pussycat dolls

Pussycat Dolls (abbreviated to PCD) are an American girl group and dance ensemble founded by choreographer Robin Antin in 1995 as a burlesque troupe based in Los Angeles. After attracting national attention, Antin eventually negotiated a record deal with Interscope Records in 2003 turning the group into a music franchise, comprising Nicole Scherzinger alongside Carmit Bachar, Melody Thornton, Jessica Sutta, Ashley Roberts and Kimberly Wyatt. Since then the group has developed a global image and commercial brand overseen by Antin, Interscope and various partners. They have diversified into reality television programs, a Las Vegas act and product endorsements amongst other things.

Success as a music group came in 2005 with their first album PCD which debuted at number five in the US producing three successful singles "Don't Cha", "Buttons", and "Stickwitu"; the latter earned the group a Grammy Award nomination. Following the departure of Carmit Bachar in February 2008, the group continued as a quintet and in September of that year they released their second album, Doll Domination, spawning singles "When I Grow Up", "I Hate This Part" and "Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny)".
Throughout their rise to fame, the group has been criticized for its overtly sexual image and explicit dance routines. The group has also been scrutinized for the over-emphasis on lead singer Nicole Scherzinger, who sings all lead vocals in the group. In late 2009/early 2010 the group went on hiatus to record their third album and prepare their next world tour. It has since been confirmed that Jessica Sutta, Kimberly Wyatt, Ashley Roberts, and Melody Thornton have left the group in pursuit of solo careers. As it stands Scherzinger's position and the future of the group remain unknown. However, it has been reported that Scherzinger is a Past member, and that auditions are being held by Robin Antin, because all the members have decided to pursue solo careers
Antin began exploring the idea of a modern burlesque troupe during 1990 with Christina Applegate and Carla Kama.^[1][2][3] The dance troupe's first performance was in 1995. During this period which have seen many members in its evolving lineup since debuting in 1995, they performed with numerous guest vocalists, with a repertoire of 1950s and 1960s popular music standards while dressed in lingerie or old-fashioned pin-up costumes. They secured a Thursday night residency at a Los Angeles nightclub, The Viper Room, where they stayed from 1995 to 2001. The Pussycat Dolls were also featured in the 1997 Morgan Higby Night directed film Matters of Consequence. Robin Antin had a supporting role in the film as well.
The troupe received wider press coverage during June 1999, when Playboy featured a Pussycat Dolls pictorial, featuring at least seven contemporary members posing semi-nude (Kasey Campbell, Kiva Dawson, Antonietta Macri, Erica Breckels, Katie Bergold, Erica Gudis and Lindsley Allen). Three years later, the Dolls moved to The Roxy. The group became internationally popular and was featured in magazines, television specials for MTV and VH1, ad campaigns, and movies. Some of the Pussycat Dolls appeared in the 2003 film Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle,^[1] dancing to "The Pink Panther Theme". They were also featured in Pink's "Trouble" music video. Along with Christina Applegate, Christina Aguilera and Carmen Electra (who was the group's lead performer for many of their shows) the troupe was featured in a Maxim magazine shoot in 2002,^[4] which increased public interest in them.

Following their growing popularity, music producers Jimmy Iovine and Ron Fair became involved with the group helping them to transform into a franchise. The former dance troupe evolved into a popular music recording group and became employees of Iovine's label Interscope Records. The only troupe members who remained after the re-casting process were Robin Antin (taking on the creative, executive and managerial roles), Carmit Bachar, Cyia Batten, Kasey Campbell, Ashley Roberts, Jessica Sutta and Kimberly Wyatt.

Electra, when asked about her lack of involvement with the group's evolution into a popular music group, she said, "I was part of [The Dolls] for over two years and did every show with them [...] but financially, I couldn't become part of their new music project [...] It was a sacrifice I couldn't make.^[5]
During 2003, Scherzinger, a former member of Popstars winners Eden's Crush, became the recording group's lead singer. In the same year, vocalist Thornton and Jones were also recruited in order to add vocal strength to the group. The musical group's initial line-up consisted of Scherzinger, Thornton, Jones, Antin, Bachar, Batten, Campbell, Wyatt, Roberts, and Sutta. The group appeared in two soundtracks during 2004, for the films Shark Tale and Shall We Dance?. The newly formed recording group's first single was "Sway" from Shall We Dance?, with a music video inspired by the movie.
In 2004, Jones left the group after recording a few demo songs for the debut album, to pursue modeling and a solo musical career. In early 2005, just before the group's debut, Batten and Campbell left the group to pursue their solo dancing careers. Antin remained with the group as founder, manager and business associate to Interscope. By the time the recording group was launched the musical lineup was a sextet composed of Scherzinger, Bachar, Thornton, Sutta, Roberts and Wyatt.
On September 13, 2005, they released their debut album, PCD, which debuted at number five on the Billboard 200^[6] before going on to sell over seven million worldwide.^[7] Their first single, "Don't Cha" was a success, reaching number one in multiple countries including United Kingdom,^[8] Australia^[9] and Canada^[9] and scored a maximum of number two on the Billboard Hot 100.^[10] The song was originally sung by Tori Alamaze and featured rapper Busta Rhymes.

The ballad "Stickwitu" was another top five in the United States,^[10] and was their second number one in the United Kingdom.^[8] It was later nominated for a Grammy for Best Pop Performance By a Duo or Group.^[11] "Beep", featuring will.i.am, was less successful but did reach number one in Belgiu

m and New Zealand.^[12] "Buttons" (with rapper Snoop Dogg) scored number three on the UK Singles Chart^[8] and in the United States.^[10] Their next single, "I Don't Need a Man" was not as successful, although it scored the top 10 in Australia,^[13] Ireland,^[13] New Zealand^[13] and United Kingdom.^[8] The group's sixth single from the album was "Wait a Minute" featuring Timbaland, becoming the groups top 40 success in the United States.^[10] The group was selected to perform for the introduction for ABC's coverage of the NBA.^[14] The Pussycat Dolls first opened for Black Eyed Peas Honda Civic Tour in North America.^[15] At the beginning of 2007 they toured in North America as a support act for Christina Aguilera's Back to Basics Tour, along with Danity Kane and NLT.^[16] In November 2006, the Pussycat Dolls embarked their PCD World Tour with Rihanna as the opening act in the UK leg.^[17] The Pussycat Dolls performed at the Manchester Evening News Arena in a concert that was recorded and later streamed via MSN Music.

In parallel with the Pussycat Dolls franchise as a recording act, during April 2005 a resident live show commenced at the "Pussycat Dolls Lounge" adjacent to Pure Nightclub in Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas Strip. This show contains "cast members" who continue the burlesque-style show which began in Los Angeles during 1995.
At least one early member of the L.A. dance troupe, Rachel Sterling, made the move to the Las Vegas show. The cast includes vocalist Jamie Preston, Hayley Zelniker,^[18] Amanda Nowak, Colby Amanda and Alicia. Former dolls include Meredith, Jessica Lea, Rachel Sterling, Laurel, Laura Diane, Cindy, Ashley Gates, Bridget Nicole, Jennifer Affronti, Sheila Joy and Jamie Ruiz from Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious

In April 2006, The New York Times reported that Interscope executives were working to produce their own reality TV series, overseen by the producers of America's Next Top Model and McG, the director of the Charlie's Angels films. The show, entitled Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search For the Next Doll would search for a new member for the recording group.^[19] The new member would sing on the next album and tour with the group. The show premiered on The CW, on March 6, 2007. It premiered in Australia and the UK on April 1. The season finale announced the winner of the show to be Asia Nitollano. It was announced in July that Asia Nitollano had "decided to pursue a solo career" instead.

The second season of the show commenced broadcast on February 18, 2008, titled Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious. Unlike the previous series which tried to find a new member to join the Dolls, the second series auditioned women to become part of a new three member all-female group, Girlicious. However, on the show's finale, it was revealed that Girlicious would be a quartet.^[20][21] The lineup was composed of Nichole Cordova, Tiffanie Anderson, Chrystina Sayers, and Natalie Mejia. The group debuted just after the show's finale, releasing their debut album and gaining attention from mostly Canadian and Brazilian audiences with their hip-hop, urban sound. However on June 2009, after a change of direction from urban to pop, it was announced by Antin that Anderson left the group and that Girlicious will continue as a trio. Members of the Pussycat Dolls recording group appeared on both seasons of the Pussycat Dolls Present: either as guest judge, performing songs, or in a video message shown to the contestants each week.
During February 2007, Caesars Palace opened the Pussycat Dolls Casino just across the Pussycat Dolls Lounge. It features "Dolls-style" decor and attire for the gaming staff, waitresses and dancers. The Dolls returned to Los Angeles and the Viper Room from November 2008 for regular Friday and Saturday nights performances billed as the "Pussycat Dolls Lounge".^[22]
In 2007, Asia Nitollano nominally became the group's seventh member after winning in the reality show Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search For the Next Doll, allegedly giving her the opportunity to sing on the next album and on tour. Nitollano performed for the first time with the Dolls during the show's finale, singing their Number 1 Hit "Don't Cha". She later performed again with the Dolls during The CW Upfronts Party. Her place in the group was questioned due to her only seen performing with the group twice, and was intensified by her non-appearance most notably during the group's Live Earth performances.^[23]
While the Pussycat Dolls were on break between the recording of the two albums Scherzinger worked on her own debut album titled Her Name is Nicole. She released four singles, none of which matched the commercial success of her work with the Dolls. The album was scheduled for a late 2007 release, then rescheduled for October 2008,^[24] and but the project was then shelved in late 2008 and some of the songs appeared on the group's second album titled Doll Domination. Just before the release of the first single after 2 years, longstanding member of the group Carmit Bachar announced she was departing the group for other projects.^[25][26] The group performed for the first time after their break and as a quintet for US troops in Kuwait for Operation Myspace.^[27]