Nicole Scherzinger

Nicole Prascovia Elikolani Scherzinger is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and television personality. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, she gained international recognition as the lead singer of the R&B and pop group the Pussycat Dolls. As one of the world's best-selling female groups of all time, the group sold over 55 million records worldwide.

Scherzinger was born on June 29, 1978, to Alfonso Valiente and Rosemary Elikolani, and is of Filipino, Native Hawaiian, Polish, Russian, and Ukrainian descent. After her parents separated, her mother married Gary Scherzinger, who adopted her. Growing up in Kentucky, Scherzinger joined the Actors Theatre of Louisville at age 14 and graduated from the Youth Performing Arts School at duPont Manual High School. She later attended Wright State University, majoring in Theatre Arts with a Dance minor, before leaving college to join the rock band Days of the New as a background vocalist on their second studio album and tour.

In 2001, Scherzinger auditioned for the talent competition series Popstars USA and became a member of the girl group Eden's Crush. The group released the debut album Popstars and the successful single "Get Over Yourself" before disbanding later that year. In late 2003, Scherzinger joined the Pussycat Dolls as lead vocalist. The group released two studio albums, PCD in 2005 and Doll Domination in 2008, producing hit singles including "Don't Cha," "Stickwitu," "Buttons," "When I Grow Up," and "I Hate This Part." Scherzinger was also featured on the worldwide hit "Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny)" from the film Slumdog Millionaire.

After departing the Pussycat Dolls to pursue a solo career, Scherzinger released her debut solo album, Killer Love, in 2011. The album featured her first UK number-one solo single, "Don't Hold Your Breath," alongside hits such as "Poison" and "Right There." She released her second solo album, Big Fat Lie, in 2014. Alongside her music career, Scherzinger won the tenth season of Dancing with the Stars in 2010 and served as a judge on various television shows, including The Sing-Off, The X Factor USA, The X Factor UK, Australia's Got Talent, and The Masked Singer US.

Scherzinger has also taken on acting and stage work, appearing in films such as Men in Black 3 and Moana, as well as theatrical productions of Rent, Cats, and Sunset Boulevard. Her stage work earned her a Grammy nomination, two Laurence Olivier Award nominations, and a Tony Award nomination. She won the 2024 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard and received a Tony Award for the role in 2025. Her additional ventures include clothing lines, a fragrance, and serving as an ambassador for the Special Olympics and UNICEF UK.