The turtle has joined the pantheon of characters who left with the trophy of Mask Singer this Tuesday, October 11. After eight weeks of competition on TF1, the public discovered that it was the tenor Amaury Vassili who was hiding under this mask, after having made the investigators leave on numerous tracks.
The day after his victory, the 33-year-old tenor confided in his participation in the show at 20 minutes.
We really felt the joy of the turtle when you announced your victory. How were you under the costume?
I was soaked (laughter). It was really very physical. It was an incredible show, I had a blast. I didn’t think I would have so much fun, but the beauty of the costume gave me wings. Or rather fins (laughter)! I had a smile from start to finish, I had fun with the reactions of the jury. They struggled so much that it was enjoyable for me internally.
Gérémy Crédeville, Anthony Kavanagh, Vincent Niclo, Vincent Lagaf’… Over the broadcasts, investigators have cited dozens of names but never yours. How did you experience it?
It was very funny. Every week when I heard those names I was just happy because I told myself that I couldn’t leave when they were still so far from me. When I heard that Gérémy Crédeville was coming back, I thought it was great that with my energy, I took them so far. They couldn’t imagine a singer moving so much, being so crazy, good vibes. This is why they have long remained on the track of a humorous personality, someone who amuses the public. It was the turtle on stage and the turtle is like that.
Keeping the mystery is the goal of the game so I made song choices that allowed me to keep my identity secret until the end. I wanted things that look like me, that I listen to, that I sing in the shower sometimes.
You weren’t the only singer on the show, yet you won it. What made the difference?
The difference is that I disturbed them with this energy. It’s true that we often see the lyrical singer in a fairly straight posture trying to control his breath, his notes. This turtle, she wanted to put on a show, to show who she was… She was not Amaury Vassili but an artist in her own right. I tried to be 200% in his character and to believe in him until the end. Mask Singer remains a competition and when I start something, I always try to finish it and if possible to win.
I was a little scared because there was heavy in front. I was blown away by The Bride. The performance she did on Bruno Mars, it turned me around. Just like The Elephant who was where we didn’t necessarily expect him. The competition was there and I discovered at the end that they are personalities that I follow a lot so I was even more impressed.
Did the costume allow you to do things that you would never have done openly?
This turtle, she is not afraid of anything, she has no image or psychological constraints. I would never have imagined finding myself dancing to Michael Jackson and still managing to move people…
When you’re a singer, you have little gestures, you try to convey emotions through your face. In the turtle, there is only the costume. So you have to try to find gestures that will go in the direction of the service you want to do. Sometimes I even suggested staging ideas because the turtle had to be not a human being under a mask but a real animal. I was completely screwed!
When we listen to you, we have the impression that the turtle has released something in you…
What was liberating was going on an adventure and having the costume I wanted. I was lucky. When I was contacted, I said: “Yes but on one condition, that is that there is a turtle.” I was told that it would be possible and the adventure began for me at that time.
How does this animal have a strong symbolism in your life?
When my son was born on June 25, I was a little disappointed because I wanted him to be a Gemini like me. Unfortunately he is Cancer. It’s a word that I hate and so with my sister-in-law we were laughing around a family meal and so I said: “No, it will be a turtle.” It all started like that from my personal delirium. Several months later, Mask Singer contacted me and it was obvious that I must be a turtle.
When they introduced me to this Maori turtle it was even beyond what I imagined. It immediately made me think of my brother who lived in Tahiti for two years, of my grand-nieces who, like me, are very big fans of the film. Moana… There were all these little reports that were great that helped me feel so good in this costume so I didn’t ask myself any questions.
Has your son been able to see any of your performances on the stage of Mask Singer ?
My little boy is only 15 months old so he is not yet in a condition to understand all this. I hide behind him to pretend my participation but the personal pleasure I felt is very great. I can’t wait to be in a year so I can show him this show again and enjoy it all with the family.
I had the chance to experience exceptional things, to perform on some of the most prestigious stages… Mask Singer gave me as much pleasure and pride as going on stage making my own music.
What conclusions do you draw from this experience?
The balance sheet is only positive. The last few years have not always been easy, morale has not always been the highest because of everything around us. I find that this program brings a little joie de vivre, lightness, it is aimed at families. I think right now our kids need to dream and thanks to shows like this they can.
Since the final, I have received several videos of parents filming their children and the children were tense at the time of the result. When the victory of the turtle is announced, they explode with joy. It’s exactly this kind of emotion that we want to see, children’s smiles, joy and pleasure. Mask Singer put it all together.
What are your upcoming projects ?
It’s very important for an artist to bounce back from things that have found a new audience. I was convinced that some of my performances would move the public so I took over and re-orchestrated some songs from the turtle in an album called A voice and songs. Here you can find my covers of If only I could miss him of Calogero, Hello from Adele, Body of Yseult, Titanium of Sia or Writing’s on the wall by Sam Smith, whom I performed yesterday for the finale.
I hope this album will appeal to the public who loved the turtle. Because if there is something we have in common with the turtle, it is this voice which was so difficult to identify for the investigators and finally so easy for the viewers who had discovered me for a long time. But with Google, they had a bit of an advantage.
You also released a clip of Writing’s on the wall after the final. We see you there with turtles…
I didn’t want the turtle to disappear overnight, I wanted it to send a message, that of limiting ocean pollution. I found it interesting that a stronger and more intelligent message came out of this whole magical adventure. Now the goal is to give a little pleasure to all the turtles in the world by avoiding polluting the sea.
Will you miss this turtle?
Ouhlala yes, I will miss her very much (laughter). To the general public it allowed me to show a little more what I am in the private sector. I’m a little crazier, a little less smooth than the image people wanted to give me when I started my career. She also allowed me to win Mask Singer and to be the first male winner.
I think she will come back one day. Maybe not in the way you might imagine because I don’t want to associate my singing career with this costume. Maybe on the set of Mask Singer because she didn’t want to leave so much that she had to hide in a corner of the studio (laughs).