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BLOGS, MUSIC, LIVE

MONDAY

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MONDAY
21 November
2005

Address:

COVER
STORY

R.age, Star Publications (M) Bhd,

Menara Star, #15, Jalan 16/11,
46350, Petaling Jaya, Selangor
E-mail:
alltherage@thestar.com.my

PUSSYCATS GALORE: (From left)

Kimberly Wyatt, Jessica Sutta, Nicole
Scherzinger, Ashley Roberts, Carmit
Bachar and Melody Thornton.

DOLLS ON THE RISE

The Pussycat Dolls were in Bangkok last
week for its South East Asian showcase
promoting its debut album, PCD. NIKI
CHEONG caught up with the girls and
discovered that there is more to the
group than meets the eye.
YOU heard it here first. I am going to be the first
guy, and the latest member of the Pussycat
Dolls. Yup, thats right. They said I could.
Theres a Pussycat Doll in everybody, group
member Kimberly Wyatt said. Even guys!
So, obviously, sitting amongst these bevy of
beauties, I volunteered myself.
Sure! they responded and all cracked up
laughing. If I didnt know any better, Id have
thought they were nuts. But it really does seem
like theyre having the time of their lives. Who
wouldnt? Even the girls Nicole Scherzinger,
Carmit Bachar, Ashley Roberts, Jessica Sutta,
Melody Thornton and Kimberly are aware of
their sudden rise to fame.

The success has happened pretty fast, especially with the release of Dont Cha lead singer
Nicole said.
Weve really only been in the scene for six
months. Its just kind of amazing that everyone
knows us now! she added.
And theyve even been compared to the Spice
Girls, in a complimentary way, of course, due to
their fast capturing of the world's attention.
The fact that weve been compared to them,
Jessica said, is like a dream come true. They had
this worldwide success.
Kimberly added, The Spice Girls blazed the
trail for us.
Its definitely not difficult to see where the
comparison to the Spice Girls comes from. Apart
from the fact that they too are an all-girl group,
there is also the fact that they, well, kind of look
like the Spice Girls.
Theres Carmit, the redhead whose hearty
laugh but grounded answers during the interview is reminiscent of Geri Halliwell; the two
blondes Kimberly and Ashley who remind
one of Emma Bunton; the very fit Jessica

(Melanie C); posh-looking Nicole no prizes for

guessing this one; and, Mexican-AfricanAmerican Melody, who is kind of like Melanie B.
All that aside, though, what is most prominent
is the fact that the groups debut single Dont
Cha is fast becoming a pop anthem the same
way the Spice Girls Wannabe was many years
ago.
Think about it. You may never had heard of the
girls before but its a miracle if any of you can get
the first line from the song Dont cha wish your
girlfriend was hot like me out of your heads
after listening to that song. Indeed, the biggest
similarity has to be both the groups phenomenal rise to stardom.
However, the Pussycat Dolls has been around
for a decade now. The group started off as more
of a sexy burlesque act. Its creator, Robin Antin,
was a dancer/choreographer who was rooming
with Christina Applegate at that time. When
Robin formed the group, Christina introduced
them to the Viper Room, a club on Hollywoods
famous Sunset Strip owned by Johnny Depp.
It wasnt long before the dancers were the talk

COVER
STORY

3
MONDAY
21 November
2005

A scene from
Charlies Angels
2: Full Throttle.

of the town and big stars started to get interested in

performing with them, just for the fun of it.
The one person who made a difference was Gwen
Stefani. She wanted to perform, not just to dance, but
also to sing. She enjoyed herself so much that she
invited the executives from her record label to watch
the girls perform, and that was where talk of a singing
group surfaced.
As Nicole explains, unlike other girl groups around,
the Pussycat Dolls has history.
Yes, the brand will no doubt go down in history. It
has already had a limited edition makeup line from
Stila, as well as its own permanent show at the
famous Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The show features a different bunch of performers though, and
remains faithful to the original Pussycat Dolls concept
cabaret-styled, skimpy clothes stage shows. But if
any of you are hoping that the singing group would be
just as, well, minimally dressed, you can shake your
head in disappointment now.
Weve evolved as a group stylistically, Nicole said.
People talk about us being risqu, but were not any
more risqu than say, Destinys Child.
If you watch our videos, were fully dressed and this
is how were dressed on stage too.
Dont be overly upset though, guys, because there is
no denying that these six girls are, well, hot. And trust
me, you really do want your girlfriends to be hot like
them.

Who has Performed

With The Pussycat
Dolls?
1. Carmen Electra
2. Christina Applegate
3. Gwen Stefani
4. Eva Longoria
5. Christina Aguilera
6. Jaime Pressly
7. Kelly Osbourne
8. Brittany Murphy
9. Chalize Theron
10. Paris Hilton
11. Pamela Anderson
12. Scarlett Johansson
13. Pink
14. Britney Spears

ed in
* The dancers also appear
rottle
Charlies Angels 2: Full Th

Carmen Electra