Aubrey O'Day made headlines after making pointed remarks about her former mentor, Sean "Diddy" Combs, during her appearance on The Masked Singer. The former Danity Kane singer, performing as Ant, alluded to Diddy's past behavior and ongoing legal troubles, sparking a swift response from those close to the embattled music mogul.
"My ex-boss-I'ma go there. He calls himself Love. He legally titled himself that. And he uses the love heart to express that everywhere he goes. He's in prison now, and I just want to say to you guys, the love heart is now here," O'Day said before her unmasking. Diddy, who legally changed his name to Love, is currently being held in Brooklyn as he awaits trial on federal charges, including sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy.
A source close to Diddy dismissed O'Day's comments, telling TMZ that her claims "don't hold up" since he has yet to stand trial. The source also emphasized Diddy's role in launching her career, stating that he gave her a significant opportunity by selecting her for Making the Band nearly two decades ago.
O'Day has been outspoken about her experiences under Diddy's management. On The Masked Singer, she reflected on her time in Danity Kane, describing the harsh realities behind the group's success. "When we first got together, it was the perfect fit. The sisters I never had growing up. We came out the gate swinging, sharing everything together: The success, the fame, the lights. But we also shared the bad days, the long hours, the harsh conditions, the constant criticism," she said.
O'Day's bandmate, D. Woods, previously accused Diddy of making inappropriate advances toward O'Day. In the Investigation Discovery documentary The Fall of Diddy, Woods alleged that Combs once told O'Day, "Now you're hot enough that I can f--- you. I can f--- you now." She described the moment as one of shock and realization that they were "definitely in over our heads."
Diddy, who has denied all allegations against him, pleaded not guilty to the federal charges. His trial is set for May.
Beyond her comments on The Masked Singer, O'Day has previously spoken about her experiences with Diddy. Last year, she participated in a TMZ documentary discussing his criminal case. While she did not explicitly name him during her performance, she made additional references, describing a "villain" in her life as "oppressive, vain, and cruel" and stating that she had to be "submissive, sweet, and silent" to get ahead.
