1993-2003: Dance troupe beginnings
Some sources claim that Robin Antin began exploring the idea of a modern burlesque troupe in 1993 with her friend Linh Le and Christina Applegate (both friends since high school); the troupe's first performance was in 1995. During this period they performed with numerous guest vocalists (see list below), with a repertoire of '50s and '60s pop standards and dressed in lingerie or old-fashioned pin-up costumes.
They secured a Thursday night residency at Los Angeles nightclub "The Viper Room", where they stayed from 1995 to 2001. In June 1999 Playboy ran a Pussycat Dolls pictorial, featuring at least contemporary members Kasey Campbell, Kiva Dawson, Erica Gudis and Lindsley Allen. In 2002 they 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 Dolls appeared in the 2003 film Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle dancing to "The Pink Panther Theme".
Carmen Electra was the group's lead performer for many of their shows. She said "I was part of the Dolls for two years and did every show with them...but financially, I couldn't become part of their new music project...It was a financial sacrifice I couldn't make." She did, however, make a cameo appearance in the music video for "Don't Cha".
With the involvement of music producers Jimmy Iovine and Ron Fair, the Pussycat Dolls were re-cast, transformed into an Pop / R&B recording group, and signed up as employees of Iovine's label Interscope Records.
In 2003, Electra formed another burlesque troupe called The Bombshell Babies, which included ex-Dolls Staci Flood and Nadine Ellis.
2003-present: Music career
In 2003, Nicole Scherzinger, a former member of Popstars winners Eden's Crush, became the group's lead singer. The group's current lineup is Scherzinger; Carmit Bachar (who joined in 1995); Kimberly Wyatt, Ashley Roberts (who joined in 2001); Jessica Sutta (who joined in 2002); and Melody Thornton, (who joined in 2003). They opened the MTV Asia Awards 2004.
In September and October 2004, the soundtrack CDs for the films Shark Tale and Shall We Dance? were released, each containing one track by the Dolls. "Sway" from Shall We Dance? became the group's first single and first music video.
In 2005, The Pussycat Dolls released its debut album PCD. It debuted at #5 on the Billboard 200, selling about 100,000 copies, and spawned seven singles. The first single "Don't Cha" (with Busta Rhymes), a cover of the Tori Alamaze single, became the group's first hit.[citation needed] The follow-up, "Stickwitu", became the group's first U.S. #1 Billboard Pop Radio hit, selling over three million digital downloads and CDs worldwide[citation needed] and becoming the Doll's their second #1 single in the UK. The third single, "Beep", featured Black Eyed Peas lead rapper will.i.am. A subsequent single, "Buttons", featuring Snoop Dogg, hit #3[citation needed] on the UK singles chart. The group's sixth single from the album is "Wait A Minute", released in the U.S. in August 2006.
The group won a Billboard Music Award for "Don't Cha" the (Ralphi Rosario Mix) as Hot Dance Music/Club Play Single of the Year. The song was also nominated for Top-Selling Single of the Year and Top-Selling Dance Single of the Year.
At the SXSW music conference in 2006, Interscope lawyer Darryl Franklin said, during a panel discussion, that the contract with the group specifies that its members are salaried employees of the record label and, by design, interchangeable. The label also controls merchandise, websites and all other commercial aspects of the group and its income, excluding song publishing.
In 2006, San Francisco-based company Doppelganger (along with Interscope Records) launched the PCD Music Lounge, an interactive website.
On June 30's VSpot Top 20 Countdown, host Matt Pinfield announced that Scherzinger has written twelve new songs for the follow-up album to 2005's PCD. The Pussycat Dolls reportedly aim to start recording their sophmore album, to be released in late 2007. The album will be called Double The Trouble, and will feature collaborations with Lil' Kim and Christina Aguilera, as confirmed in an interview early April, 2007.
On July 12, the single "Don't Cha" was certified gold and platinum.
In late 2006, The Pussycat Dolls were also featured in a commercial for Cingular Wireless along with Ludacris and KoRn.
Scherzinger is working on her debut solo album "Her Name Is Nicole...", due for release in June, 2007. Her first single Steam is set for a release in May, 2007 and her second single Winning Women, a collaboration with Rihanna set for a release in June or July, 2007.
On December 7, 2006 the group received a Grammy nomination in the Best Pop Performance By a Duo or Group category for their hit ballad "Stickwitu". Later that month, the group was selected to perform for the introduction for ABC's coverage of the NBA. In 2007, a version of "Right Now" is being used as a theme song for the NBA, the lyrics have been altered.
On March 14th 2007, the Pussycat Dolls performed at the Manchester Evening News Arena in a concert that was streamed live via *MSN Music.
Touring
Pussycat Dolls in Dublin at the Meteor Music Awards
In 2006, the Pussycat Dolls performed live shows in North America supporting the Black Eyed Peas. As headliners they toured the UK, Europe, Philippines and Malaysia.
On August 8, 2006, after a Dolls concert in Kuala Lumpur, their concert promoter, Absolute Entertainment, was charged with flouting Malaysian decency laws. The Malay Mail quoted Culture Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Mohamad Arif Abdul Rahman as saying: "I believe the way the Pussycat Dolls behaved onstage amounted to gross indecency". The charge was settled by paying a fine of RM5000 (US$1358).
From November 2006 to January 2007, the Dolls toured the UK and Ireland with Rihanna as their support act.
In 2007, the Dolls are touring North America as a support act for Christina Aguilera's Back To Basics Tour, along with Danity Kane.
Repertoire
The Dolls' repertoire includes contemporary R&B, Pop and cover versions. The original songs are mostly written by professional songwriters and/or producers; Scherzinger is the only group member to have co-written any tracks. The covers often fit within the traditions of burlesque, cabaret and drag shows; featuring musical vamps and flirtatious choreography.
Their recorded cover versions include: "We Went As Far As We Felt Like Going" (Labelle); "Sway" (Dean Martin); "Santa Baby" (Eartha Kitt); "Feelin' Good" (Nina Simone); "Tainted Love" (Gloria Jones/Soft Cell); "Where Did Our Love Go" (The Supremes/Soft Cell); a mash-up of Donna Summer's "Hot Stuff" with Siobhan Fahey's "Bitter Pill"; "Right Now" (Mel Torme); and "Don't Cha" (Tori Alamaze).
Their live cover versions have included: "It's Oh So Quiet" (Betty Hutton/Björk); "Big Spender" (Chita Rivera/Shirley Bassey); "Fever" (Peggy Lee); "The Pink Panther Theme" (Henry Mancini); "These Boots Are Made For Walking" (Nancy Sinatra); and "Whole Lotta Love" (Led Zeppelin).[6]
Vocal roles
On PCD and its singles Scherzinger is the lead vocalist. Thornton contributes all the soprano background vocals and Bachar contributes the alto background vocals. On several songs, Thornton also interjects melismatic vocal runs. In live performance Thornton is lead in "Big Spender", co-lead with Bachar on "Fever". Roberts, Bachar and Sutta are co-lead for the b-side "Santa Baby".
For the second album, it has been confirmed that all the Dolls will get solo spots. The Dolls have stated that on their first single of Double the Trouble, Scherzinger, Thornton, and the as yet unnamed "Next Doll" will have the biggest roles.[citation needed]
Empowerment messages
Press releases for and interviews with the Dolls or Robin Antin have often included statements about the group representing or modeling "empowerment" of women and girls. This empowerment includes (but is not restricted to) encouraging women to be openly expressive of sexual desire, and to "take control" in their relationships. In this, and other aspects, they take a similar approach to the Spice Girls and their promotion of "Girl Power". Critics including Edward Wyatt of the New York Times and Jim Schembri of The Age have commented on the supposed paradox of third-wave feminism asking "Can sexually provocative dress and behaviour be empowering to women, or is it solely pandering to male fantasies?".
Other endeavors
The Las Vegas show and casino, 2005-present
In parallel to the Dolls as a recording R&B act, in April 2005 a resident live show commenced at the "Pussycat Dolls Lounge" adjacent to Pure Nightclub in Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. This show contains eight "cast members" who continue the burlesque-style show which began in L.A. in 1995. In 2006 the cast included vocalist Jamie Preston.[7] The venue is operated by Pure Management Group, Robin Antin has some involvement, but it is unclear whether Interscope also have a financial interest. The Dolls recording group have made occasional appearances. "Special guests" have included: Eva Longoria (April 2005); Nicolette Sheridan (Feb 2006); Pamela Anderson (April 2006); and Denise Richards (June 2006).
In February 2007, Caesars Palace opened the Pussycat Dolls Casino located across from the Pussycat Dolls Lounge. It features "Dolls-style" decor and attire for the gaming staff, waitresses and dancers.[8]
Coincidentally, they appeared twice on the hit TV series Las Vegas. The first appearance was with Vanessa Marcil (Sam) performing with them. The second was when they first became international popstars with "Don't Cha" and performed the song on the show.
UK "Dolls"
On 11 December 2006, The Daily Mirror reported that Jimmy Iovine, with help from will.i.am, will be creating a "UK version" of the Pussycat Dolls.[9] Contrary to early reports, Alesha Dixon will not be one of the performers in the new group.
Television series
In April 2006 The New York Times reported that Interscope executives are working to produce their own reality TV series overseen by the producers of America's Next Top Model and McG, the director of Charlie's Angels and Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle. The show, entitled Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search for the Next Doll will search for a new member for the troupe.[10] The new member will sing on the next PCD album and will tour with the group. The show premiered on The CW, on March 6, 2007. It premiered in Australia and the UK on April 1st.
Merchandise
In 2006, Interscope engaged the Californian company BandMerch to distribute a range of merchandise, including clothing and other items, linked through the group's official website.
In a merchandising agreement with Interscope, in 2006 toy manufacturer Hasbro had plans for a line of dolls modelled after The Pussycat Dolls, and reportedly aimed at six to nine-year-olds. The groups "Dads and Daughters" and the "Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood" successfully lobbied the company to scrap the plan because they felt that the dolls would have been inappropriate for children, due to the overtly sexual nature of The Pussycat Dolls' songs, videos and live shows.
In 2006, Interscope also negotiated a deal with Estee Lauder for a Pussycat Dolls line of cosmetics under the Stila brand.[11]
In 2007, the Dolls have their own shoe collection retailing in Van Haren stores in the Netherlands.
Computer games
In September 2006, it was reported that the Pussycat Dolls had re-recorded "Don't Cha" in Simlish for inclusion in the computer game The Sims 2 Pets.[12]
In November 2006, it was reported that the Dolls appear in character form in the computer game Asphalt 2: Urban GT.
