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On stage, Nicole Scherzinger sizzles as the Pussycat Dolls' frontwoman. Here, she performs on tour with Britney Spears in March 2009. - Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage, Photo-illustration by Nelson Gaspar, Ka Wai Ola |
Pussycat Dolls' Scherzinger is
coming home to perform
O'ahu-born Nicole Scherzinger sizzles on stage as the front woman for the Pussycat Dolls, but it was advice from a surfing lesson that helped her keep cool in her ascent from slippahs to stardom.
"I got all buss up from the reef," she said, recalling a surfing lesson at Keaulana's in Nānākuli, O'ahu. "And my uncle said, 'Never fight the ocean.'"
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Ka Wai Ola Cover Story |
She keeps his advice close to her heart, and it helps her to stay afloat in the rough waters of show biz. On stage, Scherzinger is a star, but off stage, she's a sistah from Wai'anae, O'ahu, who embraces her Hawaiian heritage. And with her new solo album in the works, she's looking to bring her island background into the studio.
"For me, it's important to show my Hawaiian heritage through my work and how I carry myself in my life," she said. "It's a very hard business that I've chosen, but I've managed to do it all while remaining grounded to where I come from and my family. I'm grateful every day to God and my family that I can keep the aloha spirit through it all. I've grown a thicker skin, but my heart is always true."
Scherzinger has been in the public eye since she first belted out Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" in an audition for the reality show Popstars in 2001. That audition earned her a spot in the girl group Eden's Crush, alongside fellow Hawaiian Maile Misajon.
After Eden's Crush disbanded, Scherzinger performed for a bit as Nicole Kea, adopting her family's name. Her big song was a cover of "Breakfast In Bed" on the soundtrack of 50 First Dates. It was an island-style remake, a genre she hopes to do more work in.
In 2003, Scherzinger joined the Pussycat Dolls and her fame skyrocketed.
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Nicole Scherzinger gets a makeup touch-up backstage at a Hollywood shindig. - Photo: Mark Mainz/Getty Images for Conde Nast Media Group |
Scherzinger lived her early years in Honokai Hale on the west side of O'ahu. Her 'ohana followed her tūtūkāne's military career to Kentucky when she was just 4, and though you can take the Hawaiian out of Hawai'i, you can't take Hawai'i out of the Hawaiian.
"When my mom and her family moved from Hawai'i, they still wanted to keep the roots going. So they made a dance group, Sons and Daughters of Hawai'i," Scherzinger said. Her mom, uncles and aunties – all 10 of them – toured Kentucky and Indiana with the music and dance of Hawai'i and Polynesia. Mom – the lead dancer of the troupe – taught her some hula, but "as you can imagine, there aren't too many hālau in Kentucky."
Music and dance were an integral part of Scherzinger's upbringing. "They wanted to keep the connection, and bring a piece of aloha to people who wouldn't otherwise see it. I got my voice from tūtū. She has the voice of an angel," she said of her tūtūwahine, the lead singer of the group.
But there's more to Scherzinger's Hawaiian heritage than music and dance.
"I don't know if many people know I'm Hawaiian, but hopefully that's how I represent," she said. "When people see me, they see something special about me. I don't know many artists that travel the world that can say they're Hawaiian. I'm so proud to have that heritage, culture and music inside of me."
After the Pussycat Dolls' Doll Domination tour wraps up – the final shows are in Europe after the June 13 Honolulu concert – Scherzinger is headed back to the studio for work on her solo album titled Her Name Is Nicole.
"I can't wait till one day, when I go solo, I'll be able to have more Hawaiian influences in my music and the whole world can see," she said.
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Nicole Scherzinger looking relaxed wearing Desanka at a Hollywood event. - Photo: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic |
Some of her solo singles feature Hawaiian influences. In "Puakenikeni," she employs the Hawaiian poetic tradition of using elements of nature to wax romantic. "Baby Love" opens with a soft slack-key melody. And the music video for "Whatever U Like" featured her Hawaiian friends and a Sāmoan artistic director and choreographer.
But even with a world of Hawaiian influence in a studio in Los Angeles, it's nothing like home. "There's no place like Hawai'i in the whole world," she said. "I've been all around the world, and no place smells like Hawai'i. When I'm at home, I get back to what's important in life: family and God."
All of her family is now back on O'ahu, up and down the Wai'anae Coast. With her success, Scherzinger was able to buy a home for her mom in Mākaha, with the rest of the 'ohana nearby. And although Scherzinger's house is in L.A., she comes home often. And what's the first thing she does upon arrival? Why, grind, of course.
"When they come to pick me up, my mom and aunties always have poke in the cooler from Tanioka's, sushi and cuttlefish!" From there, it's on to Matsumoto Shave Ice and the rest of the food that we take for granted in Hawai'i. "I love dried aku and poi, kālua pig and cabbage, lomi salmon. … I come home and I eat so much poi, mac salad and rice. … I love my plate lunches!"
"I go out (to Hawai'i) every chance I get," Scherzinger said. "My family makes up such a huge part of me." And when she comes home, the pop-star persona stays at the airport. "What my Hawaiian family has taught me kept me really grounded, with good perspective. That's my strength," she said. The 'ohana yells for Cola, Elikolani, Sistah or just plain Cuz – no high makamaka here.
"You should see me at Tamura's (Superette in Wai'anae) in my surf shorts and bikini, no makeup, pua kenikeni in my ear," she said. "That's as big shot as I get at home. Everybody's like, 'That's not me, ah?'"
The Pussycat Dolls' first appearance in Hawai'i will be a homecoming for lead singer Nicole Scherzinger, who will perform along with fellow dolls Melody Thornton, Jessica Sutta, Ashley Roberts and Kimberly Wyatt.
"I can't wait to see my family and share what I do with them," Scherzinger said. "I'm gonna make it a very special show. I'm very proud to come home and represent."
Pussycat Dolls
The Honolulu show is presented by Hawai'i Pacific Entertainment. Tickets are $60, $70 and $80, and can be bought at the Blaisdell Box Office, online at Ticketmaster.com, at all Ticketmaster outlets, and by phone at 800-745-3000. For information, visit hawaiipacificentertainment.com. |
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