Bongani Bingwa happy to have fooled SA on 'The Masked Singer'

Television and radio broadcaster Bongani Bingwa is chuffed to have pulled the wool over television viewers’ eyes after he was unmasked as the famous face behind Banana on The Masked Singer SA. 

Bingwa serenaded the detectives – Somizi Mhlongo, Skhumba Hlophe, J’Something and Sithole Shozi – and audiences with a soothing rendition of Luther Vandross’ So Amazing. He left many in awe at his singing ability but more questions and confusion as to who could be underneath the banana peel.  

J’Something thought it could be DJ Fresh, while Mhlongo and Shozi  were convinced that it’s veteran actor Sello Maake KaNcube, while Hlophe thought it was Grammy winner Zakes Bantwini.  

“I always thought I could sing but I wanted to give it a shot. Seeing that I was familiar with the American version of the show, I was thrilled when they asked me to be a part of the show, especially a concept like it,” Bingwa said.

“I had a ball on the show. I enjoyed being in front of the crowd singing to them even though the vocals were pre-recorded because there was no way I was going to be able to sing in such a heavy costume... it would’ve been hard for me to do so.  

“Although I didn’t last in the competition, I was left feeling happy with my performance and finally getting the validation that I can sing.”  

While Bingwa’s vocals left a lasting impression on the detectives, Fox and Robot outperformed the 702 breakfast show host, sending him to the danger zone and in line for elimination.

“The experience of being disguised as Banana was the most outrageous thing I’ve ever experienced,” he said.  

“Just the idea of being picked up by a car, being covered so that nobody could see me and when arriving somebody is saying, ‘Banana on the move. Banana on the move’ – it was quite like something I had never experienced before.”

Having been sworn to secrecy to his involvement on the show, Bingwa raved about how “top secret” everything was and explained he would do it all over again if he could. 

“I’ve also had a couple of friends ask me, ‘why don’t you do The Masked Singer’, and I could not breathe a word – that whole mask disguise has been the most difficult because I couldn’t even tell people to watch my episode.”  

Still to be unmasked on the local version of the world’s biggest guessing game are Tree, Elephant, Warrior, Hippo, Watermelon, Sunflower, Fox, Robot and Lollipop.  

“My most memorable moment was seeing Somizi and Skhumba’s faces once they saw who I was. They were kicking themselves for not knowing it was me,” he said.