South African musician and media personality Mzwakhe Mthandeni Ntshengula Mbuli Jr., better known as Robot Boii, has opened up about his experience competing as Mosquito on the third season of The Masked Singer SA.
The Salary Salary hitmaker ultimately finished as runner-up, with dancer and entertainer Bontle Modiselle taking the title after performing throughout the competition as Spotty.
Khanyi Mbau, who competed as Chopsticks, and singer Judith Sephuma, who appeared as Gogga, completed the season’s Top Four.
Robot Boii Celebrates Runner-Up Finish
Robot Boii described his journey on the show as an exciting and memorable experience, saying he was grateful to have made it all the way to the final.
He said the opportunity gave him a chance to showcase a different side of himself while embracing the mystery surrounding his Mosquito character.
Despite falling short of the title, the performer said reaching the final represented a significant achievement.
Keeping Mosquito’s Identity Secret
One of the biggest challenges was maintaining the secrecy surrounding his participation.
Robot Boii revealed that contestants were subjected to strict security measures from the moment they were collected for filming. He said he would leave home wearing a hoodie and visor, with his body covered, before being transported to the set without revealing his identity to the driver.
According to the musician, even movement around the production area was carefully controlled.
He explained that corridors would be cleared before contestants moved through the building, with precautions taken to ensure nobody saw them entering, leaving or even going to other parts of the venue.
He Had to Switch Between Two Identities
For Robot Boii, the secrecy went beyond simply hiding his name.
He said he became deeply invested in the Mosquito character and had to mentally switch between being himself and performing as his masked alter ego.
The musician described the experience of turning Mosquito on when leaving for filming and switching the character off again once he returned home.
Balancing that secret life with his normal activities and public presence proved challenging, but he ultimately rated the experience highly.
His Family and Team Were Kept in the Dark
Robot Boii said his approach to protecting the secret was surprisingly straightforward: he simply did not tell people.
He explained that he is naturally private about certain aspects of his life and was able to disguise his filming commitments by keeping his calendar vague.
Even members of his wider team were unaware of the real reason behind his absences. He said he changed the description of the filming dates in his calendar so that people who had access to his schedule would not realise what he was doing.
According to Robot Boii, only his manager knew the truth.
‘Sister Bettina’ Stands Out for Robot Boii
Among his performances on the programme, Robot Boii singled out Sister Bettina as his favourite.
The musician’s performances helped him progress through the competition while maintaining the mystery surrounding Mosquito’s identity until the latter stages.
His success also placed him alongside a strong final group that included several well-known South African entertainers.
Robot Boii Worked Out Spotty’s Identity
While the public remained largely in the dark, Robot Boii said he figured out who was behind the Spotty costume much earlier.
He recognised his close friend and collaborator Bontle Modiselle during the quarter-final stage, with her dancing providing the biggest clue.
Robot Boii said the physical demands of performing in a large and restrictive costume made her movements particularly revealing.
He also said he already knew Modiselle’s singing voice, despite many viewers being unaware that she could sing.
By the quarter-finals, he was convinced that Spotty was his friend.
Bontle Modiselle Takes the Crown
Modiselle eventually won the season, while Robot Boii finished second.
The two performers were already familiar with one another professionally and ultimately shared the stage during the finale, performing Drive by Black Coffee.
Robot Boii congratulated Modiselle on her victory, describing the win as deserved and expressing his pride in what the experience had done for her.
A Bittersweet Reveal for the Winner
Modiselle previously described her own experience behind the Spotty mask as both exciting and emotional.
She said she enjoyed having the freedom to perform without immediately being identified, but the eventual reveal also marked the end of an experience she considered magical.
Among her favourite performances were Titanium and Drive, with the latter holding particular significance because she performed it alongside Robot Boii.
The pair’s existing friendship and professional relationship added another layer to the finale, with both performers ultimately discovering that they had been competing against people they already knew.
A Season Defined by Secrecy and Surprise
Robot Boii’s account highlights just how much effort went into keeping the identities of The Masked Singer SA contestants hidden.
From disguised transportation and controlled movement backstage to altered calendars and carefully guarded schedules, the secrecy surrounding the competition extended well beyond the masks themselves.
For Robot Boii, the experience ended with a runner-up finish, while Modiselle walked away as the season-three champion after successfully keeping Spotty’s identity hidden from the wider public until the finale.
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