Nicole Scherzinger is an American singer, songwriter, dancer and occasional actress from Honolulu, United States, born in 1978. She is best known as the lead singer of The Pussycat Dolls.

Career

Before joining The Pussycat Dolls, Scherzinger sings backing vocals for the late-1990s rock group Days of the New. She then appears in the reality TV girl group Eden’s Crush before moving to The Pussycat Dolls, where she becomes the lead vocalist as the group shifts into a popular music act. The group releases the albums PCD and Doll Domination and supports them with two tours.

As a solo artist, Scherzinger works on an album titled Her Name Is Nicole between 2006 and late 2008. She records and writes around 75 to 100 songs for the project, which is planned, delayed and then shelved. She later records the single “Nobody Can Change Me” and the song “Poison”, which premieres on her official website and YouTube channel. She also records vocals for Mohombi’s debut album and confirms that she has worked on a song with Slash for his solo album Slash.

Collaborations and appearances

Scherzinger works with a number of artists including Ne-Yo, Jay Sean, Chuck Harmony, RedOne, Timbaland and Keri Hilson. She appears on “We Are the World” with other artists in aid of victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, and she joins Prince on stage in Abu Dhabi. She also records vocals for Timbaland’s “Scream” with Keri Hilson.

Television and education

In 2010, Scherzinger wins the tenth season of Dancing with the Stars. Before her recording career, she studies acting and musical theatre at Wright State University, where she performs in Chicago and Show Boat. Earlier, she attends the Youth Performing Arts School at duPont Manual High School, performs with Actors Theatre of Louisville, and is first runner-up in the 1996 Kentucky State Fair’s Coca-Cola Talent Classic contest.

Background

Scherzinger is born in Honolulu to a Filipino father and a mother of Hawaiian, Ukrainian and Russian descent. Her parents separate when she is a baby, and she later moves with her mother, sister Ke’ala and stepfather Gary Scherzinger to Louisville, Kentucky. She says she is brought up in a strict Roman Catholic household.

Style and labels

Her work is associated with female vocals, hip hop R&B and dancehall, and she is also linked with pop, R&B and hip-hop. She releases music through She Rights Music.