The Pussycat Dolls

More than just an all-American girl group in fish-net stockings, Pussycat Dolls are a sisterhood. Blending vocal prowess with racy dance moves, they've achieved eight UK top 10 singles, sold more than 54 million records worldwide and twice been crowned winners at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Choreographer Robin Antin founded the first incarnation of the burlesque-rooted troupe in 1995. Known for performing in lingerie, Pussycat Dolls scored a residency at Johnny Depp’s popular LA nightclub The Viper Room where they stayed until 2001. During those early years, the roster changed constantly and often featured celebrities as guest members, such as Christina Applegate, Charlize Theron, Pamela Anderson, Scarlett Johansson and Carmen Electra.

Thanks to a cameo in the 2003 film Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle along with wider press exposure, the troupe’s profile expanded and Antin began to develop Pussycat Dolls into a brand. A Pussycat Dolls Lounge and associated gaming pit even existed inside Caesars Palace in Las Vegas for many years.

With the goal of creating a pop band, several new vocalists were recruited. By 2004, Nicole Scherzinger, Melody Thornton and Kimberly Wyatt had joined up with existing Pussycat Dolls members Jessica Sutta, Ashley Roberts and Carmit Bachar.

In 2004, this sultry singing sextet performed Big Spender at the MTV Asia Awards. The following year they recorded Don’t Cha featuring Busta Rhymes, which was produced by music mogul Cee-Lo Green. Later in 2005, Pussycat Dolls’ first album, PCD, debuted at the No.5 spot on the Billboard 200 record chart. Along with their huge hit Don’t Cha, the album spawned the singles Buttons, Wait A Minute, I Don’t Need A Man and Stickwitu, the last of which earned them a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal.

The success of PCD brought about numerous TV opportunities including the 2007 reality series Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search For The Next Doll. Professional dancer and former NBA cheerleader Asia Nitollano won the competition. Although she was set to become the group’s seventh member, Nitollano only appeared in one performance before leaving to pursue solo stardom.

Pussycat Dolls’ second album Doll Domination came out in 2008. It boasts another seriously fierce set of tracks and features collaborations with the likes of R. Kelly and Polow Da Don on Out Of This Club, Snoop Dogg on Bottle Pop and Missy Elliott on Whatcha Think About That.

Unfortunately, after racking up eight top 10 hits the band fell apart. Just before Doll Domination was released, Bachar had announced her departure. The group continued on for a short time as a quintet, but Pussycat Dolls broke up entirely by 2010. 

After almost a decade following solo paths, Pussycat Dolls (excluding Thornton) reunited in November 2019 to perform on the finale of the UK’s X Factor: Celebrity. Not only did Nicole, Kimberly, Jessica, Ashley and Carmit debut React, their first new music since 2009’s Hush Hush; Hush Hush, but they also revealed a huge 2020 UK tour.