If there’s one female group that parents feared the most back in the 1990s - 2000s, it was none other than the Pussycat Dolls. Their presence was pure sexiness, and they were admired by young girls and boys alike.
Yet, after eight hits in the Top 10 and the band broke apart. This was primarily because it basically became the Nicole Scherzinger show, but at the same time they all made a bid with different levels of success for sole stardom.
It's been over 10 years since the last time the band was together, so here's a rundown of how the girl band started, its members, and their top hits.
Band Formation
The Pussycat Dolls, a female burlesque-flavored extravaganza, was formed in 1993 by a famous Hollywood choreographer named Robin Antin. Assembling some of her girlfriends as members of the group, she led them to perform a variety of shows in venues in Los Angeles.
The Pussycat Dolls made their first public appearance in 1995. They carried out a number of pop songs from the 1950s and '60s, clad in pin-up costumes and lingerie in a retro style.
Christina Applegate's Appearance
Christina Applegate, who came up as their initial guest star, then persuaded Antin to have the group performed at Viper Room, a nightclub that was still owned by Johnny Depp during that time.
After the ensemble had the opportunity to go to the club on stage in 1995 and found their way to impress Depp, they were automatically granted a weekly show there. The band held a residency in The Viper Room between 1995 and 2001.
Rise to Stardom
As Carmen Electra got involved and became the lead performer of the group, The Pussycat Dolls started to capture the attention of crowds. The exposure helped get the band an appearance in the 2003 film Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, followed by several television guest appearances.
They sold out a number of shows at the Roxy throughout the rest of the 1990s, although they were also invited to be the opening act at Jane's Addiction concert and livened up the yearly Elton John/InStyle Oscar party.
The group had a stack of personalities within such a short period who wanted to perform alongside them.
Famous Performers that Wanted to Be a Part of the Fun
Charlize Theron, Dita Von Teese, Gwen Stefani, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Brittany Murphy were among the optimistic performers.
Not only the famous celebrities mentioned above, but many stars, such as Marilyn Manson, Dave Navarro, Heather Graham, Leonardo DiCaprio, David Spade, and Gene Simmons, also watched the Pussycat Doll shows.
Band Transformation and Members
In 2003, Antin decided to make a total modification in the formation of the group, sensing the need to bring the band in a different musical route.
Antin signed a development agreement with Interscope Records, drawing on the rising success of the group, and started transforming them into a full-fledged pop ensemble.
Members
The Pussycat Dolls line-up formed through open auditions around lead singer (and former member of Eden's Crush) Nicole Scherzinger, and also members Carmit Bachar, Jessica Sutta, Ashley Roberts, Kimberly Wyatt, and Melody Thornton.
With PCD designed outfits, hit producers collaborating with them, and guest rappers on deck, the band was unveiled as a pop group. Get to know each member below.
Nicole Scherzinger
Scherzinger is known primarily as The Pussycat Dolls' lead singer and is recognized for leading the group to become one of the best-selling girl bands of all time in the globe, selling more than 55 million records globally.
With scrutiny from critics and her fellow members, her significant position was confronted.
Solo Career
Scherzinger has struggled to establish a successful solo career, especially in her homeland, while being the only member who gained mainstream recognition.
Kimberly Wyatt
In 2003, she joined the Pussycat Dolls and quit the group in 2010.
She became a judge on Sky One's Got To Dance show, which lasted for five years from 2009 - 2014, after leaving the Pussycat Dolls.
Her MasterChef Cameo
In 2015, Wyatt won BBC One's Celebrity MasterChef series. She became the Bloch Dance World Cup ambassador in 2016.
Ashley Roberts
With her appearance on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!, Roberts first gained fame in the UK, away from the Pussycat Dolls in 2012. She was a crowd favorite and continued on to finish second behind Charlie Brooks, a former EastEnders star.
Other Jobs
The 38-year-old even had a stint co-presenting from 2013 - 2016 on Ant And Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway.
Roberts' presence on British television persisted with a Strictly Come Dancing 2018 appearance, where she placed runner-up.
Carmit Bachar
Having announced her departure in 2008, Bachar considered her comeback to the band. At the time, she separated from the group to try to follow a solo career.
In February 2017, under her stage name Carmit, Bachar released her first official single, It's Time.
Family Life
The 45-year-old is married to Kevin Whitaker and has an eight-year-old daughter named Keala Rose.
Jessica Sutta
Sutta said she chose to quit to undertake a solo career in 2010 before the band formally split up, telling Life and Style magazine that she felt like "nothing more than a backup dancer in seven years."
Solo Career
She released her debut single Show Me, and on the Billboard Dance Club Songs Chart in the US, it went to number one.
In 2017, her debut solo album, I Say Yes, was released.
Melody Thornton
After auditioning in front of Christina Aguilera, Thornton joined the group in 2003 and performed with the group until their split in 2010.
Thornton's Solo Career
A new single titled 'Love Will Return' was recently released by Thornton.
She said before that she wanted to 'develop her own music.' Thornton, who has also appeared on Dancing on Ice and Celebs Go Dating, wants to record more tracks.
Top Hits
They released the Cee Lo Green-produced single 'Don't Cha' with special guest, Busta Rhymes, in April 2005. On the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the hit rose to number two, and on the Dance Club Songs chart, number one.
The full-length debut of the band, PCD, came that September and included collaborations from Will.i.am, Ron Fair, Timbaland, and others in production and songwriting.
On the Billboard 200, it reached number five. The album generated many more top one pop hits alongside "Don't Cha," namely "Buttons" and "Stickwitu."
Grammy Nomination
Stickwitu received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.
The Seventh Doll
Following the growing prominence of the band, through a reality show, a hunt for the seventh doll was undertaken and spearheaded by The CW network.
Ten finalists contested for the role. It was a tough battle, but one emerged as the seventh doll.
The panel of judges consisting of choreographer Robin Atkin, singer Lil 'Kim, and record producer Ron Fair picked Mt. Vernon local Asia Nitollano as the reigning champion.
The End
Asia debuted with the band soon and was officially the new member. The CW has announced that the reality show will not have any more seasons, meaning the band will end at number 7.
Dolls Disbanding
As the group's leader, Scherzinger has always been recognized, and unfortunately, the other members were not fine with that. Scherzinger was always the lone member to be interviewed, and for any of the songs, she was the only one recording vocals.
Since Scherzinger was the star, the other girls felt like they were lacking. In 2008, Bachar was the first member who left the group, which she stated was to concentrate on her solo career.
Second Album
The September, staying as a five-piece, the Pussycat Dolls released their second album, Doll Domination. Fuelled by the "When I Grow Up," Top Ten single, the album placed on the Billboard 200 at number four.
Rumors started to circulate regarding conflict within the group following the group's 2009 world tour. Consequently, the Pussycat Dolls had completely disbanded by the end of 2010.
Reunion and New Single
They have formally announced that they are reuniting, amid all the conflict that culminated in the group's rift in 2010. And there’s a tour involved to top it all off.
Finally, Scherzinger and other former Pussycat Dolls members reunited in November 2019, showcasing a medley of their songs, like "Buttons," "When I Grow Up," and "Don't Cha," and also a new song "React," on the finale of The X Factor: Celebrity in Britain.
A Little Bit of Nostalgia
The PCD exhibited their burning hot dances amid fire, water, and, most risky of all, chairs, reflective of their 2005 video for "Buttons." Their latest single is nostalgic of their previous work, although their visuals are given a new twist by the music video.
Sadly, for unknown reasons, Melody didn't take part in the reunion. The group embarked on a live tour after the reunion and appeared on the song "Genetics" by Meghan Trainor in her 2020 album Treat Myself.
Conclusion
In the mid-to-late nineties, the Pussycat Dolls picked up the slack for girl groups, particularly after the collapse of many of the 90's greats. They created a trail of sexy and sultry jams behind that influenced other girl groups.
And now that they've reunited and with bangers like 'Don't Cha',' Buttons' and 'Beep' still a favorite on every party dance floor playlist, it truly seems like the legendary girl group has never disappeared. As absolute dance floor beats, their songs will live on forever.
