Nicole Scherzinger

Scherzinger has served as a judge on television talent shows including "The Sing-Off" (2009-2010), "The X Factor USA" (2011), "The X Factor UK" (2012-2013, 2016-2017), "Australia's Got Talent" (2019), and "The Masked Singer US" (2019-2023). In 2010, she competed on the television dance competition "Dancing with the Stars", which she won. Her other work during this period included theatrical roles in "Cats" (2014) and "Sunset Boulevard" (2023-2025), as well as roles in the animated film "Moana" (2016), the television film "Dirty Dancing" (2017), and the television special "Annie Live!" (2021).

Scherzinger has received nominations for a Grammy Award, two Laurence Olivier Awards and a Tony Award. She won the 2024 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance as Norma Desmond in the 2023 West End revival of "Sunset Boulevard". She subsequently received the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 2025 after the production transferred to Broadway in 2024. Her other ventures have included clothing lines and a fragrance. She has also served as an ambassador for the Special Olympics and as a supporter of UNICEF UK.

Nicole Prascovia Elikolani Valiente was born on June 29, 1978, in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Alfonso Valiente and Rosemary Elikolani. Valiente is of Filipino descent, while Elikolani is of Native Hawaiian, Polish, Russian and Ukrainian descent. Her father divorced her mother and left the family when Scherzinger was two years old. Elikolani subsequently married German-American Gary Scherzinger, who adopted Nicole and whose surname she later took. She has a younger half-sister, Keala. When Scherzinger was six, the family moved to Louisville, Kentucky, where her mother worked as a clerk and her stepfather as a welder.

Scherzinger has described her upbringing as financially difficult. During her youth, she supported her family through work as a waitress, local modelling jobs and performances with an entertainment troupe at the Kentucky Kingdom amusement park. Her grandfather was a priest, and she was raised Roman Catholic. She has described having strong religious beliefs during her upbringing and attending church regularly.

At the age of 14, Scherzinger joined the Actors Theatre of Louisville, where she was cast in her first professional play, "La Bête". She graduated from the Youth Performing Arts School at duPont Manual High School in 1996. While there, she participated in several theatrical productions, including "Alice in Wonderland", in which she played Alice. In 2007, she was inducted into the DuPont Manual Alumni Hall of Fame. Since 2013, she has endowed the Youth Performing Arts School with an annual $2,000 scholarship in her name. After receiving a scholarship, she attended Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, where she majored in theatre arts and minored in dance.

During her time at university, Scherzinger appeared in regional productions of the musicals "Chicago", "Guys and Dolls" and "Show Boat". In her final year, she was hired by Days of the New frontman Travis Meeks to provide vocals for the band's second, self-titled studio album. Meeks sought a singer who could provide what he described as "world/operatic textures and sounds". Scherzinger subsequently joined the album's supporting tour and left university. Towards the end of the tour, Meeks said that the two had developed different creative approaches, while also describing Scherzinger as an entertainer. In 2018, she received the 2017 Alumna of the Year Award from the Wright State Alumni Association.

In 2001, Scherzinger's mother saw an advertisement for "Popstars USA", a reality television series documenting the formation of a music group and the recording of its debut album. Warner Bros. imprint London-Sire Records signed the group to a recording contract before its name and final membership had been established. Initially reluctant to audition, Scherzinger later decided to participate and travelled to Los Angeles for the audition. She sang Whitney Houston's version of Dolly Parton's song "I Will Always Love You".

Scherzinger formed Eden's Crush with Ana Maria Lombo, Maile Misajon, Ivette Sosa and Rosanna Tavarez. Their debut single, "Get Over Yourself", was released in March 2001 and reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100. It became the first single by a female group to debut at number one on the Hot 100 Singles Sales chart. Their debut studio album, "Popstars" (2001), reached number six on the Billboard 200. The group subsequently toured with 'N Sync and Jessica Simpson. Its record label later became insolvent, and Eden's Crush disbanded by the end of 2001. During this period, will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas approached Scherzinger about joining the group, but her then-boyfriend Nick Hexum declined the proposal on her behalf.

After Eden's Crush disbanded, Scherzinger pursued acting opportunities. She guest-starred in the television series "My Wife and Kids" in 2002 and appeared in the independent comedy film "Chasing Papi" in 2003.

In August 2003, Scherzinger travelled to the New York office of Arista Records with a demo CD containing her own material, using the name Nicole Kea. Her performance was interrupted by a citywide blackout, after which she left. Around the same time, Robin Antin, creator of the burlesque troupe the Pussycat Dolls, established a joint venture with Interscope Records and record producers Jimmy Iovine and Ron Fair to form a recording group through open auditions. Following a recommendation from will.i.am, Scherzinger auditioned in December 2003. She subsequently joined Melody Thornton, Carmit Bachar, Ashley Roberts, Jessica Sutta and Kimberly Wyatt in the group.

As the Pussycat Dolls' lead singer, Scherzinger performed most of the group's vocals and was the only member to receive songwriting credits on their debut album, "PCD", released in September 2005. The album was preceded by the single "Don't Cha", which reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and became an international success. Further singles included "Stickwitu" and "Buttons". "Stickwitu" was nominated for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards.

In February 2006, Scherzinger signed a worldwide publishing agreement with Universal Music Publishing Group covering her subsequent songwriting. Her first solo recording was a guest appearance on Avant's "Lie About Us", released in July 2006. She subsequently collaborated with Sean Combs on "Come to Me", which became her first solo top-ten single on the Billboard Hot 100.

In March 2007, Scherzinger announced that her debut studio album would be titled "Her Name Is Nicole" and was initially scheduled for release later that year. Four singles were released from the project: "Whatever U Like", featuring T.I.; "Baby Love", featuring will.i.am; "Supervillain"; and "Puakenikeni". None achieved significant success on the Billboard charts, although "Baby Love" performed moderately in several international markets. Following several delays, Scherzinger decided not to release further singles from the project. At her request, "Her Name Is Nicole" was shelved, and she returned her attention to the Pussycat Dolls' second album.

The Pussycat Dolls' second and final album, "Doll Domination", was released in the United States on September 23, 2008, and reached number four on the Billboard 200. It included the singles "When I Grow Up" and "I Hate This Part", which reached numbers nine and eleven on the Billboard Hot 100 respectively. Both songs had originally been recorded for Scherzinger's solo project.

In 2009, the Pussycat Dolls embarked on the Doll Domination Tour, which began on January 18. During the tour, Scherzinger was asked to rewrite the pop version of "Jai Ho" from the 2008 film "Slumdog Millionaire". The resulting song, "Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny)", was credited to A. R. Rahman and the Pussycat Dolls, with Scherzinger listed as a featured artist. The song reached number one in 17 countries and number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. Its rise from number 100 to number 15 represented one of the largest weekly movements on the chart. On April 5, 2009, Scherzinger performed "America the Beautiful" at WrestleMania XXV at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas.

After the tour concluded in August 2009, the Pussycat Dolls announced a hiatus while the members pursued individual projects. In December 2009, Scherzinger was announced as a judge on the first season of "The Sing-Off", alongside Ben Folds and Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men. She returned for the second season before being replaced by Sara Bareilles.

In May 2010, Scherzinger and her dance partner Derek Hough won the tenth season of "Dancing with the Stars". In July 2010, she served as a guest judge for Dannii Minogue during the auditions and bootcamp stages of "The X Factor UK". In August 2010, she portrayed Maureen in Neil Patrick Harris' production of the rock musical "Rent" at the Hollywood Bowl. Her performance received positive reviews from several critics.

In October 2010, Scherzinger released "Poison", the lead single from her debut solo album. The song reached number three on the UK Singles Chart. She also announced her departure from the Pussycat Dolls to concentrate on her solo career.

Her debut studio album, "Killer Love", was released in the United Kingdom on March 21, 2011. It debuted and peaked at number eight on the UK Albums Chart and had sold more than 140,000 copies by November. The album's second single, "Don't Hold Your Breath", became Scherzinger's first solo number-one single on the UK Singles Chart. Its third single, "Right There", reached number three. A version featuring 50 Cent reached number 39 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained her highest-charting single as a lead artist on that chart. The song was released as the lead single from the planned US edition of "Killer Love", but the album was ultimately not released in the United States.

Scherzinger was initially hired to co-host the first US season of "The X Factor" with Steve Jones. During the audition stages, she replaced Cheryl Cole as a judge. Her decision to send a quarter-final result to deadlock resulted in Rachel Crow's elimination. Scherzinger mentored the Over 30s category, with her final contestant, Josh Krajcik, finishing as the runner-up. In December 2011, as part of the 25th anniversary celebrations of "The Phantom of the Opera", she performed the song of the same name at the Royal Variety Performance. "Killer Love" was subsequently re-released with four additional songs, including the single "Try with Me". Scherzinger left "The X Factor USA" after its first season and was replaced by Britney Spears.

In February 2012, Scherzinger embarked on her first headlining tour in the United Kingdom. She also made a brief appearance in the film "Men in Black 3". On June 15, 2012, she was confirmed as a judge for the ninth series of "The X Factor UK", replacing Kelly Rowland. She mentored the Boys category and selected James Arthur, Rylan Clark-Neal and Jahmene Douglas for the live shows. Arthur ultimately won the series. Scherzinger also performed "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" at the "Andrew Lloyd Webber: 40 Musical Years" tribute show.

In March 2013, Scherzinger released "Boomerang", which reached number six on the UK Singles Chart. The associated album was subsequently cancelled. She returned as a judge for the tenth series of "The X Factor UK". In February 2014, she announced that she had signed a record deal with Sony Music Entertainment and RCA Records. Her second studio album, "Big Fat Lie", was released in October 2014. It was preceded by the singles "Your Love", "Run" and "On the Rocks". "Your Love" reached number six on the UK Singles Chart and achieved moderate success in several other markets. Scherzinger subsequently left the label in 2015.

In December 2014, Scherzinger made her West End debut as Grizabella in the 2014 revival of the musical "Cats" at the London Palladium. She performed the role for a 12-week run ending on February 8, 2015. Her performance received positive reviews and earned her a Laurence Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical. She was subsequently expected to reprise the role in the Broadway revival of "Cats", but left the production shortly before rehearsals began after negotiations concerning billing failed to reach an agreement.

On June 30, 2015, Scherzinger won the variety programme "I Can Do That", in which six celebrities competed by performing unfamiliar skills. In July, she performed the American national anthem at the "A Capitol Fourth" concert in Washington, D.C., and at the opening of the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games. "Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris", a live variety programme co-hosted by Scherzinger, premiered on NBC in September 2015 and was cancelled after one season. The music panel show "Bring the Noise", featuring Scherzinger and Tinie Tempah as team captains, premiered on Sky 1 in October 2015.

Scherzinger returned as a judge on the thirteenth and fourteenth series of "The X Factor UK", having been absent from the programme for three years. She left before the fifteenth series. In 2016, she provided the voice of Sina in the animated film "Moana". In 2017, she starred as Penny in the ABC television film "Dirty Dancing", a remake of the 1987 film of the same name. In September 2017, she launched her first fragrance, "Chosen by Nicole Scherzinger". In 2018, she had a voice cameo in the animated film "Ralph Breaks the Internet".

In 2019, Scherzinger joined the panel of "The Masked Singer", a reality singing competition in which celebrities perform while wearing costumes that conceal their identities. The programme premiered in January 2019. In May, Scherzinger was announced as a judge for the ninth season of "Australia's Got Talent", replacing Sophie Monk. Between October and December 2019, she appeared as a judge on the "The X Factor" spin-offs "The X Factor: Celebrity" and "The X Factor: The Band".

During the finale of "The X Factor: Celebrity" in December 2019, the Pussycat Dolls reunited for a performance featuring Sutta, Bachar, Roberts, Scherzinger and Wyatt. They performed a medley of previous singles and their new song "React". The performance generated more than 400 complaints to British media regulator Ofcom concerning its presentation.

The third season of "The Masked Singer" premiered in February 2020 as the lead-out programme following Super Bowl LIV. The episode attracted more than 27.3 million viewers and became the series' most-watched episode. The Pussycat Dolls released "React" in February 2020. Scherzinger provided the voice of Miranda Trese in the Netflix animated series "Trese", which premiered in June 2021. She also portrayed Grace Farrell in the NBC musical television special "Annie Live!", which aired in December 2021.

The planned Pussycat Dolls reunion tour was postponed following a legal dispute between Scherzinger and group founder Robin Antin. The tour was officially cancelled in January 2022, with logistical difficulties associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and business disagreements between Scherzinger and Antin cited as factors. In April 2022, Scherzinger performed a three-night musical showcase at The Sun Rose in Hollywood. The event included musical theatre performances and an announcement of her plans to return to solo music. She also announced a forthcoming EP titled "Warrior" and performed the song "Never Going Back". At the time, she stated that she was not signed to a record label.

In June 2022, it was reported that Scherzinger was developing an interior design range, including bedding, under the name Nalu. The range was licensed through Bedeck, with Northern Irish design agency Anthology also involved in the project. It was also reported that Scherzinger would release "The Drop", a collaboration with David Guetta, Dimitri Vegas and Azteck. The song was released on June 24, 2022.

In May 2023, Scherzinger performed at the Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle, held in celebration of the coronation of Charles III. She performed "Reflection" from the film "Mulan", accompanied by pianist Lang Lang. She later appeared in Yoshiki's documentary film "Yoshiki: Under the Sky", released in December 2023, performing "I'll Be Your Love".

Scherzinger returned to the West End in 2023 as Norma Desmond in a revival of the musical "Sunset Boulevard", directed by Jamie Lloyd. The production opened at the Savoy Theatre and ran for 16 weeks. Scherzinger initially expressed reservations about accepting the role but subsequently agreed to take part in the production. The production transferred to Broadway's St. James Theatre in 2024, with previews beginning on September 28 and marking Scherzinger's Broadway debut. It concluded on July 20, 2025, following an extension. Her performance earned her the Laurence Olivier Award and Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical, as well as the Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance.

In July 2025, Scherzinger served as a judge and mentor on the Netflix reality competition series "Building the Band". In October 2025, she performed a three-date concert series titled "An Evening with Nicole Scherzinger", which included her Carnegie Hall debut. A recording of the Royal Albert Hall performance was released for a limited theatrical run in April 2026 through AMC Theatres before later being broadcast on PBS as part of "Great Performances". In November 2025, Scherzinger and Antin ended their legal dispute through a confidential settlement.

In March 2026, Scherzinger reunited with Roberts and Wyatt as a trio for the PCD Forever Tour, a world tour that began in June 2026. She is scheduled to appear in Rebel Wilson's musical comedy film "Girl Group" and subsequently in an independent film.

In September 2026, Scherzinger sustained a severe burn to her leg after boiling water fell on it. She subsequently stated that she intended to continue performing on the tour.

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicole_Scherzinger

Studio albums

Killer Love (2011)

Big Fat Lie (2014)