Paula Cole Says “The Masked Singer” Forced Her to 'Examine My Judgment and My Snobbery' (Exclusive)

The singer-songwriter performed as Ship on season 12 of the Fox competition and tells PEOPLE that when she unmasked on the Oct. 9 episode, "I died, basically"

Paula Cole learned an important lesson by going on The Masked Singer.

“That I'm a snob and I need to get over myself,” she tells PEOPLE.

The singer-songwriter, 56, refers to herself as a “really private person,” so competing on The Masked Singer as Ship “was great fun to stretch beyond my comfort zone.”

“I love dancing, I love production. I found being inside a television show very fascinating,” Cole says. “I loved my anonymity. I loved that I could just close my eyes. It was wonderful having that secrecy.”

Cole lost in the Battle Royale to Buffalos, which led to her unmasking on the Oct. 9 episode. “I really hated the Battle Royale because I don't like music being competitive,” the "I Don't Want to Wait" songstress says. “That's antithetical to what music is. Music is a unifier.”

Related: Every Winner of 'The Masked Singer': See Which Celebrities Took the Trophy

The Grammy winner has been making music professionally for more than three decades, and earlier this year, she released her latest album, Lo. Later this month, she’ll continue touring the album before focusing on her writing in November. “Believe me, after this is over and my tour is over at the end of the month, I'm diving back to my introversion where I feel comfortable,” she says.

Cole shares what her Ship costume reminded her of, why she wanted to apply “a Buddhist perspective” to The Masked Singer and how she considered herself lucky despite being eliminated.

Related: How Singer Paula Cole Found Her 'Authentic' Self on New Album After Realizing 'Fear' Was Keeping Her 'Small' (Exclusive)

Had you watched The Masked Singer before signing on for season 12?

PAULA COLE: I was a horrible snob about it and hadn't even watched the show. But they asked me, and they were very loving about it. I did my research. They offered me this beautiful costume — it reminded me of one of my mother's art projects, actually. [The show] forced me to examine my judgment and my snobbery. It helps me to grow a little bit because I felt agency underneath that mask. It was wonderful having an alter ego. She gave me freedom. loved dancing. I loved the choreography. That was wonderful to have a different role to play and to do a different thing. The competition part, I really hate.

So were you disappointed to be eliminated, or did you come on the show just wanting to have fun?

I tried to stay stoic and unattached, take a Buddhist perspective on it. But when I had to unmask and I died, basically, I felt pretty sad to have it all end. I shed a little tear. I wanted to stay in that mode a little longer. But ultimately, it doesn't really matter to me. It's just a fun show, and I had a joyful time.

Did you think it was unfair that it was three Buffalos against one Ship in the Battle Royale?

Oh, no. I don't care. Whatever works. God bless them. They were beautiful, I just wanted to stay in it a little longer. But I don't want to ever do a Battle Royale again. It was a little bit of a relief to die.

How was singing inside the Ship costume?

I was one of the lucky ones. Some of the others are much harder to move in. But mine was easy. I just needed a lot of headroom/a wide berth through doorways. There was some delicacy to it but really a lot more fun than I ever thought.

Who knew you were doing The Masked Singer?

Just the inner circle of family. My husband, my daughter. I only told my other kids and my parents right before the show started. Nobody in my family would watch the show otherwise. I wanted them to enjoy it. But it was very secretive. You have to show up basically in armor with a mask and a hoodie and sign an NDA. It's very serious stuff.

Did you receive a lot of messages from people who thought you were on show?

A lot of people thought I was Annie Lennox, which I find interesting because she really was a primary influence to me. She inspired me to start singing in the first place.

Related: How 'The Masked Singer' Works: All About Fox's Celebrity Singing Competition

What did it mean to you for judge Jenny McCarthy to say you had the most beautiful voice on season 12?

I was grateful. I came away loving Jenny, Jenny and Ken [Jeong] especially. What good people. I think she had me sussed out pretty early that it was me. She's a Lilith Fair era-born person and remembers me. That's very moving.

Where can people catch you next now that you’ve been unmasked?

I'm touring. Then, I'm going to get into some writing. I'm writing a musical and a book, and then I'll start touring again spring of '25. I’m in a very creative place in my life right now. It's going to get quiet come November because I'm going into writing mode, but there'll be lots of announcements in 2025. I'd love for people to come see me live and to pay attention to the socials and the website for tour dates. I'll just always be doing that. I'm dedicated to music for the rest of my life.

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

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