No one could have predicted that it would be 21-year-old Summer Warne hiding under the elaborate Bad Avocado mask on season five of The Masked Singer Australia.
The certified star kept the guessing panel and fans tuning in from home alike on the edge of their seats for three episodes, none the wiser to who was really hiding underneath the mask.
WATCH NOW: The Masked Singer Australia 2023 Teaser Trailer. Article continues after video.
With guesses ranging from retired tennis champion Ash Barty, to Grey’s Anatomy actress Kate Walsh, MAFS villain-turning-doting mother of one Martha Kalifatidis, Miss Universe Australia 2017 winner Olivia Molly Rogers, and wildlife warrior Bindi Irwin, no celebrity was off the table.
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Ultimately it was Summer, the youngest child of late cricketing great Shane Warne who was hiding underneath the mask, revealing her singing talent for the first time.
Speaking with New Idea the morning after her unmasking, Summer revealed that despite never taking singing seriously before, she was encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity when casting agents came knocking at her door.
“It was a huge shock that they would want me on the show,” Summer admits.
To prepare, she sang “wherever and whenever” she could.
“I had two to three lessons per week with Gary Pinto who was the vocal coach on the show and he was amazing.”
“It was just all about building up my confidence and my vocals to be able to sing onstage.”
On the topic of performing in front of an audience, Summer says singing inside the Bad Avocado mask proved a real challenge, one she is happy to report she overcame.
“It was so hard. I couldn’t say anything and wanted to make sure I sounded okay and didn’t echo and I was trying really hard not to breathe heavily because that would come through the mic.”
“But it was so much fun because no one knew who I was. I enjoyed every single bit of it. It’s something I’ll never forget.”
Her short-lived time on the show isn’t one that Australia will forget anytime soon either.
In her final performance of the season, Summer performed an emotional rendition of Yellow by Coldplay, which lead singer Chris Martin performed at her late father’s memorial in March 2022.
“No one actually knew I was going on the show apart from my mum and Helen (Shane’s longtime personal assistant) and I didn’t tell them what song I was singing.”
“Brooke when she was watching it she was in tears, she was bawling her eyes out.”
“[My family] were [just] so shocked and so proud of me because they know dad would have loved it.”
According to Summer, a recording of her tearjerking performance has been sent to Chris, a longtime friend of her father.
“I’ve [also] been meaning to message him and send a thankyou message because I’m just so grateful he gave clearance to the show [on the song].”
“I think he will be really thrilled by the performance.”
As for who Summer predicts is hiding under the remaining masks, she believes Conrad Sewell is hopping around onstage under the guise of Bouncer.
She also believes Space Fairy has what it takes to take out the competition: “I love Space Fairy, she’s unreal,” she tells us.
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