Macy Gray has finally opened up about the tense backstage moment during her stint on The Masked Singer Australia, admitting her “pride was hurting” after her early elimination. The American R&B star appeared as “Atlantis” on the reality series in 2021 and was the fourth singer voted off. Judge Dave “Hughesy” Hughes later revealed on his 2DayFM radio show that Gray had refused to come back on stage for a final performance, causing a delay.
Exclusive Interview: Gray Addresses the Drama
In an exclusive interview as she announced her new Australian tour, Gray explained that her early eviction came as a real blow. “I just wanted to get out of there, I just wanted to go,” the I Try singer said. “I didn't want to stick around. You know, nobody wants to lose, and then to come out and sing a song? I just don’t … It’s very intense, you know?”
Back in 2021, Hughes had taken to the airwaves to reveal the backstage issues, claiming that Gray, 58, had “refused to leave the show”. “She said ‘No, I’m continuing in the show’ and there had to be a discussion which went for quite a while as to ‘No, you have to leave’. She said ‘No, I’m not leaving’,” he recalled. “It took quite a while, and we’re like, ‘What is going on? We want to go home’. We’re out the back, saying, ‘What’s happening?’”
The Encore Tour: 21 Shows Across Australia and New Zealand
Gray is now gearing up for her largest ever tour of Australia across September and October. The 21-show run kicks off at Hamer Hall in Melbourne on September 11, before heading to Adelaide, Shepparton, Albury, Thirroul, Hobart, Tamworth, Rooty Hill, Sydney, Erina, Shoal Bay, Canberra, Townsville, Cairns, Rockhampton, Byron Bay, Brisbane, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, and finishing at Margaret River in Western Australia on October 24. She will also perform in New Zealand.
The Encore Tour comes just two years after her 2024 sold-out shows celebrating the 25th anniversary of her debut album, On How Life Is. Gray’s affinity with Australian fans goes back to the start of her career: while she has sold over 25 million records worldwide and won two Grammys, it was music lovers Down Under who first embraced her unique sound. I Try went straight to number one in Australia and New Zealand in 1999, and On How Life Is topped local charts before America caught on.
New Album and What Fans Can Expect
Twenty-seven years after her debut, Gray is on the cusp of releasing a new studio album, The Trouble with the Truth. “We’re gonna have a little more theatre, and I have a new album coming out, so we’ll be playing music from that – and Australia will be the first to hear it live,” she revealed. Her set list will also feature all her past major hits. “ … It’s just gonna be fun, you know? All the shows are like a big party, we’re just gonna have a ball.”
Pre-sales for Macy Gray – The Encore Tour begin from 9am local time tomorrow, with general public tickets on sale from 9am Wednesday at www.macygraylive.com.au.
