The Masked Singer season 12 is still airing, but FOX has already announced The Masked Singer season 13, which will premiere in February, despite backlash about Nicole Scherzinger's continued absence from the show. The Masked Singer season 12 welcomed back host Nick Cannon, along with ists Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg, Ken Jeong, and Rita Ora, who took Nicole's place in seasons 11 and 12. Nicole is currently starring on Broadway as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard, so she'll be sitting out season 13 as well, with Rita replacing her again.

The Masked Singer season 13 will premiere on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, in its regular 8 p.m. EST time slot.

According to Deadline, The Masked Singer season 13 will premiere on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, in its regular 8 p.m. EST time slot. It will be followed by The Floor at 9 p.m. EST, which debuts in its regular time slot after a post-Super Bowl episode on Sunday, February 9. According to On Camera Audiences, the official ticket source for The Masked Singer, Rita took Nicole's place on the for The Masked Singer season 13, which began filming on October 22 and wraps on November 20.

In addition, The Masked Singer shared an Instagram post in which season 13 was announced. The post featured a photograph of Robin, Jenny, Rita, and Ken, with the words, "Lucky 13 Season Premiere, Wednesday, Feb 12." The caption of the post read, "Hold onto your good luck charms, because Season 13 of #TheMaskedSinger only gets LUCKIER! Stay tuned and get ready for Wednesday, February 12 on @foxtv."

Hold onto your good luck charms, because Season 13 of #TheMaskedSinger only gets LUCKIER! Stay tuned and get ready for Wednesday, February 12 on @foxtv.

What The Masked Singer Season 13 Means For The Franchise

The Masked Singer Is Still Very Popular

It's amazing that The Masked Singer is already filming season 13. When the show premiered on January 2, 2019, no one could have predicted what a huge hit it would become for FOX. In the past 12 seasons, some of the most iconic celebrities have been unmasked on The Masked Singer, including winners T-Pain as Monster, Wayne Brady as Fox, Kandi Burruss as Night Angel, LeAnn Rimes as Sun, Nick Lachey as Piglet, Jewel as Queen of Hearts, Teyana Taylor as Firefly, Amber Riley as Harp, Bishop Briggs as Medusa, Ne-Yo as Cow, and Vanessa Hudgens as Goldfish.

The Masked Singer season 12 is currently underway and has also had some incredible reveals. They include Group A's John Elway (Leaf Sheep), Yvette Nicole Brown (Showbird), Marsai Martin (Woodpecker), and Paula Cole (Ship); Group B's Andy Richter (Dust Bunny), Laverne Cox (Chess Piece), and Natalie Imbruglia (Bluebell); and Group C's Bethany Hamilton (Macaron). The rest of the Group C contestants--Strawberry Shortcake, Royal Knight, Sherlock Hound, and Ice King--are currently competing in order to determine who'll Group A's Buffaloes and Group B's Wasp and Goo in the quarterfinals.

Our Take On The Masked Singer Season 13

The Masked Singer Season 13 Is Much-Anticipated

Although The Masked Singer season 12 isn't even over yet, I can't wait for The Masked Singer season 13. It's always so much fun to see the new costumes and theme nights, which get more creative every season. It's also thrilling to play along and follow the clues, and then to find out which celebrities are behind the masks. The Masked Singer just keeps getting better, and season 13 should be another phenomenal experience.

Will Nicole Scherzinger Ever Return To The Masked Singer?

Nicole Has Other Obligations

As a Masked Singer ist, Nicole was known for being fantastic in the role. In fact, Nick even gave her the nickname, Sherlock Scherzy, because she was so good at being a detective and deciphering the clues for the contestants. Nicole also truly loved watching every performance and gave emotional reactions to the singers. In addition, she shared her own mind-blowing talents with electrifying performances that mesmerized everyone.

Although it's unknown if Nicole will ever return to The Masked Singer, she'd be welcomed with opened arms. However, she's currently too involved with Broadway's Sunset Boulevard to go back to the show. Nicole sat out seasons 11 and 12 due to starring in London's West End production of the musical, and then transferring the show to Broadway. She won the prestigious Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress for the role, which is London's version of the Tony Award. Nicole has received rave reviews for her Broadway debut as well, and she's expected to earn a Tony Award nomination.

In addition to her stage appearances, Nicole also recently filmed a new reality competition series for Netflix called Building the Band. Filming wrapped on the show in August 2024. The show brought together 50 singers, who attempted to form their own bands without ever seeing each other. Nicole served as a mentor on the show, alongside Kelly Rowland and the late Liam Payne. AJ McLean was the host.

Despite the fact that The Masked Singer fans miss Nicole, Rita has been doing a fabulous job as her replacement. She's also terrific at figuring out the clues, and she's wowed audiences with her sensational performances. Rita also has Masked Singer experience, as she was a ist on The Masked Singer UK for several seasons. Whether Nicole returns in the future, or Rita takes her place permanently, hopefully The Masked Singer will continue to delight audiences for many years to come.

The Masked Singer airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. EST on FOX.

Sources: Deadline, On Camera Audiences, The Masked Singer/Instagram