Why People Think Popcorn on The Masked Singer Is Taylor Dayne

The Masked Singer returns for the Super Six semi-finals tonight, Wednesday, December 2 on FOX. During this two-hour episode, the top two contestants from each group will compete together for the first time. The remaining contestants are Popcorn, Sun, Crocodile, Seahorse, Jellyfish and Mushroom. Half of the Super Six will be eliminated and revealed to leave a top three.

By the end of the episode, fans will know who each of the bottom three stars are. Some contestants remain more mysterious than others, and Popcorn may be more obvious.

Beware of spoilers below.

Fans Think Taylor Dayne Is Popcorn

From her voice to various clues, fans are convinced that ’80s pop singer Taylor Dayne is under the Popcorn costume. After the November 11 episode, judge Jenny McCarthy guessed Dayne. Dayne’s notable raspy voice matches Popcorn’s voice, and since McCarthy’s guess, the judge panel seems to be onboard. Dayne has sold over 75 million records, and some of her iconic hits include, “Tell It To My Heart,” “Love Will Lead You Back,” “Prove Your Love,” and “I’ll Always Love You.”

Popcorn’s first clue package told viewers that the star is a proud New Yorker, and Popcorn even speaks in a New York accent. Dayne was born in the Big Apple, and she is featured in the Long Island Music Hall of Fame. Along with an apple clue, the first package also included a meatloaf. The meatloaf could reference Dayne’s song “Original Sin,” as Meat Loaf recorded a cover version of the song.

Fans have also made the conclusion with other clues from the first package. A tiger could reference Dayne’s consistent coverage in the teen magazine Tiger Beat. During the same package, a bus drives by with an ad for Popcorn’s Broadway show. Dayne performed in Elton John’s Broadway show Aida in 2001.

Popcorn’s Second Package Hinted at Dayne Even More

After the first package, fans couldn’t immediately decide who the mysterious popcorn was. But after the second clue package, it may have become more clear. For instance, a key clue was a hair crimper. Dayne’s singing career skyrocketed in the ’80s, and of course, a hair crimper was used for a major part of that decade’s fashion style.

Popcorn also details a mysterious illness she dealt with when she was a child. Popcorn doesn’t go into extreme detail, but Dayne fits the description. When the singer was 5-years-old, she had ureteral reimplantation surgery, according to Closer Weekly. “That was unbearable, and it led to treatment that went on until I was 18,” she told Closer Weekly in 2019. “I was battling my self-image, wanting to have a certain look. In my school, girls were bulimic or anorexic or ran 15 miles a day and ate one meal. The fears turned into panic attacks, and when I was 15, 16, I became agoraphobic. I couldn’t leave the house. I had to go to a [treatment] program.”

Popcorn’s second package also features a gay pride flag, and Dayne headlined the 2014 Augusta Pride festival in Georgia, according to Billboard. Lastly, a group of cats graced the screen, and Dayne was in the musical Cats in 2013.

Popcorn’s Third Clue Package Revealed a Fellow Masked Singer

For a special clue, Popcorn’s mysterious best friend confessed that she had also appeared on The Masked Singer. Judge Nicole Scherzinger noted that Dayne is close friends with Leah Remini. Remini starred on season 3 of The Masked Singer.

Finally, the third clue package also featured a bowl of matzo ball soup. The soup is traditionally a soup made for the Jewish holiday of Passover. Dayne – who herself is Jewish – revealed her own recipe of matzo ball soup on Rachel vs Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off in 2012.

Fans also seem to be in agreement. “Also Popcorn is Taylor Dayne and you cannot convince me otherwise lol,” one fan tweeted. Another wrote, “Taylor Dayne is popcorn on #TheMaskedSinger I knew it from her very first performance. #superfan”

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