And after a scandalous rendition of the hit Tones and I song, Fly Away, during the premiere, we’ve been left with one question on our lips: Who is Dolly?
Let’s take a look at the clues, like the true detectives we are:
- Hello, I’m Dolly and I’m quite the young lady but underneath is a different story.
- Just because I am a dolly doesn’t mean I’m a toy. I’ve always aimed high, good enough is never good enough. Things have to be just so.
- I don’t mind a bit of back and forth. In fact, I’m rather famous for it.
- Everyone expects Dolly to be a good girl. Well, I’m the type of Dolly I want to be. My dreams aren’t what they used to be.
- I’ve been through a change and I’m definitely off the leash.
- People think Dollys should be seen and not heard. Well, not this Dolly.
- In the premiere episode, when asked by the judges if they work in Australia, Dolly responded: “My earliest childhood dreams were to take on the entire world and beat them.”
So, who could be behind this fascinating character? It seems like one celebrity name keeps popping up more than any other. Em Rusciano is currently the number one suspect as the yet-to-be unmasked singer behind Dolly.
The 42-year-old star burst onto the music scene with an audition for Australian Idol in 2004, where she came in at ninth place - which means we know she can sing and has "always aimed high".
The clue that Dolly's "dreams aren’t what they used to be" could be hinting at Em's change from dreaming of being a world-famous singer, to working on multiple radio shows, performing stand-up comedy and touring over the past decade.
Her stand-up comedy and on-air banter as a radio personality would tie in with the 'back and forth' clue, while her strong opinions would match the clue about 'being heard'.
Plus, she's a friend of the network, appearing on other 10 shows like The Project in the past.
Another popular guess appears to be Rebel Wilson, with the Australian star matching up perfectly to some of the clues.
Not everyone will know this, but Rebel actually studied and received her Bachelor's Degree in Law from the University of New South Wales before pursuing acting full-time – so, you might say, her dream was "to take on the entire world and beat them" when she was young.
The 41-year-old actress is also known for her quick-witted comedy - famous for her "back and forth" style – and has recently "gone through a change" with her health and fitness journey.
Plus, she’s obviously a good singer, with a recurring role in the Pitch Perfect franchise.
Will Dolly lift off the mask to reveal Em or Rebel underneath the elaborate costume? Only time - and Osher Günsberg - will tell.
The Masked Singer Australia airs Monday to Wednesday, 7:30pm, on 10.
