Country Music Icon Billy Ray Cyrus Revealed as Owl on The Masked Singer
The February 11 episode of The Masked Singer delivered a stunning revelation when the Owl costume was removed to expose country music superstar Billy Ray Cyrus as the performer hidden beneath. The themed "Twilight night" episode, celebrating the vampire romance film series, featured a dramatic showdown between four remaining contestants: Owl, 14K Carrot, Cat Witch, and Stingray.
Twilight Night Sets the Stage
Before the main competition began, the show announced its "Twilight night" theme in honor of the brooding vampire films starring Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson. The episode featured a special performance from Christina Perri, who sang her 2011 ballad A Thousand Years from Breaking Dawn — Part 1. The Owl's performance—a surprisingly low-energy rendition of Billy Idol's White Wedding—fit perfectly with the evening's atmospheric theme.
In celebration of the upcoming Valentine's Day holiday, both judges and contestants received special messages from their partners. The Owl received an emotional voice message from his disguised partner, who was later revealed to be a famous actress with a distinctive English accent that surprised the judging panel.
The Dramatic Unmasking
As the night progressed, the competition narrowed to a final showdown between the Owl and the Stingray. When the Owl was ultimately voted off, he was forced to remove his elaborate headgear, revealing the 64-year-old country music hitmaker and occasional actor Billy Ray Cyrus beneath.
Cyrus is best known for his 1992 chart-topping hit Achy Breaky Heart, which reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart. He has gained additional fame as the father of pop superstar Miley Cyrus, with whom he co-starred on the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana before she launched her own successful music career.
Clues and Emotional Moments
Throughout the episode, several clues pointed toward Cyrus's identity. His background segment showed an owl walking in the woods near a sign reading "Mile 1992"—a reference to both his daughter Miley's birth year and the release year of Achy Breaky Heart. Cyrus also shared that he received a mysterious text message stating, "The vultures are circling, but I'm in your corner," which turned out to be from someone he "least expected."
The emotional high point came when the Owl received a Valentine's Day message from "Lady Owl," who said in an English accent, "Hey, baby. Lady Owl here. Watching you has been enchanting. Good luck tonight, and happy Valentine's Day." Host Nick Cannon asked what the message meant to him, but instead of replying, Cyrus began to sob, simply saying "thank you" as judges Rita Ora and Jenny McCarthy rushed to comfort him.
Judges' Guesses and Final Revelation
The judging panel offered various incorrect guesses about the Owl's identity throughout the episode. Robin Thicke suggested the "Southern drawl" might belong to actor Dennis Quaid, while Jenny McCarthy bizarrely guessed it could be Ted Danson. Ken Jeong initially thought it might be Woody Harrelson or Matthew McConaughey before joining McCarthy's Ted Danson theory. Rita Ora speculated it could be Kurt Russell.
After Cyrus was unmasked, he revealed that the voice of Lady Owl belonged to his current girlfriend, actress Elizabeth Hurley. "This being Valentine's Day, an angel came into my life named Elizabeth Hurley, and she was the lady in red," Cyrus explained emotionally.
The judges were astonished that all four of their guesses had been incorrect, with Robin Thicke noting how rare this occurrence was. They also learned that an earlier clue featuring a goat was meant to evoke the phrase "billy goat" to point toward Cyrus's identity.
Musical Finale and Personal Context
Fittingly, Cyrus concluded his appearance by performing Achy Breaky Heart, though his live vocals were nearly buried under layers of overdubbed backing tracks. The audience erupted in cheers and shrieks at the revelation of the country music superstar, creating a stark contrast to the previous week's more niche reveal of former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Teddi Mellencamp.
Cyrus's appearance comes during a period of significant personal attention, including his divorce from Miley's mother Tish Cyrus and his tempestuous marriage and split from his third wife, Australian singer Firerose. Despite previous conflicts with his children, Miley clarified late last year that she and her father had patched up their relationship.
"Music changes lives. And thank you for sharing this moment," Cyrus said in his characteristically gravelly voice after the unmasking, expressing gratitude to both the audience and his fellow performers for the experience.
