The fifth anniversary season of the show Mask is poised to reveal its first participant as the Mystery Voice, known on this program as Vodyanoy, who will be unmasked live. This detail was shared by the NTV press service with socialbites.ca, signaling a dramatic kickoff to a season built on secrecy, reveal, and audience participation.
As in prior editions, contestants will drop hints about their identities to the judging panel while performing songs that showcase their vocal range and stage presence. After each episode, a verdict will follow: the studio audience will have the power to rescue one performer, while a distinguished panel of star judges will determine which of the remaining masked artists must leave the competition. The format thrives on the tension between personal revelation and public vote, keeping viewers guessing until the final moments of each episode.
Participants arrive at shoots shrouded in privacy, escorted by security, and dressed in mirrored masks coupled with oversized black hoodies bearing the hashtag “#no comments.” The visual camouflage adds to the sense of mystery, emphasizing performance over persona and turning every entrance into a curious spectacle, a hallmark of this series’ signature style.
Vyacheslav Makarov returns to guide the show as host, bringing his familiar cadence and humor to introduce clues, interludes, and the dramatic unmaskings that fans anticipate each season. His presence anchors the program, providing a steady thread through the evolving lineup of performers and twists that keep the audience engaged week after week.
Mask has been a staple on NTV since 2020, delivering a blend of music, suspense, and celebrity theatrics. The inaugural season crowned Anatoly Tsoi, known as TSYO, behind the Lion mask, celebrating a breakthrough moment in which a veteran artist stepped into a new, magnetic character. In the second cycle, the Crocodile mask concealed Jony, who claimed the top prize for his performance and persona. The third season highlighted the operatic talent of Ildar Abdrazakov, a two-time Grammy winner, who performed under the Dragon guise to secure the crown. The fourth season marked a historic shift: for the first time, two winners were declared in the same season, with Dima Bilan and Sergey Lazarev performing as Mammoth and Scorpion, a duo that underscored the show’s willingness to test unconventional formats and double victories.
In a surprising literary note, a recent award discussion touched on the Akutagawa Prize in Japan, noted for recognizing a novel crafted with the assistance of a generative AI model, ChatGPT. This cross-cultural moment underscores the growing conversation about artificial intelligence in creative work, a theme that resonates with the broader public fascination around masks, disguises, and the performing arts. The juxtaposition of real-time televised mystery with the evolving landscape of AI-assisted writing offers a contemporary lens on how creative expression is evolving across media and genres.