Boyz II Men Reveal What Made Them Break Down Amid Historic Masked Singer Win (Exclusive)

TooFab spoke to Boyz II Men after they clenched the title for their turn as The Buffalos Wednesday, making them the first group win in the show’s 12 seasons. And while it was an emotional run for the group, they initially wanted to make it short and sweet, telling TooFab the call to appear on the show came during their two-week break from touring.

“It worked out as far as time is concerned, except it was on our two weeks off. We didn’t like that too much, so we went into it as an opportunity to utilize the platform, and show ourselves as, you know, characters. And we were going to try to sing not our best or try to sing so that they knew who we were so that we can actually be kicked off,” Wanya Morris shared. “That was the plan. Because we wanted our time off. We had been working and working and working. So we were like, ‘Yo, man, this is going to be crap for our time off. And then as soon as we finish, we got to go back on the road?!’ So we literally were like, ‘Let’s get kicked off.'”

But when things quickly changed for the Philadelphia born and bred trio, who were enchanted by the energy of the show and decided to change their tune — they were going to stay and win.

“We saw the energy and we saw how professional and how amazing the crew was and how they treated us and how beautiful, just the whole atmosphere was. We were just like, ‘You know what? We might as well stay and win,'” Wayna continued.

As for the costumes, which the group said “really fit” their personality, the Buffalo fits did provide a bit of a challenge for Boyz II Men, who said they encountered several obstacles before getting to the finish line.

“It was all of that and then some. It was sweaty. It was a little claustrophobic. We didn’t very have much line of sight. So we had to move our heads a lot to see people or see objects or things. The feet were big. So sometimes we would step on each other’s feet. Thank God we didn’t do it in any of the performances or else that would have been embarrassing,” Shawn Stockman quipped. “But other than that, it was a good time. We had fun. It was a challenge.”

He continued, “But we rose to the challenge. And I think that was why we feel so proud about this victory, because there were so many just obstacles that we are not used to facing when it comes to, normally we just go on stage and grab microphones and sing. But we had to do it with big helmets, buffalo heads on. So all of those things presented different challenges for us as vocalists. And we don’t back down from a challenge.”

While the buffalo costumes provided a bit of challenge on stage, they also allowed the group to have a level of anonymity they haven’t experienced in their decades-long career.

“It was great. ‘Cause I mean, we’re very music oriented, meaning that we stretch a lot of different genres in our — what we listen to as three individuals, where you probably would never even know — all the songs that you heard are songs that we listen to, were songs that we sang before as friends that we love to perform. But we never, like you said, perform them live. But they are part of our musical repertoire,” Nathan Morris explained.

“So it was fun to try to be able to perform them and finally let people hear something different from Boyz II Men other than what they expect,” he continued. “And the fact that we were in Buffalo suits, there were no expectations on, ‘OK, well, Boyz II Men.’ So then you instantly think about what you need to hear. Nobody had any expectations. So it was great.”

What made it so “freeing,” Shawn said was what it brought the group back to the reason they started making music — a realization that brought the singer to tears on stage after belting out their last song on Wednesday’s finale.

“It allowed us to reconnect with why we sing in the first place. This music industry tends to inundate you with a bunch of other facets of it that makes you distracted and it makes you think that the industry is one thing. But the truth is, there would be no industry without the music. And when we first got together, our whole idea was to sing because we love to do it. We love to sing, period,” Shawn shared. “And being in those masks and people not knowing who we are and people loving just the music for the music, and not because of an image or because they’re seeing their favorite whatever, made it freeing. And it also made it nostalgic.”

“This is why we do what we do. And this is why the bond that we had just got stronger, because there is a world, believe it or not, that people will still enjoy and appreciate music for the right reasons and not something contrived or pushed on you,” he added. “All is not lost. And I think that’s why we felt we got as emotional as we did because it felt great to just go on stage and people just liked my voice. That’s it. It had nothing to do with anything else.”

While they kept things tightly under wraps while competing no the show, they were worried their cover would be blown early on thanks to judge Jenny McCarthy, who Boyz II Men had a special connection to after touring with her husband, Donnie Wahlberg‘s goup, New Kids on the Block.

“Well, Jenny and us, we have a longstanding history. We were on the New Kids on the Block tour, and when Donnie actually met her, he did the late night Jenny McCarthy show. And that’s when he met her. And he came back and was like, ‘Yo, dude, I think I like her.’ And so when he introduced me to her, we hung out, like literally hung out for a lot during that tour,” Wayna recalled. “And so I kind of was afraid that she wouldn’t know who — specifically my mannerisms because I’m always turned up — I’m always a Buffalo. But she actually did, she knows all of us. So, our mannerisms –we couldn’t hide them from her.”

As for the other judges, Wayna said he thinks they knew who was under those Buffalo masks, but didn’t want to blow the surprise too early.

“I think they knew who we were, but I think they were trying to actually mask it so that they give it a little bit more of a, you know — like Ken, I think he kind of knew who he were already. That’s why he would keep saying, ‘I always wanted Boyz II Men,’ know what I’m saying? So that was his way of saying, ‘I know. I know who it is.'”

To hear how Boyz II Men think the judges did when it came to guessing who they were, and what they have coming next, watch the video below.

The Masked Singer will be back for Season 13 on Wednesday, February 12 at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.