for the biggest show in the world. It was my dream. But I didn’t fit the mold and was turned down. I was devastated. But I knew I had to keep going. It was my uniqueness that later gave me the opportunity of a lifetime. And became an idol for anyone who felt like an outsider. The no’s in my life made me very strong. But I’m not taking no for an answer tonight."

Who is Harp on The Masked Singer US? Theories 

Based on the clues, her voice and her performance style, fans across social media were convinced they knew the identity of Harp, and they were right. 

Unlike other Masked Singer contestants who evoke lots of guesses, fans were pretty convinced that Harp was Glee star Amber Riley.  

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In the end, Nicole Scherzinger was right when she guessed that Harp was Amber Riley. Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg guessed Jordin Sparks, Robin Thicke guessed Yvette Nicole Brown and Ken Jeong guessed Jennifer Hudson. 

The latest episodes of The Masked Singer are available to stream on Hulu. 

Sarabeth Pollock
Editorial Content Producer

 

Sarabeth joined the What to Watch team in May 2022. An avid TV and movie fan, her perennial favorites are The Walking Dead, American Horror Story, true crime documentaries on Netflix and anything from Passionflix. You’ve Got Mail, Ocean's Eleven and Signs are movies that she can watch all day long. She's also a huge baseball fan, and hockey is a new favorite.  


When she's not working, Sarabeth hosts the My Nights Are Booked Podcast and a blog dedicated to books and interviews with authors and actors. She also published her first novel, Once Upon an Interview, in 2022.