TooFab spoke to the “Let Me Love You” singer after he was unmasked as The Wasp on Wednesday night time’s Season 12 finale, the place he spoke about his expertise on the present and the “full circle” second he had taking the stage alongside the Philadelphia-born R&B group.

“Once they confirmed me the wasp costume, I used to be like, ‘Yo, this is among the coolest costumes I’ve seen,’” Mario mentioned when requested why he mentioned sure to the present. “Off of the costume alone, I used to be in.”

He continued, “However as soon as I actually discovered concerning the present and the way it was shot, simply the storytelling behind it… it actually took me again to being a giant child once more. My inside little one was enthusiastic about being imaginative and inventive and having the ability to carry out and sing and likewise be a personality, and likewise be myself, unbeknownst to the world.”

As for the costume, whereas it took some adjusting, Mario mentioned that inside every week, he actually started feeling like The Wasp.

“I believe the toughest half was in all probability getting used to not having the ability to broaden my jaws once I’m singing or, , breathe as as regular regular as I do,” Mario mentioned of the restrictions the costume confronted. Along with a wasp masks, Mario donned giant wings and the wasp’s attribute stinger. “However I believe after adopting it for like every week, it simply grew to become part of me. So each time I put the costume on, I actually felt like The Wasp. I used to be actually in it.”

“It was actually like, type of like Broadway,” he continued. “I’ve carried out Broadway earlier than and it was type of like that within the sense that after I put the costume on, I knew it was time to get to work and actually create this character and attempt to make individuals fall in love with the music, and the vitality and the traits of The Wasp.”

Being beneath the masks of The Wasp and having that anonymity allowed the R&B star to discover totally different genres of music as he’d tackle a brand new music and new artists every week, a few of which even stunned him!

“Singing Whitney Houston was a shock to me. That was a type of ones the place I used to be like, ‘OK, am I going to tackle this problem right here?’” Mario mentioned of singing Houston’s “I am Your Child Tonight” on Wednesday’s finale. “Clearly, Whitney’s voice is unbelievable and her songs are very, very excessive key. However with observe, I believe it was — I actually psyched my thoughts out, as a result of I am beneath this costume to say that, like, ‘You do not have to sound like Mario. do not give attention to Mario.’”

He added of his mindset in the course of the present “When you consider a wasp, when you consider something with wings, there is no restrict to the place it may well go. And so, like, simply actually tackle the traits of the wasp after which… the fearlessness of it and assault it.”

As for what he’ll take from the expertise, Mario mentioned the present served as a reminder of simply how highly effective music is.

“I’ve recognized all of it my profession, however simply singing different individuals’s music and seeing the way it connects individuals collectively, but in addition connects individuals to your personal intention within the second, proper? Music is that good medium to speak how you are feeling about life and love and loss and simply all the things,” he gushed. “Even engaged on this new album, Glad You Got here, that I simply dropped. It is the identical factor. It is similar to reintroducing your self to individuals via the medium of music.”

“So I believe it was simply how highly effective it’s, and the way highly effective the creativeness is, proper? Persons are imagining who they stunning a lot can think about — I am whoever they need me to be. I could possibly be their cousin, their brother, their whoever beneath that masks singing a music to them proper there,” Mario continued. “It is simply actually  permitting individuals to dive into their very own needs and creativeness whereas giving them inspiration via the medium of a fancy dress and a personality you are taking part in.”

Whereas Mario, who mentioned he’d undoubtedly signal on do one thing like this once more, completed as this season’s runner-up, going head-to-head with The Buffalos a.ok.a Boyz II Males, served as a successful second Grammy-nominated singer.

“I nonetheless really feel like I got here in first,” he gushed. “Boyz II Males to me is like — I grew up listening to them. In truth, in truth, I sung their music, ‘I will Make Like to You’ on the assembly that acquired me signed as an artist once I was 14. So, full circle second.”

It is just a little recognized truth the trio had been clued in on, with Mario including, “They know. We speak. These are my guys.”

As for whether or not Mario knew who he was competing towards all season, he mentioned that by The Buffalo’s third efficiency, he knew it was the notorious trio.

“Their third efficiency? I knew it was them. Wanya [Morris] gave it away. His runs — I have been learning these runs since I used to be 10 years previous. So he totally gave it away,” he mentioned. “But it surely was a pleasure to be sharing a stage with them, sharing costumes with them.”

Off The Masked Singer Stage, Mario has simply launched his sixth studio album, Glad You Got here, which he says actually highlights who he’s as an artist immediately.

“I really feel like that it actually highlights extra of who I’m as a associate, as an individual who longs for love, an individual who’s made errors in love, an individual who’s mental and likewise very intimate. I might say it is actually good R&B,” Mario defined.

“It reminds individuals how vital communication is. I believe this album, there’s… I write… very metaphorically typically, however the communication and the intention could be very direct. And I really feel prefer it embodies a timeless strategy to having conversations about diving deeper into your self and your associate, or whoever you are relationship on the time. It simply invitations individuals to be extra weak and nonetheless assured… and accountability,” he added. “I believe plenty of the songs on this album speaks metaphorically about accountability, and I really feel like that is one thing that all of us ought to try for. So, it is just a little little bit of all the things on the album. And it is also enjoyable as properly.”

And he is bringing it to followers, with a 36-city tour, kicking off in January alongside Mary J. Blige and Ne-Yo.

“Bringing it to the stage and likewise performing similar to timeless information that my followers need to hear and grabbing new followers, and similar to actually taking all this vitality and inspiration behind creativeness and love and music and timeless artwork and bringing it to the stage,” Mario mentioned of what he is most enthusiastic about for the upcoming tour.

“And reminding individuals and the followers why they fell in love with Mario after they had been 15, 16 years previous. Now having the ability to sing these songs, from a spot of expertise is rather a lot totally different than singing, ‘Let Me Love You,’ once I was 18 and understanding nothing about love. So it is thrilling to do.”

The Masked Singer might be again for Season 13 on Wednesday, February 12 at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.