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Pussycat Dolls are an American hip hop, pop and R&B; quintet, and dance and burlesque ensemble founded by choreographer Robin Antin in 1995. It began as a dance troupe based in Los Angeles, was "re-cast" as a music group in 2003, and expanded in 2005 with a parallel troupe at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The group released their first single in 2004, and have gone on to international commercial success.
Dance troupeSources claim that Robin Antin began exploring the idea of a modern burlesque troupe in 1993 with her friend Christina Applegate
. The dance troupe's first performance was in 1995. During this period, they performed with numerous guest vocalists, with a repertoire of 1950s and 1960s pop standards while 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. The troupe received wider press coverage in June 1999, when Playboy ran a Pussycat Dolls pictorial, featuring at least seven contemporary members. 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, dancing to "The Pink Panther Theme".
Along with 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, which increased public interest in them. Following this wider popularity, and with the involvement of music producers Jimmy Iovine and Ron Fair, the Pussycat Dolls were re-cast, transformed into a pop recording group, and became employees of Iovine's label Interscope Records. The only troupe member who remained after the re-casting process was Carmit Bachar. Electra, when asked about her lack of involvement with the group's evolution into a pop group, 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." However, she did make a cameo appearance in the music video for "Don't Cha". In late 2003, Electra formed another burlesque troupe called The Bombshell Babies, which included ex-Dolls Staci Flood and Nadine Ellis.
The Las Vegas show and casino, 2005-presentIn parallel to the Pussycat 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 Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas Strip. This show contains eight "cast members" who continue the burlesque-style show which began in Los Angeles in 1995. In 2006 the cast included vocalist Jamie Preston. The venue is operated by Pure Management Group, Robin Antin has some involvement, but it is unclear whether Interscope also has a financial interest. The Pussycat Dolls recording group have made occasional appearances.
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.
Guest DollsIn 2002, the cast of ''Charlie's Angels'' movie, Lucy Liu, Drew Barrymore, and Cameron Diaz did a guest spot with the Dolls. After Electra's departure, "Special guests" have often been utilized in the dance troupe shows, including: Jaime Pressly (June 2004); Vivica A. Fox (August 2004); Eva Longoria (April 2005); Kelly Osbourne (January 2006); Nicolette Sheridan (February 2006); Salma Hayek (March 2006); Pamela Anderson (April 2006); Denise Richards (June 2006); Jennifer Aniston (November 2006); Kelly Rowland (January 2007); Tori Spelling (September 2007) ; Meagan Good (December 2007); Paris Hilton (February 2008): and Audrina Patridge (March 2008) as well as Pussycat Doll hopeful Chelsea Korka. Victoria Beckham will reportedly perform with the Dolls in 2008, and a performance with rapper Lil' Kim was put on hold due to Kim's personal issues and was rescheduled for summer 2008.
Coincidentally, The Dolls appeared twice on the hit TV series Las Vegas. The first appearance was with Vanessa Marcil and Nikki Cox's characters performing with them. The second was when they first became international popstars with "Don't Cha" and performed the song on the show.
Recording groupPCDIn 2003, Nicole Scherzinger, a former member of Popstars winners Eden's Crush, became the group's lead singer. The Pussycat Dolls' musical line-up consisted of Scherzinger, Carmit Bachar, Kimberly Wyatt, Ashley Roberts, Jessica Sutta, and Melody Thornton. By the time the recording group were launched, their stage costumes were developed to bear various branding and "PCD" logos, which preceded the sales of a branded clothing range and other merchandise (via websites and at performances). Their repertoire was expanded to include new Pop/R&B; songs, with hit producers and guest rappers, while still retaining some of the pop standards from their earlier incarnation.
The Pussycat Dolls 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 a song by the Pussycat Dolls. The newly-formed recording group's first single was "Sway" from Shall We Dance?, with a music video inspired by the movie.
In 2005, the Dolls received their first hit single, "Don't Cha"; a cover of the Tori Alamaze single featuring rapper Busta Rhymes was released in May. The song went to number one in multiple countries and peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100.[Billboard artist chart history] The group won a Billboard Music Award for "Don't Cha" (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.
The single was followed by the group's debut album, PCD. It debuted at number five on the Billboard 200.
In 2006, San Francisco-based company Doppelganger (along with Interscope Records) launched the PCD Music Lounge, an interactive website. In late 2006, the Pussycat Dolls were also featured in a commercial for Cingular Wireless along with Ludacris and KoRn.
The group received a Grammy nomination on December 7 2006, 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" was used as a theme song for the NBA, though the lyrics had been altered.
On March 8 2008, Carmit Bachar left the group, confirming the news by posting a blog on the group's official website. The Pussycat Dolls are said to be continuing as a five-piece.
On March 10 2008, the Pussycat Dolls performed in Kuwait for Operation Myspace. They sang all of their singles. In the abscence of Bachar, her vocal parts were performed in various songs by Thornton, Roberts or Sutta.
As stated in one of Ashley Roberts blog, the Pussycat Dolls have recently finished performing their show with songs from their first album in St. Petersburg, Russia
Second albumThe second studio album from the Pussycat Dolls is set to be released in August 2008. An interview with Ron Fair and Robin Antin has confirmed that five songs are now finished, with production coming from Timbaland, Cee-Lo Green,Sean Garrett, Scott Storch, Darkchild, Kara DioGuardi, Fernando Garibay, Lady GaGa, Ryan Tedder, and Mark Taylor.
and others. One of the songs recently recorded is a ballad called "Psycho", produced by Ron Fair. A short video shows Scherzinger and Fair in the studio singing the song. The vocals can be heard in the audio come from Scherzinger, Roberts, Thornton. Two other confirmed tracks are "Bottle Pop" and "Away".
Nicole confirmed in an interview that the album is almost done and basically just putting final touches on the album and that the first single can be released anyday now.
The Pussycat Dolls will perform their new single "Bottle Pop" live on Jimmy Kimmel Live, May 20th.
Solo careersFrom 2005-2007 Scherzinger prepared her debut solo album Her Name Is Nicole, as of March 2008 there is no confirmed release date for the album. Between July and December 2007 she released four solo singles. Each of these failed to make any impact on the U.S. charts, but "Baby Love" charted well in Europe and Brazil. Scherzinger has also appeared as a guest vocalist on other artists' recordings (see Nicole Scherzinger discography).
In 2007 Thornton appeared on rapper Jibbs third single "Go Too Far". In many interviews Thornton reveals she is always working on solo material with hopes of future releases..
Sutta has also appeared on tracks from Paul Van Dyk ("White Lies") and Dave Aude ("Make It Last").
On March 28 2008, the former member Carmit Bachar talked with E! about her solo album planned for release in 2009.
TouringIn 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 Pussycat Dolls embarked on their European Tour with Rihanna as the opening act. On March 14 2007, the Pussycat Dolls performed at the Manchester Evening News Arena in a concert that was streamed live via MSN Music.
The Pussycat Dolls also toured North America as a support act for Christina Aguilera's Back to Basics Tour, along with Danity Kane. They also performed at the Cokelive Festival, In Bucharest, Romania and at the UK leg of Live Earth in Wembley Stadium, London.
Other endeavorsUK "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.
In September 2007, reports emerged that the group is the Paradiso Girls featuring Chelsea Korka, three UK women, and one French woman.
Television seriesIn 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 troupe. 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.
A second season of the show kicked off on February 18 2008. Instead of being titled Search for the Next Doll 2, the new series is titled Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious. Unlike the previous series which tried to find a new member to join the Dolls, the second series is auditioning girls to become part of a new 3 member all-female group, Girlicious. However, on the show's finale, it was revealed that Girlicious would be a quartet.
As of February 2008, as part of the promotion for the TV series, The CW have sponsored Stardoll.com, a virtual paperdoll website, to include images of the members of the PCD recording group for interactive "Dress-Up" in PCD logo clothes. This site is aimed at girls aged seven to seventeen.
MerchandiseIn 2006, Interscope engaged the California 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 Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood successfully lobbied the company to scrap the plan because they felt that the Pussycat Dolls would have been inappropriate for children, due to the overtly sexual nature of the Pussycat Dolls' songs, videos and live shows.
They also negotiated a deal with Est�e Lauder for a Pussycat Dolls line of cosmetics under the Stila brand.
The Pussycat Dolls will have their own shoe collection retailing in Van Haren stores in the Netherlands this year.
Computer gamesThe Pussycat Dolls had re-recorded "Don't Cha" in Simlish for inclusion in the computer game The Sims 2 Pets. They also appeared in character form in the computer game Asphalt 2: Urban GT in November 2006.
Discography Awards
Copyright Citations
This article is licensed under the GNU License
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