How rich is AJ Michalka aka Strawberry Shortcake from The Masked Singer season 12?

AJ Michalka
AJ Michalka (Image via Instagram /@iamaj)

AJ Michalka, the multi-talented performer who impressed as Strawberry Shortcake on The Masked Singer Season 12, has amassed a net worth of approximately $700,000 throughout her diverse career in entertainment.

The actress-singer made it to the penultimate episode of the The Masked Singer Season 12, where celebrities, hidden beneath outlandish costumes, perform musical numbers as judges attempt to guess their identities.

Interestingly, AJ Michalka's masked singing journey was originally meant to be a duo act with her sister Aly. Fate however had other plans as Aly welcomed her first child.

"Initially, we were supposed to do it together, and we were like, this would be really fun to do as a team,"

AJ revealed to Variety, "But it was going to be really tricky to schedule."

The experience marked AJ Michalka's first-ever solo stage performance without her sister, leading her to reflect,

"The challenge and the excitement came from knowing that I had never really performed on stage without my sister. I wanted to challenge myself as a solo artist and see how far I could get."

AJ Michalka’s career before The Masked Singer

AJ Michalka's journey in entertainment began remarkably early, with the California native taking to the ivory keys at age four and treading the boards in church plays by five. Her professional acting career kicked off in 2002 with appearances in shows such as Passions and Birds of Prey, quickly followed by a recurring role as Shannon Gressler in The Guardian.

But it was her partnership with sister Aly that truly catapulted her into the spotlight. The duo formed Aly & AJ (briefly known as 78violet), releasing their debut album Into the Rush in 2005. Their 2007 hit, Potential breakup song, became a cultural phenomenon but the sisters took a decade-long break from music before returning with their EP, Ten Years, in 2017.

While maintaining her music career, AJ has built an impressive acting portfolio. She's appeared in notable films such as The Lovely Bones and Super 8, and is perhaps best known for playing Lainey Lewis in ABC's The Goldbergs and its spin-off Schooled.

In a fascinating career pivot, she become a reputed voice actor, too, bringing to life characters such as Stevonnie in Steven Universe and Catra in She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.

What is AJ Michalka’s net worth?

Despite her resume, AJ's reported net worth of $700,000 might seem modest compared to other long-term industry players. The figure probably doesn't tell the whole story, as entertainment industry earnings can be complex and variable. Her income streams include acting residuals, music royalties, voice acting work, and, presumably, the masked singing stint.

When not performing under heavy fruit-themed masks, AJ continues to collaborate with her sister Aly. Their musical partnership has evolved with time, which included releasing a new studio album in 2021.

On her The Masked Singer experience, she told Variety,

"I had a blast. I didn't realize it would be that hard to sing under a mask that heavy, but I did it, and I'm really proud of myself."

The Masked Singer appearance has marked another milestone in AJ's ever-evolving career. It has proved she is just as comfortable performing solo as she is alongside her sister. While her net worth might not put her in the upper echelons of the Hollywood wealthy, her versatility and willingness to take on new challenges suggest there's plenty more to come from this multi-talented performer.


AJ Michalka was revealed to be Strawberry Shortcake in The Masked Singer Season 12. She has a net worth of approx. $700,000.

Edited by Vinayak Chakravorty
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