To say that former Pussycat Doll frontwoman Nicole Scherzinger may be nearing the end of her 9 musical lives would be a fair assessment. For a singer whose bids to fame have boasted killer looks, discernible talent, and (not to mention) multiple sturdy platforms for lift off yet no solid launch, begs a striking question: where is the miscalculation with Miss Scherzinger?
Initially brought to the public’s eye during the infancy stages of the now-common ‘reality talent show’, Scherzinger was one of 5 finalists for the American Idol copycat ‘Pop Stars’ (on WB). The pop collective, called Eden’s Crush, saw an impressive beginning on Billboard with both a top 10 single and album. Yet, after a record label folding and no follow-up in sight, Scherzinger fell from public view until landing her next (and most successful gig to date) – Pussycat Doll frontwoman. ‘Doll Domination’ would prove to not only be an understatement, but also the purr-fect set up for its leader as the pop composite conquered Billboard charts with hit after hit. Millions sold and in the bank (not to mention a real lick of ‘celebrity’), Scherzinger leaped from her sturdiest post yet to pursue a solo career.
2007 saw the Hawaiian beauty attempt to make her first solo splash on charts with ‘Her Name Is Nicole’. Led by the thunderous T.I.-assisted, Polow Da Don-produced ‘Whatever You Like’, the debut single from ‘Her Name’ surprisingly left her name nowhere to be found on Billboard charts. With the record later shelved, Scherzinger seemed to have lost yet another footing on Billboard charts.
…until 2010 saw yet another attempt to return to charts with ‘Killer Love’. Marked as the official debut album of her solo career, the album boasted production from heavy hitmakers like RedOne and others and lifted the sex kitten to her highest heights on UK singles charts (#3 and #1 for singles ‘Poison’ and ‘Don’t Hold Your Breath‘). And, joining media mogul Simon Cowell‘s judging panel for the (once) highly anticipated ‘X Factor USA’, Nicole finally looked to board the vehicle that relaunched Jennifer Lopez’s once failing career. That is…until the ‘Try It With Me’ maestra actually…umm…tried it. ‘Poison’, ‘Don’t Hold Your Breath’, and ‘Wet’ barely made splashes on the ‘Bubbling Under Charts’ in the U.S. and quickly fizzled out. Add their parent album’s ‘Killer Love’ pushback after pushback, these shortcomings collectively all but indicated ‘Love’s’ death sentence. And, of course, Scherzinger is slipping right back into a wash, rinse, and repeat of album #1.
With killer looks, dance moves, marketable music, stage presence, and three major platforms, the singer may have hit the nail on the head when she sang ‘I got that poison’ as U.S. record buyers are sleeping on this beauty’s every musical venture. Could Nicole simply be missing the very X Factor she hopes to help Simon Cowell find?
Now you weigh in: Has Nicole’s career been just a monstrous musical misstep or a mixture of marketing mishaps?
Your thoughts?
