Concept band they may be, but the Pussycat Dolls have an
impressive strike rate: two Number Ones with Don’t Cha and Stickwitu
and two top three singles, Beep and Buttons, in less than a year. Pretty good
going all things considered. Pundits are already describing them as the most
successful girl band launch since the Spice Girls and they recently supported
Black Eyed Peas in Asia, Australia, Europe and America. What’s more,
they are coming to a venue near you. RedHanded caught up with lead singer Nicole
Scherzinger.
RH: More singles, new tour dates, including Cardiff in January - things are
looking pretty good!
Nicole: It’s so crazy right now, we’re so successful, even in countries
we’ve never been to.
RH: So what’s the story on PCD? The band started before you were
involved, right?
Nicole: Well, actually one of the girls from the original line up is still
in the group, Carmit. The original concept of the band started over 10-years-ago
by Robin Antin. She came up with the idea. She had close friends like Christina
Applegate and they actually rehearsed in her garage at one point. Carmen Electra
also helped launch the Dolls. It was primarily a burlesque cabaret-inspired
dance group at that time. When they performed, they would have celebrity guests
come up on stage with them, everyone from Gwen Stefani to Christina Aguilera
to Pink to Brittany Murphy to Scarlett Johansson…everyone. They were
eleven girls to begin with, but you can only have so many members in a group
you wanna take far. Six girls is plenty, we’re a handful!
RH: You were in a girl band before, Eden’s Crush, which was the
result of the first US Popstars.
Nicole: Yeah, I’ve been in a couple of groups, even a rock band called
Days Of The New and then in Eden’s Crush. I’ve been in the industry
all my life and I’ve studied acting and dancing so it’s perfect
for this group. This is really a song and dance group.
RH: After Eden’s Crush you said it was hard to be in a band that was
put together rather than meant to be together, but this band is also put together
isn’t it?
Nicole: Well, not necessarily. I feel this band came together more organically.
It’s two different experiences. When I was in Eden’s Crush we were
put together, we had a TV show, we did the album in two months and we didn’t
have a hand in anything that we did. This group came together two years ago.
We’ve been working on the album for a year-and-a-half, really taking
our time trying to find the sound that represented this group, the concept.
One of the girls has been in the group for ten years, three of the girls five
years, me and Melody just joined. This is something different, it’s raw
and freaky! I can go to the extremes with this band.
RH: You girls are seriously sexy! Showing a bit of flesh is the easy
way to get attention though, isn’t it?
Nicole: In the beginning it was easy to criticise us, ‘cause it was burlesque
in style but there was never any stripping, but I see what you’re saying, ‘cause
it was a very sensual show, a very raw show. Some people say raunchy, but our
motto is “Sassy But Classy!” Ever since we were signed, sure we
show some skin, but not nearly as much as some of these pop girls show their
skin. We were in Europe for a promo tour last month, and my god, these groups
like Girls Aloud and Sugababes…they’re almost pornographic, way
more wild.
Read the full interview in the current issue of RedHanded.
Pussycats galore!
Six stunningly sexy babes, the Pussycat Dolls look set to be the new Spice Girls