Why Charlie Wilson May’ve Used His ‘Masked Singer’ Costume at Coachella (Unique)

Even after 5 a long time within the music business, Charlie Wilson discovered The Masked Singer to be vocally difficult.

“That they had me singing it upstairs they usually may see if I may sing it. I mentioned, ‘Effectively, are you able to deliver it down some? It is a bit excessive,’” Wilson, 71, tells PEOPLE of testing his vary as Ugly Sweater. “I feel they bought bored with that. It is like, ‘No, you bought to sing these songs in the identical key everyone else is singing it in.’ So I used to be like, ‘OK.'”

The co-founder of The Hole Band was eradicated on Queen Evening on April 17 after singing “I Need to Break Free.”

“I want I may have went all the best way, but it surely simply did not work that means for me” he says. “And I used to be nice with it. Someone bought to chunk the mud, so it appears prefer to me, ‘Ugly Sweater, you are the one going to chunk the mud.’ ”

Away from stage, “I would not put on an unsightly sweater,” the 13-time Grammy nominee jokes.

Wilson, who launched his newest single “Superman” in December, shares which previous Masked Singer winner impressed him to go on the present, the way it felt when Robin Thicke guessed his identification and the way his spouse of 29 years, Mahin, pushed again towards Kanye West within the recording studio.

What appealed to you about doing The Masked Singer at this level in your profession?

Once I did see Masked Singer again within the day, it was when T-Ache gained the entire thing. I used to be so excited for him. Once they had him sing once more, I used to be like, “Oh man, I’ve by no means heard that voice really earlier than, apart from when he was writing a track for me again within the day.” However I might virtually forgot it with out the auto-tune on it. So it appeared prefer it was numerous enjoyable and I needed to do it too.

How did performing as Ugly Sweater differ from what you’re used to?

The ugly sweater costume was so, so heavy. They needed to take among the hair out of the highest of it, the feathers, as a result of I feel every a type of feathers weighed 20 lbs. or one thing like that. If I bent down, it was like I used to be going to fall over. The swimsuit weighed about 200 and one thing lbs. I used to be already weighing 180 lbs., plus the 200 lbs., that was virtually 300 lbs. I barely may stroll.

What did you make of the guesses the judges made for you, which included Smokey Robinson, Ronald Isley, Eddie Levert and Aaron Neville?

I used to be in there laughing.

After which Robin guessed you fairly early on.

Once I began singing, Robin Thicke mentioned, “That is Charlie Wilson proper there.” He mentioned, “I do know his voice. I’ve studied him after I was a child and I do know his voice just like the again of my hand, and I do know that is Charlie Wilson’s voice proper there.” And I used to be like, “Wow. I am toast.”

Had you been getting messages from family and friends members who suspected you had been Ugly Sweater?

Oh, no. I would not inform them anyway. I am trying on the YouTube, I am taking a look at everyone saying, “Charlie Wilson, Charlie Wilson, Charlie Wilson, Charlie Wilson.” I am telling my mates and my members of the family, “I do not know as a result of I do not watch The Masked Singer. I watched it a very long time in the past and that is when T-Ache gained it. Everyone’s like, “Effectively, they’re saying it is you.” I mentioned, “Effectively, allow them to guess.”

In your clue bundle, there have been numerous references to among the artists you have labored with all through your profession. Who stunned you essentially the most by way of being completely different from their public persona?

Kanye. He was the one which shocked me essentially the most. As a result of he used to have a form of a scenario once you’d come to the studio, everyone needed to be suited and booted. The entire engineers needed to be wearing swimsuit and ties and all of that stuff. So I got here in there breaking guidelines. I did not get nothing about none of that. However he allowed me. I had my telephone and no one’s purported to have a telephone. No person was purported to ever report, and I used to be up in there recording. And my spouse shocked him. She’s very opinionated. She mentioned no matter she needed to say, and generally he did not prefer it, however he could not say nothing as a result of I used to be sitting there. He bought to keep in mind that’s my spouse and he could not say too many issues. So we ended up being actually, actually, actually shut.

And it was the identical factor with Snoop Dogg. They was attempting to determine, “Man, who is that this girl, man, telling us we will not smoke and might’t do that right here?” As a result of I used to be recovering the primary time I bought with Snoop from medicine and stuff.

Did you take pleasure in performing with Tyler, the Creator at Coachella throughout Weekend One?

It was wonderful. It was simply freezing. I used to be so chilly and I used to be so excessive up above the viewers. That wind was blowing like about 25, 30 miles an hour and plus, like 39 or 40 levels. I used to be simply shaking and could not get my lyrics, could not get my telephone out. It was tough. Now I do know if I ever return there once more, I do know to have on huge turtlenecks and my huge pants and a few boots, scarves and an enormous coat. As a result of these tents that that they had, man, did not work for me. That chilly air [was] taking my throat away. It is like singing in a fridge. If I might had the Ugly Sweater on, I may have got here on the market and wrecked the place!

You talked about on the present how your spouse didn’t know who you had been once you two first met. What has it meant to have her by your facet?

My spouse, she’s Persian. I used to listen to, “Charlie Wilson’s bought a white spouse.” My spouse just isn’t white, she’s Persian! And she or he did not know something about me or that I used to be a singer. As a matter of reality, her sisters in Iran on the time thought I used to be as huge as Michael Jackson, as a result of they did not know something about me both. They solely knew who Michael Jackson was. I ended up with my spouse and she or he was the one to stroll me by the highs and lows. She do not stand for no BS. So I am completely satisfied. I am having a great time being who I’m, and I am not attempting to be anyone else.

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The Masked Singer airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.