Gloria Gaynor, ‘Masked Singer’ Mermaid, Went on to See ‘How Recognizable My Voice Is’ to the Public

The “I Will Survive” singer tells PEOPLE she enjoyed “the idea of people trying to guess my voice”

Gloria Gaynor didn’t survive the first round of The Masked Singer.

The two-time Grammy winner, 79, revealed herself as Mermaid on Wednesday’s episode of the Fox singing competition after performing “Any Dream Will Do” from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat on Andrew Lloyd Webber Night. Gaynor had to unmask because judges Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy, Nicole Scherzinger and Robin Thicke voted for her to head home following the Battle Royale against Robo Girl.

“I just wanted to see how recognizable my voice is to the general public,” Gaynor tells PEOPLE of why she went on The Masked Singer. “I just [liked] the idea of people trying to guess my voice.”

The panel did end up figuring out Gaynor’s identity — along with tossing out Cher, Gloria Estefan and Roberta Flack as additional possibilities. “I don’t know if it was my voice and how much it was clues and how much it was combined elements that helped them to recognize who I am,” Gloria wonders.

Gaynor’s clue package included a reference to “simply the best,” “a horrible accident” and being a “big” legend. It also showed two white birds, film scores and a record.

The “I Will Survive” singer calls her Mermaid costume on the show “just fabulous.” “I loved that outfit,” she says. “I thought it was awesome.”

She admits, though, that singing under there was “a little bit difficult because you’re sitting.”

But overall, “it was a very good experience,” Gaynor says.

Sex and the City star Mario Cantone also got unmasked on Wednesday as the show’s Maize.

“People might consider The Masked Singer a reality show. To me, a reality show is when they come into your life and you show your ass. That’s something I would never, ever do,” the actor, 62, tells PEOPLE. “I’ve been offered stuff like that. The great thing about The Masked Singer is they don’t get into your life, because it’s a secret, and you just sing. This is a classy show. It’s fun, it’s zany, it’s so crazy.”

The Masked Singer airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.

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