The Pussycat Dolls have cemented themselves into pop culture history - and for good reason, too. A world without Buttons is a world we don't ever want to think of...
But thoughts of the girlband also bring back a whole lot of awkward memories of the group's demise. Most notably, the fact that no one in the group ever really sang except Nicole Scherzinger, to the ultimate detriment of fellow vocalist Melody Thornton. Melody, after all, did decline to participate in their return and their lead single, 'React', back in 2021.
In a video posted to Twitter a few years back, the Pussycat Dolls are seen performing their smash-hit Don’t Cha. While the studio version of the song features ad libs from Scherzinger – over her own chorus, might we add – this particular performance seems to show Thornton going off book, walking to the front of the stage while ad libbing over Scherzinger’s vocal.
Just take a look for yourself.
The side eye. The two step shuffle. IT’S ALL TOO MUCH.
And it’s not the only example of some tensions between the Pussycats. Their infamous 2006 performance of Buttons at the American Music Awards saw Thornton completely absent from the stage for the entire performance, before bursting onto the scene at the last second and ad libbing once more. Skip to 2.00 seconds to see the dramatic run on stage. A true moment.
Naturally, the chaos meant the performance didn’t go down too well in the reviews. But in reality, the issues behind the scenes were far more deep-rooted than a couple of on-stage performences. It’s a well-documented fact that Scherzinger often recorded entire albums for the Pussycat Doll’s by herself, once admitting in 2012 that she sang ‘95%’ of the vocals for the group.
However, less well-documented is how this impacted Thornton as the only other singer in the group (most of the girls were recruited as dancers). She opened up about her time in the group in 2019, saying that her singing was consistently undervalued and made her feel worthless.
‘I lost so much confidence and felt really worthless,’ she told The Mirror. ‘It was pointed out, over and over again, that I was the weakest link in the group. And when you’re told, over and over again, “you’re worthless in this group”, it’s amazing how it affects you mentally. I had never felt insecure until I joined the Pussycat Dolls.’
Contrary to popular belief - and despite the evident annoyance from Scherzinger in those videos - Thornton’s issue was never with her fellow bandmates. In fact, it wasn’t even with group founder Robin Antin – it was solely with the label.
‘People would assume that I was so mad at Nicole because she sang and I didn’t,’ Thornton said. ‘Well, no. That was her dream and it was coming true for her. I just wanted it for myself too…I’m a phenomenal vocalist, you just never heard it. But it wasn’t Nicole’s fault.'
‘There was an opportunity there for her and she needed to capitalise on it. She’d been in groups prior to Pussycat Dolls, so the label wanted her to sing leads. Every time I’d say, “if I could sing more then I wouldn’t be the weakest link”, but that didn’t fit their agenda.’
Having developed panic attacks and underwent therapy for the effects being in the girl group had on her, it’s no wonder that Melody chose to remain absent from the 2020 reunion. Former bandmate Ashley Roberts however insists the issues are not the reason for her absence from the latest Dolls activity, telling the BBC ‘Mel's got a lot of projects going on in life. She was included in all of this, she's our sister, the door is always open, but it just wasn't the right timing for her right now.’
Well, we can only hope one day when the timing is right and the circumstances are less toxic, we’ll get a real Pussycat Doll’s reunion - Melody and all.
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Click Through: Iconic 90's girlbands we want to see reunite...
The Debrief 90s Girl Bands
1 of 18TLC
The outfit game was so, SO strong with these three. If you don't know all the words to No Scrubs, where you been? TLC were also the biggest selling girl group in the world until the Spice Girls came along...
2 of 18tATu
Oh, what a moment for one hit wonder duo tATu. I'm pretty sure the music video to All The Things She Said is still firmly etched in your mind. It was back when 'sexy school girl' was the look.
3 of 18Misteeq
If the words 'so, so, so, scandelous' don't send chills down your spine then you need to revisit the *Eye Candy *album. Fun fact: Tina from S Club 7 was originally in the group until she landed a spot in the band.
4 of 18Girls Aloud
I have few regrets in life, but one of them has to be not giving Pop Stars: The Rivals the attention it clearly deserved because the creation of Girls Aloud was entertaining as hell. Word on the street is that lead signer Nadine is still angling for a reunion though so, watch this space.
5 of 18Sugababes
Ten points if you can name, in order, all of the members of Sugababes and which grouping they appeared in. OGs Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan were the shit, though. And don't pretend that 'Angels With Dirty Faces' wasn't somewhere on your MySpace page.
6 of 18Atomic Kitten
Is anyone else surprised when they realise that Kerry Katona was only around for about three years? She'd left somewhere between* Whole Again* and Eternal Flame. We all enjoyed their little stint on ITV2 The Big Reunion, though. You know, before Kerry left again.
7 of 18Cleopatra
If you can't quite put your finger on why you often follow 'Cleopatra' with the words 'comin' at ya', it's down to these girls. Cleo, Yonah, and Zainam Higgins were the coolest sisters around and no, we never really understood the swimming goggles either. But Nelly never had to explain the plaster on his face so, you know...
9 of 18Spice Girls
No one knows where to start with the Spice Girls these days. And while some sort of reunion has been confirmed, a tour date is yet to be given the go ahead. Might have something to do with Victoria only agreeing to come back if she doesn't have to sing...
10 of 18En Vogue
If you're not all that familiar with the group, you'll be familiar with the song *Don't Let Go. *There are few songs that quite hit the 90s R&B nail on the head so well. You're gonna want to revisit it.
11 of 183LW
Okay we're about to take it way, way back with obscure cultural references here. But anyone who watched Nickelodeon's *Taina might remember the episode where 3LW appeared as super cool girl group Blue Mascara. They performed 3LW's best selling song No More (Baby I'ma Do Right) *and it changed my life. Obviously, if you neither remember this nor know the song, this means nothing too you. But they had another song called *Playas Gon Play *which was kind of involved in that Taylor Swift lyric lawsuit drama.
12 of 18The Cheetah Girls
Disney kids rejoice, because this was the coolest (yes, coolest) music to come out of that damn channel before High School Musical became a thing. The Cheetah Girls existed beyond their Disney TV films too, you know?
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13 of 18Blaque
Remember N'Sync? Of course you do. But do you remember that gem of a song they featured on with Blaque on? It's called *Bring It All To Me *and the music video is a lot. It has nothing on *808 *though.
14 of 18Las Ketchup
There's no shame in having attempted to type and translate the lyrics to The Ketchup Song via Google. We all did it in a desperate bid to know what we were singing while wiggling our knees and whaling our hands around to that stressful routine.
15 of 18The 411
There are two songs to recall here: Dumb (diggi-diggi-di dumb) and *On My Knees. *Their presence may have been fleeting, but they were present. For a bit.
16 of 18Dream
Dream were pretty much everything you expect from a strategically put together girl group, but even more intense. At least that's my vague memory of them and that overwhelmingly 'pop' single He Loves U Not.
17 of 18Eden's Crush
We were not first introduced to Nicole Scherzinger via The Pussycat Dolls. No, no. She first entered our lives via Eden's Crush who were formed on the American version of *Popstars. *I honestly couldn't tell you what happened to the others, but Nicole seems quite happy on the X Factor and eating Muller yogurt.
18 of 18B*Witched
Boys in trees and a hella lot o' denim. Life was so much simpler back then and we still long for those vibes.