Teddi Mellencamp on Mental Toll of Cancer & Healing ‘Masked Singer’ Experience (Exclusive)

Teddi Mellencamp chatted with “Extra’s” Derek Hough after she was revealed as Calla Lily on “The Masked Singer.” 

She confessed it “really was an emotional moment” when the mask came off.

When it came to keeping her appearance a secret, she said it was hardest to not tell Kyle Richards and Tamra Judge.

She did, however, tell her famous dad John Mellencamp before singing his song “Jack & Diane” and he gave her this advice: "Sing loud and proud and don't worry about hitting the notes because as long as you're having fun, that's what matters."

Teddi also gave an update on her health amid her stage 4 cancer battle, sharing, “Physically I'm a lot stronger and I'm doing a lot better. And I think, oftentimes when it comes to cancer, people will talk about the physical part, but they don't talk about the mental part. And I think that's kind of what I’m going through now, processing everything that I went through throughout the last year.”

Her dad recently said on a podcast that she was “really sick,” and she explained to Derek, "I think what he meant was mentally. I think because physically I am starting to do better but with immunotherapy you know I do it once a month and some weeks it hits me harder than others. and he's the person that gets all those phone calls."

Plus, she reflected on how her “Masked Singer” experience was healing, “I just feel like that show is so uplifting that it definitely made me feel better and helped me get stronger and gave me more of the fight.”

She also talked about what she's learned about herself, saying, "I have to feel more gratitude and give myself more grace. You know, I've always been really one of those people that's really hard on myself and it hasn't done me any favors.”