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The Masked Singer season 14 premieres in January 2026, and there’s been some speculation that Nicole Scherzinger could return as a panelist, but that would be a big mistake. Nicole was an original Masked Singer panelist alongside Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg, and Ken Jeong when the show premiered in January 2019, but she left the show after ten seasons in 2024, and Rita Ora took her place.
Nicole exited The Masked Singer in order to star as Norma Desmond in London’s West End revival of Sunset Boulevard. She received rave reviews for the role, and won the 2024 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical. When the show transferred to Broadway, Nicole continued in the role, and she won the 2025 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical. Now that Sunset Boulevard is closing on July 20, 2025, Nicole might have the time to return for The Masked Singer season 14, but it would probably be a bad idea.
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Nicole Scherzinger Has Moved Past The Masked Singer
Returning To The Show Would Be A Step Backward For Nicole
Since Nicole left The Masked Singer, she’s achieved tremendous success, especially in the theater world. Although she loves the show, she’s moved past it now, and returning to it would be a step backward for her. Nicole has gained the attention and respect of so many new people who didn’t know about her tremendous talents before her Broadway debut, and she shouldn’t go back to being a panelist on a zany reality TV show when she’s at the height of her career.
This is not meant to insult The Masked Singer in any way because it’s one of the best reality TV shows ever. However, Nicole isn’t a comedian or a TV personality like Ken and Jenny, and she’s moved beyond being a pop star like Robin now. She’s a respected Olivier and Tony Award-winning actress and singer who should set her sets on bigger things than reality TV. Nicole can do anything she wants at the moment, and returning to The Masked Singer shouldn’t be at the top of that list.
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In addition, now might not be the best time for Nicole to return to The Masked Singer because the show is skipping its fall season, which could be a bad sign for its future. While it’s unlikely that the show will be canceled after season 14, Nicole should steer clear of it right now when she has such a bright future in other areas of the entertainment industry. It would be a shame for her to return to the show, only for it to end shortly after.
Also, people might blame Nicole if The Masked Singer ends after her return, which could destroy all of the success that she’s worked so hard to build. Nicole should use her time in the spotlight to do everything that she wants to do while it lasts, and she’s already done The Masked Singer.
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Nicole Should Focus On Her Own Music Career
Nicole Is An Outstanding Singer & Performer
Nicole rose to superstardom as a member of the girl group the Pussycat Dolls, who are one of the best-selling female groups of all-time. Before that, she was a member of the girl group, Eden’s Crush, which was formed on the WB series Popstars. Nicole also released two solo albums called Killer Love and Big Fat Lie. With the Pussycat Dolls, Nicole was nominated for the 2007 Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for their song, “Stickwitu.”
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On October 8, 2025, Nicole will make her Carnegie Hall debut, singing songs from the worlds of Broadway and pop. This is a very prestigious venue, and it indicates that she’s at the top of her game. Nicole also sang the Pussycat Dolls song “Buttons” with the cast of Sunset Boulevard at the 2025 Broadway Bares fundraising event for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. She earned rave reviews for the performance, and people were delighted to see her sing a Pussycat Dolls song again, which means that they want her to revitalize her pop music career. In an Instagram post, Nicole posted the performance.
In the comments section of the post, singer Jewel, who won The Masked Singer season 6 as Queen of Hearts, wrote, “This is your era,” which completely summed up what’s been happening for Nicole in the past year. She should continue to focus on her own music career while all eyes are on her, and she’s in demand. Returning to The Masked Singer might hinder her ability to do that.
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Nicole Has Established Herself As A Tony Award-Winning Broadway Star
Nicole Should Continue To Pursue Musical Theater
Now that Nicole has won the Olivier and Tony Awards, she’s established herself as a theater star, and Broadway will certainly come calling again. Not only has she played Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard, but she was also nominated for an Olivier Award in 2015 for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical for playing the role of Grizabella in the West End production of Cats. Nicole also played Grace in NBC’s musical television special Annie Live! in 2021.
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In addition to performing live, Nicole also played Moana’s mother, Sina, in the animated films Moana and Moana 2. Nicole has been establishing herself as a musical theater gem for many years, and her version of “Memory” from Cats is one of the most impressive in history. She also reinvented the role of Norma Desmond, which was not an easy feat after so many iconic actresses played the role before her. Nicole is truly gifted and has one of the best voices of her generation.
Through these roles, Nicole has proven that she’s not only a spectacular singer, but a sensational actress as well. She’ll surely be the top choice for many future roles, whether on Broadway or other projects. If Nicole gets tied up with The Masked Singer schedule right now, then she could miss new opportunities. It would be better for her to keep her options open right now and not return to the show.
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Nicole’s New Netflix Show Building The Band Gives Her More Creative Freedom Than The Masked Singer
Nicole Can Produce New Musical Acts
On July 9, 2025, Nicole’s new singing competition series, Building the Band, will premiere on Netflix. She’ll serve as a judge and mentor, along with Kelly Rowland and the late Liam Payne, while AJ McLean will host. The show wrapped filming in August 2024, but was delayed after Liam’s untimely passing.
Building the Band has a very unique concept because it features 50 contestants forming bands sight unseen, based solely on their vocal abilities. As they build their bands, they’ll at first rely on how they connect musically. After the bands are formed, they’ll meet face to face, and then consider their choreography and style. This is a refreshing idea because looks so often come into play in the music industry, and the contestants won’t be able to see each other before committing to one another.
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Nicole was the perfect person for Building the Band because she has a history of success with singing competition series. She was instrumental in forming Liam’s band, One Direction, on The X Factor UK. She worked with Simon Cowell to put together contestants Liam, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson to form a supergroup. One Direction then went on to become one of the most popular bands of all-time, due in part to Nicole’s creativity and her belief in them.
On The Masked Singer, Nicole’s job is to guess the identities of already-established celebrities based on their voices and clues. After the show, the contestants go on with their lives, and the panelists have nothing to do with their musical pursuits. However, Building the Band will give Nicole the chance to possibly create something amazing musically. If Nicole returns to The Masked Singer, this could prevent her from committing to future seasons of Building the Band if the show turns out to be a success. Nicole should see what happens with her new series, and use it to work her magic by creating new music acts that take the world by storm.
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Rita Ora Is Doing A Fantastic Job As Nicole’s Masked Singer Replacement
The Current Panel Works Well Together
Nicole was a beloved Masked Singer panelist, so many people wondered if Rita would be able to fill her shoes. However, it turned out that they had nothing to worry about because Rita has done a phenomenal job. She was a Masked Singer UK panelist before she took Nicole’s place, so she had experience with the show. She’d even worked with Ken during season 1 of the UK version of the show, so they were already friends.
During her time on The Masked Singer, Nicole entertained everyone with her fabulous performances, including standouts such as “Memory” and “Fame.” However, she proved that she wasn’t only an incredible entertainer, but also that she was made to be a Masked Singer panelist because she was so good at putting together the clues. Host Nick Cannon even nicknamed her Sherlock Scherzy because she was so good at using her detective skills, like Sherlock Holmes, in order to figure out who the contestants were.
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However, Rita has also given incredible performances in her three Masked Singer seasons, and she’s made many correct guesses. Plus, she has just as much chemistry with Robin, Jenny, and Ken as Nicole did. Rita has performed, joked, and solved the mysteries of the contestants’ identities with them. It’s good to know that, if Nicole decides not to return to The Masked Singer, Rita is the perfect replacement for her.
The Masked Singer fans have gotten used to having Rita on the panel, and, although they miss Nicole, it might not be the time for the show to make changes. It has a good thing going, and the panel gets along well with each other. Bringing Nicole back now would be a disruption that The Masked Singer doesn’t need when its schedule has already been changed by skipping its fall season. Too much change could cause the show to lose viewers.
While it would be wonderful to see Nicole return to The Masked Singer, now isn’t the time for her to make such a career move. She should continue to ride this wave of success after Sunset Boulevard and see what happens with Building the Band before she decides to go back to the show. Nicole is an extraordinary singer and entertainer and the possibilities for her future are endless.
Sources: Nicole Scherzinger/Instagram, Nicole Scherzinger/Instagram, Nicole Scherzinger/Instagram
