The sassy lead of the Pussycat Dolls, Nicole Scherzinger, is going it alone with her drop-dead-lethal new single ‘Poison‘. Stuart Brumfitt caught up with her and found out about appearing on X Factor, working with Gaga’s producer RedOne and why playing gay venues makes her feel like original Cher.
So, you’re lauching your new solo project. How is that?
Doing my video for Poison was really intense. We didn’t finish until 5am the next morning. I love the video. I’m a huge fan of the director, Joseph Kahn. We worked together on a lot of my videos, so I’m really excited about it. It’s good Nicole versus bad Nicole.
Is there a lot of pressure doing a video to such a fierce song?
When you make a song that has so much energy and is so aggressive and in your face and up-tempo, you want to have a video that is equally as powerful and has that much energy as well. The video’s set in the 1930s and it’s almost like a comic book film.
How did you end up working with RedOne, who has worked with Lady Gaga previously?
Actually, I was doing ‘We Are The World’ for Hati and I met him because he was one of the producers on that, and I told him I was doing music and told him the style and direction. I wanted to go in, and he said, ‘Wow, that’s exactly the direction I want to go in as well.’ So we got in the studio over the summer and we did a whole album. We’ve done at least ten tracks together.
Is it tricky following Gaga in collaboration with him?
No, because he’s such a great musician. People know him for Lady Gaga’s work, but he’s also done Sean Kingston at the other end of the spectrum. He’s able to hear and feel and channel all different styles of music and produce it, so when I told him I wanted this very strong pop sound, but wanted it to be very aggressive and to have some elemtn of rock and funk and soul, he really channelled his ideas into that.
You’re a great dancer in your videos and you won Dancing With The Stars in the US. Is there one thing you prefer – singing or dancing?
I prefer the singing and music. I’m a singer first. I grew up singing. It’s just that when I joined the Pussycat Dolls, they were such unbelievable dancers that I really had to up my game.
Were the other contestants on Dancing With The Stars annoyed you were in it, since you’re obviously such a good dancer?
Well it’s different, because I did have dancing experience, but there were people in prior seasons with a lot more dance experience than me who never won, so I don’t think the competition is just about dancing – it’s about the work ethic and personality, charisma and what you bring to the competition.
Have you seen Strictly Come Dancing here in the UK?
Yeah, we performed at it as Pussycat Dolls.
Is it very different to the US one?
I think so. It’s a little bit more tongue-in-cheek.
I’d say! What did you make of being an X Factor judge in the UK?
I had a great experience. I’m so glad that it was so well-received, because, I had such a wonderful time. It would have sucked if people didn’t like it. It felt like I was a part of something, a great big event and something was going to go down! Lots of people came out in Manchester and you could see people cheering and showing support for Cheryl, giving their opinions and judging along with us.
Have the Pussycat Dolls disbanded?
I think right now, the other girls have decided to go their own way and pursue their own projects. I’m still part of the Pussycat Dolls, but I’m just taking this time to do new music, but hopefully still carrying the torch for the Dolls. I think my music is still empowering and it’s on some other crazy, hopefully superhero level. I just wanna rock out on stage!
How come you’re in that phase?
I was a big fan of Michael Jackson and his performances. A dream of mine has always been to have a really great live show with really big music. I want to create a really explosive, dynamic, dangerous experience.
You’ve collaborated with tons of people – who’s been the most fun?
Whenever I work with someone, whether it’s Ne-Yo or Timbaland, it’s always just a unique and special experience in itself. I’ve never had a bad experience.
It shows you’re adaptable. What’s going on with you romantically?
I’m just really happy where I am in my relationship.
That’s good. Do you feel like your family’s ethnic background has given you an ability to have a global appeal? You seem to try to pass off as Indian in a sari in the ‘Jai-Ho’ video.
Oh yeah – growing up it was just weird, because I felt like I didn’t always fit in, but now it works to my advantage, because music is my greatest vehicle to reach out to people globally and it’s wonderful to have the background I do have, being so diverse, because I feel that no matter where I go, I can relate and people can relate to me as their own. I can connect with people globally.
Who were your idols growing up?
Whitney Houston was my biggest inspiration. And then as I started to get older, I really liked Paula Abdul, Mariah Carey and Madonna, and then I got into more alternative stuff and then into my singer-songbird stage. I have a really eclectic by musical theatre.
What about your gay fanbase?
Hopefully they’re going to love this album, because the whole energy and the club vibe of it is for the boys. It’s really explosive and hopefully it’ll get people freaking out in the clubs. I played it for a friend of mine, Perez Hilton and he said, ‘Honey, this is the Eurogay anthem!’ And he just loves it.
You’ve played G-A-Y here…
Yeah and I want to play it again. It’s been too long. I hope to shut it down when I go next time.
Do you play many gay venues in the US?
With the Dolls, definitely. We did a lot of stuff in California and New York. Those are our best shows. That’s where I feel the sexiest.
Really? Why?
I don’t know. You just feel so admired and accepted and amazing and on top of the world. The boys empower you. You just want to be Cher all of a sudden.
