Born inHonolulu, Hawaii, and raised inLouisville, Kentucky, Scherzinger began acting at the age of 14 and studied musical theatre atWright State University. In pursuit of a musical career, Scherzinger dropped out of college and toured with the American rock bandDays of the New before finding mild success withEden's Crush, a girl group created throughThe WB's talent competitionPopstars. After taking on minor acting roles, Scherzinger became the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls. She carved out a solo career outside the group with the albumsKiller Love (2011) andBig Fat Lie (2014). Her hit singles as a solo artist include "Right There", "Poison" and "Don't Hold Your Breath".
Nicole Prascovia Elikolani Valiente was born on June 29, 1978,[12] inHonolulu, Hawaii, to Alfonso Valiente and Rosemary. Valiente is ofFilipino descent and Rosemary is of Native Hawaiian and Ukrainian descent.[13][8] Her father Alfonso divorced her mother Rosemary and left the family when Nicole was two years old.[8] Rosemary then married German-American Gary Scherzinger, who adopted Nicole, and whose surname she eventually took. She has a younger sister, Keala.[14] When Nicole was six, they moved toLouisville, Kentucky,[14] where her mother was a clerk and her step-father was a welder. Scherzinger describes her upbringing as difficult as she grew up "without much money" and supported her parents by being a waitress, taking local modelling jobs, and being part of an entertainment troupe of the local amusement park,Kentucky Kingdom.[15][14] With her grandfather a priest,[16] Scherzinger was raisedRoman Catholic and considered herself conservative with "really strong religious beliefs" and would go to church twice a week in order to make her mother proud.[17]
At the age of 14, she joined theActors Theatre of Louisville, where she was cast in her first professional play,La Bête.[18] She graduated in 1996 from theYouth Performing Arts School (YPAS) atduPont Manual High School, where she participated in many plays, includingAlice in Wonderland, in which she portrayed Alice. Scherzinger was surprised she got the part as she was up "against a girl with blue eyes and blonde hair".[14] In 2007, she was inducted into DuPont Manual Alumni's Hall of Fame as one of the youngest inductees.[19] Since 2013, Scherzinger has endowed YPAS with a yearly $2,000, namesake scholarship.[20] After earning a scholarship, she attendedWright State University and majored in theatre arts with a dance minor.[19]During this period, Scherzinger garnered the lead roles in regional productions of the musicalsChicago,Guys and Dolls, andShow Boat.[18] In her final year of college, Scherzinger was hired byDays of the New band leaderTravis Meeks to contribute vocals on theirself-titled second studio album. Meeks sought out a singer who could "deliver some more world/operatic textures and sounds."[21] The album's supporting tour followed, which led Scherzinger to drop out of college.[22] Towards the tour's conclusion, Meeks stated that the two grew apart creatively, claiming she "didn't seem to understand music very well" but noted she is an "amazing entertainer".[21] In 2018, Scherzinger received the 2017 Alumna of the Year Award from the Wright State Alumni Association.[23]
In 2001, Scherzinger's mother saw a commercial forthe WB's showPopstars USA,[14] a reality series with the aim to chronicle a music group's formation until the recording of their debut album.[24]Warner Bros. imprintLondon-Sire Records signed the group to arecording contract before the band was named and had finalized its membership, due to the hours of network television exposure the group would receive.[25] Initially reluctant to audition, Scherzinger later changed her mind as she saw it as an opportunity to travel to Los Angeles.[14] For her audition she sangWhitney Houston's version of Dolly Parton's song "I Will Always Love You" and, alongside Ana Maria Lombo, Maile Misajon, Ivette Sosa, andRosanna Tavarez, established the girl groupEden's Crush.[26] Their debut single, "Get Over Yourself", was released in March 2001 and debuted at number eight on theBillboard Hot 100; it became the first female act to debut at number one on theHot 100 Singles Sales chart.[27] Their debut studio album,Popstars (2001), debuted at number six on theBillboard 200 chart.[28] They went on to tour with'N Sync andJessica Simpson, but, by the end of the year, their label went bankrupt and the group disbanded.[29] During this time,will.i.am, front man ofThe Black Eyed Peas, approached Scherzinger to become a member of the group, but her then-boyfriend,Nick Hexum, declined.[30] Following the band's dissolution, Scherzinger took a detour into acting and guest-starred in television shows such asMy Wife and Kids (2002) and had a cameo in the independent comedy,Chasing Papi (2003).[31]
In August 2003, opting for a solo recording contract, Scherzinger traveled toArista Records office in New York with a demo CD of her own written material under herHawaiian family name Nicole Kea. Her performance was interrupted by acitywide blackout, and she was forced to leave. Meanwhile,Robin Antin, the creator of theburlesque troupe the Pussycat Dolls, struck a joint venture withInterscope Records and, along with record producersJimmy Iovine andRon Fair, launched an open audition for a separate recording group.[32] After Will.i.am recommended Scherzinger to Iovine,[30] she hoped to obtain a solo deal and auditioned in December 2003 along withMelody Thornton joiningCarmit Bachar,Ashley Roberts,Jessica Sutta andKimberly Wyatt.[31][33] As the lead singer, Scherzinger assumed the majority of the vocals and is the only member of the group to have songwriting credits on their debut albumPCD, which was released in September 2005.[33] The album was preceded by "Don't Cha", which became their international breakthrough, peaking at number two on theBillboard Hot 100.[34] The album spawned other hits, "Stickwitu" and "Buttons", the former of which was nominated forBest Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the49th Annual Grammy Awards.[35]
In February 2006, Scherzinger signed aglobal publishing agreement withUniversal Music Publishing Group, which would cover her future songwriting.[36] Her work as lead singer furthered Scherzinger's popularity as she continued to work on her own music. Scherzinger's first solo recording was a feature onAvant's "Lie About Us" that was released in July 2006 and later collaborated withSean Combs on "Come to Me", which became Scherzinger's first solo top-ten hit on the USBillboard Hot 100.[37] In March 2007, Scherzinger announced that her debut studio album would be titledHer Name is Nicole and was initially scheduled for a release in late summer.[33][38] Four singles were released from the project—"Whatever U Like" featuringT.I., "Baby Love" featuringwill.i.am, "Supervillain", and "Puakenikeni"—however, all failed to make any significant impact on theBillboard charts,[33] although "Baby Love" was a moderate success in international territories. After a number of push backs,[31] Scherzinger decided not to release any further singles from the album and, at her request,Her Name Is Nicole was eventually shelved and shifted back her focus on the Doll's second album.[39][40]
The Pussycat Dolls performed for more than 2,000 U.S. and coalition service members during a live concert March 10, 2008, at a U.S. Army camp in the Persian Gulf Region (2008).
The Pussycat Dolls' second and final album,Doll Domination, was released in the United States on September 23, 2008, and peaked at number four on theBillboard 200.[41] The album included the singles "When I Grow Up" and "I Hate This Part", which peaked at number nine and eleven on theBillboard Hot 100, respectively.[42] Both songs were originally recorded for Scherzinger's solo effort.[43] The following year, the group embarked on the worldwideDoll Domination Tour, which began on January 18, 2009.[44] While on tour, Scherzinger was asked to re-write the pop version of "Jai Ho" from the filmSlumdog Millionaire (2008).[45] The song was titled "Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny)" creditingA. R. Rahman and the Pussycat Dolls, while Scherzinger was credited as a featured artist causing dissatisfaction within the group.[46] The song reached number one in 17 countries; in the US, it peaked at number fifteen on theBillboard Hot 100, after charging eighty-five placesconsequently making the largest weekly leap from number 100.[47] On April 5, 2009, Scherzinger performed "America the Beautiful" atWrestlemania XXV, at theReliant Stadium in Houston, Texas.[48] After the tour concluded in August 2009, the group announced a hiatus to further pursue solo careers.[49] In December 2009, Scherzinger was announced as the third judge joiningBen Folds andBoyz II Men band memberShawn Stockman on thefirst season ofThe Sing-Off.[50] She returned for thesecond season before being replaced bySara Bareilles.[51]
Her debut album,Killer Love, was released on March 21, 2011, in the United Kingdom.[62] On theUK Albums Chart the album debuted and peaked at number eight and by November it sold over 140,000 copies.[63] The album's second single, "Don't Hold Your Breath" became Scherzinger's first number-one single as a solo artist in the UK Singles Chart and its third single "Right There" reached number three.[60] "Right There" was remixed to feature50 Cent and peaked at number thirty-nine, remaining her highest-charting single on theBillboard Hot 100 as a lead artist.[64] It was released as the lead single for the US version ofKiller Love,[65] however after a number of delays, the release was never materialized.[63]
Initially hired to co-host withSteve Jones thefirst season of theUSA show ofThe X Factor,[66] Scherzinger's eventual replacement of former judge ofThe X Factor UK,Cheryl Cole amidst the audition stages as a judge caused controversy.[67] She later received backlash and death threats after sending the result to deadlock in the quarter-final, which resulted inRachel Crow's elimination.[68] She mentored the Over 30s; her final contestant,Josh Krajcik, was named the runner-up of the season.[69] In December 2011, as part of the 25th anniversary ofThe Phantom of the Opera, Scherzinger performed the song ofthe same name atthe Royal Variety Performance.[70] Meanwhile,Killer Love was re-released with four additional songs, including the fifth and final single, "Try with Me".[71] Scherzinger leftThe X Factor USA after the conclusion of the first season. She was replaced byDemi Lovato for thesecond season ofThe X Factor USA.
In February 2012, she embarked on her first headlining tour in the United Kingdom,[72] and later briefly appeared inBarry Sonnenfeld'sMen in Black 3.[73] On June 15, 2012, she was confirmed as the fourth judge for theninth series ofThe X Factor UK to replaceKelly Rowland for a reported salary of $1.17 million.[74] Scherzinger mentored the Boys category and selectedJames Arthur,Rylan Clark-Neal, andJahmene Douglas to compete in the live shows. Scherzinger made history and a hugely successful judge on the UK show by becoming the only judge to have all three of her contestants in the quarter-final and the second judge to have her remaining two remaining contestants as the final two, with Arthur eventually winning the series.[75] Scherzinger sang "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" at theAndrew Lloyd Webber: 40 Musical Years tribute show.[76]
In March 2013, Scherzinger released "Boomerang", which debuted and peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart;[77] after its lackluster success, the associated album was scrapped.[78] Scherzinger returned as judge onThe X Factor for itstenth series for a reported salary of $2.3 million.[79] In February 2014, Scherzinger announced that she signed a record deal withSony Music Entertainment andRCA Records for a reported $4.5 million.[80][81] Scherzinger's second studio album,Big Fat Lie was released in October 2014. It experienced lackluster sales on the UK Albums Chart, which led to her eventual departure from the label the following year.[82] The album was preceded by the singles "Your Love", "Run" and "On the Rocks".[83] "Your Love" peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart and was a moderate success on other international markets.[84] In December, Scherzinger made herWest End debut starring asGrizabella in the 2014 revival of the musicalCats at theLondon Palladium where she played the role for a 12-week run until February 8, 2015;[85] her performance received rave reviews from critics particularly praising her rendition of thesong standard "Memory" and garnered aLaurence Olivier Award nomination forBest Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical.[86] She was set to reprise Grizabella in theBroadway revival ofCats but a week before rehearsals she quit after producers refused to give her top billing.[87]
Scherzinger began 2019 with appearing as a panelist onThe Masked Singer; areality singing competition where celebrities sing covers of famous songs while wearing costumes that conceal their identities. The program's premiere was the highest-rated unscripted television series debut in the United States sinceThe X Factor USA in 2011, and has since been a ratings success for the network.[100] In May 2019, Scherzinger was announced as a judge to replaceSophie Monk on theninth season ofAustralia's Got Talent.[101] Between October and December 2019, she appeared as judge onThe X Factor spin-off'sCelebrity andThe Band.[102][103] On the finale ofThe X Factor: Celebrity, the Pussycat Dolls, consisting of Sutta, Bachar, Roberts, Scherzinger, and Wyatt, reunited with a live medley performance of their previous singles and their new song, "React".[104] British media regulatorOfcom received over 400 complaints from viewers who criticized the band's perceived provocative nature of their performance.[105]
Thethird season ofThe Masked Singer premiered in February 2020 as theSuper Bowl LIVlead-out program and was viewed by over 27.3million people—the series' most watched episode.[106] The Pussycat Dolls' "React" was released in the same month, to moderate success.[107] Scherzinger voiced Miranda Trese onNetflix original anime series,Trese, which premiered on June 10, 2021.[108] Scherzinger played the role of Grace Farrell on NBC'smusicaltelevision specialAnnie Live! that aired on December 2, 2021.[109]
The Pussycat Dolls reunion tour was put on hold after Scherzinger was sued by the group's founder Robin Antin.[110] It was officially canceled in January 2022, with reasons cited as logistical difficulties due to theCOVID-19 pandemic and business issues between Scherzinger and Antin.[111][112] Shortly after in April that same year, Scherzinger held a three-night musical showcase at The Sun Rose, Hollywood. During the event, Scherzinger sang a number of musical theatre productions, as well as announcing a return to solo music. Speaking about the event, Scherzinger said "It was important people get to see me in this intimate setting, to truly hear me, and experience my love and connection of music through singing. … to create a space for me where I can live out my full potential as an artist, without having to be defined by any style or genre of music." She also confirmed the release of a new EP of music,Warrior and debuted one of its songs "Never Going Back". She also confirmed that she remains unsigned at the time of writing.[113] On June 17, 2022, and according to Belfast news outletThe Newsletter, it was revealed Scherzinger is set to debut an interior design range including bedding under the name 'Nalu'. The venture is licensed through Bedeck, a manufacturer who have produced similar ranges withTed Baker andDKNY. Northern Irish design agency Anthology were also involved in the project.[114] The same day, it was also reported that Scherzinger would be releasing a new single "The Drop", a collaboration with French DJDavid Guetta in the week commencing June 20, 2022.[115] Said single is a collaboration between Scherzinger, Guetta andDimitri Vegas, while also featuring Azteck. It was released on June 24, 2022.[116] On 7 May 2023, Scherzinger performed at theCoronation Concert, held in celebration of thecoronation of KingCharles III andQueen Camilla the day before.[117] Scherzinger performed the song "Reflection", fromDisney's 1998 animated filmMulan, accompanied by Chinese pianistLang Lang.[118]
Scherzinger has citedWhitney Houston (pictured) as her idol and biggest influence.
Scherzinger has namedWhitney Houston as her idol and biggest influence. She said that she wanted to be "Whitney Houston growing up" and praised the singer's vocal abilities and stage presence.[126][127] She noted, "no one can sing [her songs] like her. She had such a powerful energy about her that when she sang it was like she had wings — she filled the universe with her voice. Hers was a divine gift and it happened to come in the most beautiful package."[127] She revealed, Houston's "The Greatest Love of All" was the song that made her want to do music.[128] As she grew older she also listened to artists such asElla Fitzgerald,Billie Holiday,Roberta Flack,Sade,Alanis Morissette, andTina Turner.[126] She has also stated thatAndrew Lloyd Webber's music has been influential to her as an artist as she grew up listening to musicals such asJesus Christ Superstar,Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,Evita.[129] Following the death ofPrince in late of April 2016, Scherzinger posted a lengthy tribute citing him as a "mentor" and "inspiration" to her career.[130] While on stage Scherzinger borrows personas ofTina Turner andMick Jagger; "the way he prances around stage and the poise he has on stage. But I love [Turner's] attitude and sass. I steal from her all the time, especially being the lead singer of this group, the Pussycat Dolls, to be fearless and just have that attitude and that soul behind you."[126]
She citedJanet Jackson's sixth studio album,The Velvet Rope (1997), as her main inspiration for her second album,Big Fat Lie (2014), while the music video for "Your Love" was inspired by Jackson's "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" (1989) clip.[131] During the recording process, she stated thatSam Smith's 2014 albumIn the Lonely Hour inspired her to get "emotionally raw."[132] Scherzinger has also incorporated her Hawaiian heritage into her music; her single "Puakenikeni" (2007) was named after theflower that was introduced to that state.[133] The music video of the song "Right There" featured Hawaiian and Tahitian fashion and dance moves.[134] Stylistically, Scherzinger draws inspiration fromJennifer Lopez,Sienna Miller, andGwen Stefani.[135] Inspired by Jennifer Lopez's look, Scherzinger dyed her hair blonde during her twenties to what she described as disastrous results.[136]
Scherzinger possesses asoprano range.[137][138] Scherzinger's vocal abilities have received contrasting opinions; Adam White ofThe Daily Telegraph considers her as "an incredible vocalist" but notes that her voice is not distinct.[139] Her vocal performance onKiller Love (2011) received similar reviews from music critics. Michael Cragg ofThe Observer wrote, "Scherzinger's not inconsiderable voice is used as a blank canvas" with producers projecting suggestions from other artists.[140]Stephen Thomas Erlewine fromAllmusic wrote that she "sings with the finesse of a demo singer, serving the needs of the song without betraying a hint of personality".[141] Caroline Sullivan ofThe Guardian described her vocal performance as "powerful and true", though notes it's "more evident live than on record".[142] Andrew Lloyd Webber praised Scherzinger's recording of "Memory", calling it the "best recording of anything of [his] music ever done".[143]
Scherzinger has called herself a perfectionist when it comes to her releasing music claiming she had decided to shelve five albums, most notably,Her Name Is Nicole.[144] While recording for the album Scherzinger incorporatedpop,R&B,hip hop, androck genres.[145] Her intent was to differentiate herself from her role as the lead vocalist of the Pussycat Dolls and establish herself as a solo artist.[146] Her debut album,Killer Love skewed towardsEuropop and explored new genres such as,dance andelectronic.[141][147] The album consists two-thirds of up-tempo songs and one-third ballads.[140] InBig Fat Lie Scherzinger returned to "various pop and dance tropes familiar from the past decade or so of American pop."[148] The themes of the album revolve around fame, love, sex, relationship issues,[149] and addresses her struggles with bulimia.[150]
Scherzinger selects to record songs that would lend themselves to being performed live.[151] Her stage presence has been praised. While reviewing Scherzinger's tour Sullivan ofThe Guardian wrote that she is "able to out-dance her four dancers."[142]Rolling Stone magazine readers voted Scherzinger as their ninth Favorite Dancing Musician.[152] Described as being "provocative" when performing on stage, Scherzinger states that her stage persona "comes from a strong place, not a weak place, and there's a big difference. There's a big difference when you see someone who still has class and is empowering."[8]
Scherzinger is best known as the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls and is credited with leading the group into becoming one of the world'sbest-selling girl groups of all time, selling over 55 million records worldwide.[153] Her leadership role was met with criticism from critics and her fellow members.[154][155] Despite being the only member who achieved mainstream recognition, Scherzinger has struggled to develop a successful solo career, specifically in her native country.[148] According toBillboard, the cancellation ofHer Name Is Nicole in 2007 hampered Scherzinger's solo career,[156] while both of her albums—Killer Love (2011) andBig Fat Lie (2014)—were released in territories except the United States. Music critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine characterized Scherzinger as "the least distinctive diva of the new millennium."[148]
Writing forThe Daily Telegraph, Adam White has described Scherzinger's career as "a perfect case study in all the right ingredients not automatically producing a great result;" [...] she's never taken off as a pop star in her own right, instead achieving greater visibility and success as a reality TV judge and spokesperson for products."[139] Nick Duerden ofThe Independent described Scherzinger as the "ultimate modern celebrity" thanks to her work with the Pussycat Dolls, her television ventures and her publicized personal life. He opined that despite her possessing natural talents, she doesn't have "Lady Gaga's edge,Katy Perry's chutzpah norRihanna's élan" adding her "drive, passion, [and] unstinting commitment to succeed" is what sets her apart from other singers.[22]
Scherzinger has developed an image as a sex symbol and "one of the hottest women on the planet."[157] Since 2006 she has been featured onFHM's "100 Sexiest Women" list peaking at number nine in 2011 and 2014.[158] In 2012,VH1 ranked her eighth on their list of "100 Sexiest Artists",[159] whileComplex magazine ranked her twenty-ninth on their list of "The 100 Hottest Female Singers of All Time".[160]
In late 2012, Scherzinger spoke of her experiences withbulimia at the height of the popularity of the Pussycat Dolls. She struggled withbody dysmorphia before an early photo shoot with the group triggered her bulimic behavior, which lasted nearly a decade. She eventually overcame the disorder through therapists and life coaches.[22]
Scherzinger considers herself shy and keeps her personal life to herself, and declines to answer questions in interviews that pertain to her relationships.[16][14] When asked, Scherzinger states, "My music is the only place I'm open about it."[16] Scherzinger was engaged toNick Hexum, lead singer of311, whom she dated from 2000 to 2004.[161] Scherzinger commenced a high-profile relationship with 7-timeFormula 1 World ChampionLewis Hamilton, after meeting at the2007 MTV Europe Music Awards inMunich.[162] Their on-and-off relationship of seven years was atabloid fixture in the British press.[163][164] They separated for the final time in February 2015.[165] In 2016, she was involved in a romantic relationship with Bulgarian tennis playerGrigor Dimitrov that ended in early 2019.[166] In January 2020, Scherzinger confirmed her relationship with former Scottish rugby playerThom Evans.[166] On June 27, 2023, it was confirmed that they were engaged.[167]
Scherzinger endorsedBarack Obama's2008 presidential campaign; she appeared in the music video for will.i.am's song "Yes We Can" (2008), which was inspired by Obama's speech after the2008 New Hampshire primary.[168] She has taken a public stance againstabortion,[169] and avoids identifying as afeminist. She says instead, "I'm just for women. I'm also for the human race in general."[17] She is a supporter ofLGBTQ rights[170] and in 2017, throughBillboard, Scherzinger published a "love letter" to the LGBTQ community in which she praised the community for "standing strong against adversity and [for being] a community that unites for change."[171]
On the day of the election of Donald Trump in November 2024, the comedian and Trump supporterRussell Brand posted a photo of himself on Instagram in which he waved a Trump-style red cap adorned with the slogan "Make Jesus First Again." Scherzinger sparked controversy when she replied to Brand's post with the comment "Where do I get this hat!!!?" followed by a prayer-hands emoji and a red heart emoji.[172][173][174] Following a backlash on social media, Scherzinger deleted her comment,[175] and posted an apology to her fans implying that she had never intended for the comment to reflect her political views/who she voted for, but rather as a reflection of her commitment to faith, consistent with the words on the hat.[173]
Scherzinger along with numerous other artists were featured on the single "Love Song to the Earth", which was released in September 2015 ahead of the2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, as part of the global campaign to raise awareness on climate change.[182] In September 2016, Scherzinger along with numerous other artists were featured onthe remake of theBlack Eyed Peas song "Where Is the Love?" where all proceeds went towards will.i.am's non-profit foundation, i.am.angel Foundation.[183] In August 2019, she took part in theprotests against the building of theThirty Meter Telescope onMauna Kea; a place considered a holy spiritual site for Native Hawaiians.[184]
In April 2010, Scherzinger teamed up with clothing storeC&A to launch her own collection of lingerie, shoes, handbags and jewelry in Brazilian stores.[185] A collaboration with online fashion retailerMissguided was released in March 2014, where she designed a 30-piece range.[186] Their collaboration helped the retailer increase profit by 70%.[187]
In cooperation withUnilever, Scherzinger recordedDuran Duran's "Rio" (1982).[188] In December 2011, Scherzinger began endorsing the imPress Nails manicure line and has her own signature series.[189][190] From 2012 to 2014, Scherzinger was the ambassador forHerbal Essences.[191] In March 2013, she was announced as an ambassador forBritish Airways promoting first class routes to Moscow.[192] In April 2013, it was announced that Scherzinger will be the face ofMüller Corner, a range of luxury yogurts and front TV and print campaigns.[193] In September 2014, Scherzinger joinedProactiv+ as the new celebrity ambassador for the skin care company.[194]
On November 29, 2016, Scherzinger was announced as the new face of Perfectil, a vitamin product.[195] She featured in a television commercial forVitabiotics's new Perfectil advertising campaign in March 2017.[196]
On March 2, 2023, it was announced that Scherzinger would be the first non-British godmother forP&O Cruises and that she would be the godmother forArvia which was to be christened on March 16, 2023.[197]
^abSullivan, Caroline (February 20, 2012)."Nicole Scherzinger – review".The Guardian.Archived from the original on October 12, 2020. RetrievedSeptember 24, 2020.
