Rising out of the famed LA burlesque troupe of the same name, the Pussycat Dolls gained worldwide fame with their 2005 debut PCD, which spawned the hit singles ‘Don’t Cha’, ‘Buttons’, and ‘Stickwitu’.
Founded by Robin Antin, a choreographer from Los Angeles, the Pussycat Dolls initially began as a neo-burlesque dance act that gained buzz with their attractive dance routines set to music from the ‘50s and ‘60s. By 2001, the group was performing regularly at LA’s Roxy nightclub, where they also attracted the attention of famous models, actresses, and musicians who wanted to be a member of the Pussycat Dolls for a night. Pink, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani, Pamela Anderson, and Kelly Osbourne were some of the names who performed with the Dolls during their cabaret shows. The attention helped them land an appearance in the 2003 film Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, followed by many tv appearances.
By then, the group transformed into a full-fledged pop group consisting of six members, the lead singer Nicole Scherzinger, as well as Ashley Roberts, Carmit Bachar, Melody Thornton, Jessica Sutta, and Kimberly Wyatt. In 2005, their biggest hit ‘Don’t Cha’ was released with special guest Busta Rhymes. The song almost immediately climbed to number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number one on the Dance Club Songs chart. Their debut album was released in September of that year, and featured artists Timbaland, will.i.am, and Ron Fair, among others. Another hit song from that album ‘Stickwitu’ has earned a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Performance.
In 2008, one of the original members, Bachar, left the group to pursue her solo career. Continuing as a five-member group, the Pussycat Dolls released their second album Doll Domination. The album landed at number four on the Billboard list. The big hit from that album was ‘When I Group Up.’ Soon after the release of their sophomore album, the group went on their 2009 world tour. At the same time, rumors began to circle about the growing tensions within the group. By the end of 2010, the Pussycat Dolls were effectively disbanded.
The lead singer, Nicole, went on to have a successful solo career, releasing 2011’s Killer Love album, followed by Big Fat Lie in 2014. In 2019, the group reunited (though not in full lineup) to perform a medley of their biggest hits, as well as a new song ‘React,’ on the finale of The X Factor: Celebrity. This prompted another live tour and a guest appearance on singer Meghan Trainor’s ‘Genetics’ song.
Throughout their career, the Pussycat Dolls wholeheartedly supported numerous foundations, causes, and charities, from Habitat For Humanity, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Music for Relief to National Breast Cancer Foundation, and Stand Up To Cancer. The group’s lead singer Nicole is especially devoted to several charities and was even announced as a Special Olympics Global Ambassador. This just goes to show that no matter how busy you can be with your career or fame, true agents of positive change will always be at work!
