Nicole Scherzinger by Conor Cunningham for Interview Fall 2024

Nicole Scherzinger (born Nicole Prescovia Elikolani Valiente; June 29, 1978) is an American recording artist, actress and television personality. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, she performed in various singing competitions and musicals before joining American rock band Days of the New as a backing vocalist and later becoming one of the members of the ill-fated girl group Eden's Crush in 2001. She rose to fame as the lead singer of the burlesque troupe turned-recording act, the Pussycat Dolls becoming one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time. During their hiatus Scherzinger planned to embark on her solo career with Her Name is Nicole but was later shelved after four single failed to impact the charts. Following the disbandment of the Pussycat Dolls, Scherzinger became a judge for two seasons of The Sing-Off and in 2010 won the tenth season of Dancing with the Stars.

In 2011 she released her debut studio album, Killer Love to moderate success and featured the top-ten hits "Don't Hold Your Breath" and "Right There". Later that year she served as a judge during the first season of the American version of The X Factor before heading to the UK version for two years in 2012, before returning in 2016. Her second studio album, Big Fat Lie (2014) had a minor impact on the charts was preceded by three singles including, "Your Love". For starring in the 2014 West End revival of the musical Cats Scherzinger garnered a Laurence Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical.

Throughout a career spanning over 13 years, she has had 3 UK number one singles, sold over 16 million albums and over 37 million singles worldwide, having much greater success in Europe than in her native U.S. where her solo work has had little success and 16 million records as a solo artist, and a further 54 million with Pussycat Dolls, making the group one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. Since her first chart entry in 2005, Scherzinger has also scored 20 top 20 hits on the UK Singles Chart. Outside her work in the entertainment industry, Scherzinger has many other ventures like Herbal Essences, Müller and helped to create the clothing brand Misguided. She is also an Ambassador for UNICEF and a Global Ambassador for the Special Olympics and is involved in charitable activities.