What We Know About Alter Ego Season 1: Release Date, Judges, And New Details

Many of us had our doubts about the competition series "The Masked Singer," with BuzzFeed calling it "the most bonkers show on television." Despite the naysayers, it became impressively successful. Fans love the good-natured mystery, celebrity reveals, and outlandish costumes, which even earned the show's designer an Emmy, per The Guardian. It comes as no surprise, then, that Fox decided to capitalize on the idea and create "Alter Ego," the singing competition inspired by "The Masked Singer."

What makes "Alter Ego" different? According to The Hollywood Reporter, the creators described the show as "a first-of-its-kind avatar singing competition series and the next iteration of the musical competition show." Instead of using costumes, singers will disguise themselves with motion capture technology and CGI. In other words, each singer will appear as a unique, mysterious, computer-created avatar.

Some people have voiced skepticism about the show idea on Twitter, while others have tweeted praise and excitement for the first episode. Others are simply wondering whether the avatar idea will pull in an audience big enough to compete with "The Masked Singer."

If you're curious as to how this will all play out, you're not alone. Find out when the show will air, who will be judging, and what to expect below.

Alter Ego Season 1 release date

While Fox announced the creation of its new singing competition, "Alter Ego," back in May of this year on Twitter, the network waited to announce the date of the premiere. In fact, they only recently made the release date public. On August 22, the Alter Ego Twitter account published a tweet that reads, "Trust me, you've never seen a show like this!" The account then listed the premiere date as September 22, at 9:00 p.m. EST.

As an added bonus, Fox revealed that the series will begin with a two-night premiere. The network also announced that Season 6 of "The Masked Singer" will premiere on the same day at 8:00 p.m. EST, in the hopes that "The Masked Singer" fans will stick around to watch the new show, per Billboard.

In an attempt to boost interest even more, a sneak peek of "The Masked Singer" and "Alter Ego" will air on Sunday, September 12 at 8:00 p.m. EST, 5:00 p.m. PT, via Alter Ego on Twitter.

Who will be the judges on Alter Ego?

In the world of singing competitions, the judges can make or break a series. Popular celebrities can pull in tremendous viewership numbers, while unpopular celebrities can turn off even the most loyal fans. Fortunately, "Alter Ego" made sure to hire a star-studded cast of judges. They include: Alanis Morissette, Nick Lachey, Grimes, and will.i.am, via The Hollywood Reporter. To top it all off, TV, radio show personality, and model Rocsi Diaz is set to host, per Deadline.

For most of the cast, the world of TV show competitions is not new. Lackey famously co-hosted "Love Is Blind" and made an appearance on "The Masked Singer." Rapper and Black Eyed Peas member will.i.am is a long-time coach on the U.K. version of "The Voice." Meanwhile, Morissette and Grimes will be judging for the first time, but both are seasoned music industry professionals. Morissette will certainly draw in die-hard "Jagged Little Pill" fans. Grimes, whose real name is Claire Boucher, will likely bring in a younger crowd, full of people curious to see what the partner of Elon Musk will bring to the stage.

New details on Alter Ego Season 1

In terms of how "Alter Ego" will be structured, it won't feature mystery celebrities. Instead, it will feature brand-new singers looking to make a name for themselves in the entertainment industry, via Deadline. If you're thinking "American Idol" meets "Masked Singer" with a hint of "The Voice," you are spot-on.

"Alter Ego" will also play heavily into the idea that the audience and the judges should be careful not to judge contestants by their looks but by their voices. How do we know this? Back in May, show producers sent out audition notices looking for singers "with unexpected voices," per Auditions Free.

"Looking for people with UNIQUE and UNEXPECTED voices," the audition call reads. "Do you have an amazing voice that you haven't been able to share with the world because life got in the way? Do you struggle with being comfortable on stage? This is the show for YOU." Based on the series promos posted on Twitter, it's clear that many singers in this competition will learn how to blossom out of their avatars and become comfortable performing in their own skin.

And it's not just competitors who are eager for the series premiere. "Super excited & grateful to join the world's first avatar singing competition series as a judge/supporter," Alanis Morissette wrote on Instagram. Whether "Alter Ego" becomes successful or not, it's safe to say that it's already generated a great deal of buzz and excitement.