August 02, 2008

The Pussycat Dolls: Temperatures rising

By Katie C

There's no denying the Pussycat Dolls are hot. So hot in fact, that unlike the rest of us sent up the chilly highlands for the 2008 MTV Asia Awards, they are sitting comfortably in their usual sexy get-up. The jackets and scarves are nowhere in sight.

Just like the Dolls themselves, their upcoming album Dolls Domination is set to scorch the charts having had its way paved by the stick-in-your-head first single "When I Grow Up". Fans will barely even notice that the group is one member down (Carmit Bachar left the group in March to pursue her solo career).

After a long day, MTV Asia is surprised to find the Pussycat Dolls - Nicole Sherzinger, Kimberly Wyatt, Ashley Roberts, Melody Thornton and Jessica Sutta, perky and ready to spill about on-stage bloopers, the guys who make their hot list and childhood ambitions.

It's pretty chilly up here. Aren't you cold or uncomfortable in those outfits?

Nicole: It's not as cold as the time we were in the winter in Austria opening the ski season at the Swiss Alps in the snow. That was cold. If you were standing still, you would be frozen. Even our boogers were frosted!

Have you had any on-stage mishaps with your costumes because those heels look quite dangerous…

Kimberly: Tons of them! We were doing a live show in London and I had these chains going around my neck. As we were walking forwards my heel caught in the chain, the whole thing got pulled back and I fell on the ground. Thank goodness the camera did not catch a single thing.

Jessica: Unfortunately, I kicked the chair at the American Music Awards and they caught it. On film. Live. My mom was like "it was NOT bad. Don't worry" (laughs). No one saw it… just America.

PCD has collaborated with some cool guys like Timbaland, Snoop Dogg and Will.I.Am. Is there an Asian artist you'd love to collaborate with?

Nicole: Wow (thinks for a bit). Rain and Lea Salonga would be cool to collaborate with. I'm Asian so that fills up that spot in this group.

You're the pin-up girls on many guys' walls but which guy is your pin-up idol?

All: Woooohhh (laughs)

Melody: I've got a couple. James Franco and Will Smith. Mmhmm…

Ashley: Justin Timberlake.

Jessica: Adrian Grenier.

The new album drops in September. What can we expect from Dolls Domination ?

Nicole: We're coming back stronger than ever. We got Timbaland to executive produce some of the album. Rodney "Darkchild" Jenkins has a single with us. You can expect music for all of our old fans to shake their booties to and hopefully new fans to be able to relate to.

The first single "When I Grow Up" has already been getting massive airplay. As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Jessica: I wanted to be the first woman president but that didn't work out.

Well, there's still time.

Jessica: I don't know (laughs).

Melody: I wanted to be a singer. That's exactly what I always wanted to do.

Nicole: A singer.

Kimberly: I wanted to be a rock star.

Ashley: I wanted to be a marine biologist before I decided Janet and Michael Jackson were awesome and said "I'm going to do that".

What's one lesson you've learnt from being famous?

Kimberly: To have a lot of patience and being able to go truly beyond your mind. Even when you're tired to just go as far as you possibly can.
Jessica: Especially when you're doing a video at one o'clock in the morning you have to be spot on.

Does anyone still have the power to make you star-struck? Any wow moments on the red carpet?

Jessica: We met Sarah Jessica Parker on the red carpet and I cried. I was all "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god. Sarah Jessica you're the best!"

Melody: On the same red carpet, Will Smith walked by and I just (screams). Then I had to compose myself because I'm supposed to be famous. Sorry forgot about that.

Nicole: If I ever met Lea Salonga, I think I'd flip my lid.