Fox just announced the judging panel and host for its newest singing competition, “Alter Ego.”
The music-focused judges will include “Ironic” singer Alanis Morissette, Grimes, Nick Lachey and “Black Eyed Peas” alum will.i.am. Rocsi Diaz — who co-hosted the BET program “106 & Park” — will host.
“Alter Ego” will feature contestants who hide their true identities and perform as their “dream avatar,” showcasing their unique performance style via motion capture technology.
“‘Alter Ego’ merges talent and technology to revolutionize the singing competition show in only a way Fox can do,” said Rob Wade, president of alternative entertainment and specials at Fox. “We are so excited to bring the fantastic will.i.am, Alanis, Grimes, Nick and Rocsi together as they search for the next big singing star, allowing incredible vocalists a chance to realize their dreams and perform like never before.”
Matilda Zoltowski, who has worked on talent shows including “World of Dance” and “Dancing with the Stars,” will serve as the show’s executive producer. The show is set to take the time slot of “Game of Talents.”
“Alter Ego” will be the second Fox series on which Alanis Morissette has appeared, following her role on the network’s animated comedy “The Great North.” Lachey was a contestant on “The Masked Singer” last season. Will.i.am serves as a coach on the UK version of “The Voice.” And Canada-born Grimes — a k a Claire Boucher — is the partner of Tesla founder Elon Musk and recently released her concept album “Miss Anthropocene.”
“Alter Ego” will pair with Season 6 of “The Masked Singer” on Wednesday nights at 9 p.m. in the fall. “Masked,” hosted by Nick Cannon, features star panelists guessing the identities of celebrities by interpreting clues throughout the season. After performances conclude, the audience and panelists vote for their favorite singer, and the least popular contestant takes off their mask to reveal their identity.
“The Masked Singer” also seemed to have influenced a new dating show on Netflix called “Sexy Beasts,” in which guests test chemistry with others without ever seeing their faces — which are masked by cutting-edge Hollywood movie prosthetics. Fox also put on a spinoff of “The Masked Singer” titled “The Masked Dancer,” in which celebs disguise their identities with elaborate costumes to perform in front of a panel of judges.
