Matthew Lawrence discusses his unmasking on The Masked Singer and why he had to get permission first.

When Matthew Lawrence signed up for The Masked Singer, he didn’t just face a costume reveal—he had to get the green light from some pretty important people first. On Wednesday, April 16, the Boy Meets World alum was unmasked as Paparazzo during an episode packed with performances, rapid-fire questions, and big reveals. Before stepping onstage to belt out a song close to his heart, Lawrence had to seek approval from his girlfriend, Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas, and her TLC bandmate Tionne Watkins.

"I had to ask them and get their approval,"

Lawrence told PEOPLE that before his unmasking,

"They had to give me approval, because Tionne, she wrote that song, so she had to give me personal [approval] and Fox approval."

It turns out the track he chose, TLC’s "Unpretty," needed a double thumbs-up—and luckily, Lawrence had full support.

"They’re both — obviously Chilli in particular — they’re so amazing," he gushed.

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The Masked Singer pushed Matthew Lawrence out of his comfort zone

Being a contestant on The Masked Singer wasn’t an obvious choice for Lawrence. In fact, it was pretty much the opposite. The actor admitted he had a real fear of singing in public, something that went all the way back to a rough Broadway audition.

"I have a fear of singing on stage,"

He also added.

"So seeing Joe do it? No, that only further re-instilled that I was not going to do it."

Watching his brother, Joey Lawrence, take the stage in season 8 of The Masked Singer didn’t exactly inspire confidence.

According to Yahoo News, Matthew found himself in a different mindset.

"I'm in a point in my life now where I'm not allowing fear to kind of enter into things,"

He shared.

"It's also the season of yes, no no's."

Signing up for The Masked Singer became part of his personal mission to embrace new opportunities—and face down old fears.

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Support from Chilli helped him deliver on The Masked Singer

Having a Grammy-winning girlfriend has its perks—especially when you’re gearing up for The Masked Singer. Lawrence revealed that Chilli wasn't just supportive of his performance; she helped him prepare.

"She was so awesome, so supportive, she even gave me little critiques on how to sing it,"

He said. That insider advice helped him take on the song with confidence, despite his history of stage fright.

Lawrence might have signed up for The Masked Singer to face his fears, but thanks to Chilli’s encouragement, he found himself actually enjoying the experience. By the time he was unmasked, he wasn’t just proud—he was energised.

"I wish I hadn’t allowed fear to dictate my singing life as much,"

He said.

"Because yeah, now I do kind of get that bug."

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Life after The Masked Singer: what's next for Matthew Lawrence?

While Matthew Lawrence didn't make it all the way to the finale, his time on The Masked Singer opened up new possibilities. He’s now more open to pursuing singing gigs—a big shift for someone who once said "no" to any public singing opportunity.

"I’m definitely open now to receiving more opportunities to sing, for sure,"

He revealed. His experience on The Masked Singer showed him that confronting fears can sometimes uncover hidden passions.

Meanwhile, his run as Paparazzo added another memorable chapter to the long list of colourful contestants who have graced The Masked Singer stage. And thanks to a well-chosen guilty pleasure song—and a little help from his girlfriend—he got to surprise both the audience and himself.

The show might be a guessing game at its heart, but for Matthew Lawrence, The Masked Singer was a personal win long before the mask came off.