History of The Pussycat Dolls
The Pussycat Dolls have gone through a unique evolution from burlesque dance ensemble to musical group. The Pussycat Dolls were founded in 1995 by Robin Antin, Carla Kama, and Christina Applegate. Carmen Electra also frequently danced with the group. The Pussycat Dolls put on regular performances at the prominent Los Angeles club known as the Viper Room from 1995 until 2001, during which time they gained national fame.
In the early 2000s, the Pussy cat Dolls began to make the transition from dancing to popular music. Nicole Scherzinger, previously of Eden's Crush, became the group's lead singer. In 2004, they sang on the soundtracks of two major motion pictures, Shark Tale and Shall We Dance?. Their debut album, PCD, premiered in September 2005, peaking at #5 on the Billboard charts in the United States and achieving high sales in other countries as well. "Don't Cha," "Stickwitu," and "Buttons" were three very successful singles from PCD. The group was nominated for, but lost, the Favorite New Breakthrough Artist and Favorite Rock/Pop Band awards at the 2006 American Music Awards. "Stickwitu" was nominated for a Grammy. The "Buttons" video won the Best Dancing award at the MTV Video Music Awards. The Dolls went on tour in 2006-07 on the PCD World Tour. They performed concerts in North America, Europe, and Asia. In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, they caused controversy due to their risqué performances.
In September 2008, following a break—during which time Nicole Scherzinger made a largely ineffective attempt to launch a solo career — the Pussycat Dolls returned with their sophomore effort, Doll Domination. This new album received mix reviews and sold fewer copies than PCD, but still performed fairly well and produced a number of hit singles. These included "When I Grow Up," "I Hate This Part," and "Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny)," the last of which is an English version of a popular Hindi song from the soundtrack of Slumdog Millionaire. The video for "When I Grow Up" won the group its second MTV Video Music Award for Best Dancing. The Dolls once again went on a worldwide tour in 2009.
Rumors began to spread that the group was breaking up in late 2009. This story was denied, but the early months of 2010 saw a great deal of changeover in the Pussycat Doll's lineup. Nicole Scherzinger and Melody Thornton alone remain in the group. Despite these changes, a new lineup and a third album are currently being planned.
