Reality TV star Savannah Chrisley says her “Masked Singer” debut was about anything but her musical skills.
The 26-year-old podcast host, best known for USA Network's “Chrisley Knows Best,” admitted during her unmasking on Wednesday's episode, “I know singing is not for me.” Instead, she said the Fox competition series was a way to bring joy to her family, including her parents Julie and Todd Chrisley, who are serving years in federal prison for bank fraud and tax evasion.
“A big reason I did this is because I know my parents can see it,” she told host Nick Cannon, “and that was a big thing for me.”
Todd, the “Chrisley Knows Best” patriarch, and his wife were convicted in June 2022 on federal charges including tax evasion and bank fraud and began their prison sentences in January 2023. Todd was originally sentenced to 12 years in the field Pensacola federal prison in Florida and Julie seven years at the Kentucky Federal Medical Center in Lexington, but both have had their sentences gradually reduced, according to their respective facilities' databases.
The Chrisleys' high-profile fraud case and prison sentences altered the family dynamic that landed them in the reality TV spotlight. Savannah, host of the “Unlocked” podcast, became the legal guardian of her teenage brother Grayson and her niece Chloe.
“My life over the last year has changed drastically,” Savannah told Cannon during Wednesday's episode, before adding that the two children now in her care were also at the center of her appearance as the “Masked Singer.”
And he added: “If there is one thing I can teach you, it is to take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way and don't back down.”
Savannah, who continues to voice her support for her parents and challenge their case, performed a rocking solo of the Tokens' “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” and ultimately lost to her competitor dressed as a Gumball machine in a rendition of “Ding Dong! The witch is dead.”
In a suggestive video, Savannah, who was initially hesitant about the job, recalled the major life changes she faced in the past two years and said she had learned “to laugh despite the pain.
“I know I'm not a good singer, but I'm here to do a fun performance and have a good time,” she added. “I want to make my family smile and laugh a lot. “That's what gives me courage tonight.”
In August, attorney Jay Surgent revealed to the Times details about Todd's experience in federal prison. Surgent said his client was “suffering from anxiety” over the latest updates in his case and was living a “neutralized existence” that consisted of eating her daily meals, occasionally watching television and talking to other inmates.
Chrisley “is very hopeful that at some point he and his wife will receive some semblance of justice and be able to get out in a reasonable period of time,” Surgent said in August.
