Purrrfect pitch: pussycat doll Nicole Scherzinger is not resting on her success. A new solo album and acting roles are just the start of her newest move—to become the music industry's next breakout star. But don't ask to work out with her. She goes it alone there too

Men's Fitness, March, 2008 by Albert Kim

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Nicole Scherzinger hates photo shoots. "It's probably my least favorite thing" she says with a laugh. Think about that for a moment. With her buttery complexion, knuckle-whitening physique, and smoky gaze, the camera clearly loves her. Hell, anything with an optic nerve adores her. So to hear Scherzinger say the feeling isn't mutual, that she doesn't much care for the medium that has conveyed her long-limbed, tawny-skinned message to such devastatingly successful effect ... Well, it's a little like hearing Alex Rodriguez say he's not really into hanging curveballs. "I guess it's the static nature" she says. "I usually feed off of other people. I like doing videos and live performances. Photo shoots are more about image"

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It's telling that the question of appearances is on Scherzinger's mind. The 29-year-old multiethnic (part Filipino, part Russian-Hawaiian) singer has already found fame and multiplatinum success as the lead vocalist for the Pussycat Dolls, the burlesque-inspired girl group whose R&B-flavored debut CD sold 6 million copies worldwide and launched four Top 10 hits. And from the second she showed up on-screen, writhing around in a barely-there hoodie in the video for the group's debut smash "Don't Cha,' it was clear that Scherzinger was the Dolls' meow. She was pushed into the limelight as the perfect embodiment of the group's ideology--an ethos that touted the virtues of female empowerment, sexual confidence, and tight-as-a-drum abs.

Having tested the waters of solo stardom with a few "preview" singles, such as "Baby Love" and "Supervillain," along with guest spots on CDs by 50 Cent and Diddy, among others, it's Scherzinger's solo album, Her Name Is Nicole--set for release later this month--that will determine the singer's true standing in the pantheon of pop divas. She's already experienced both sides of success, as a superstar with the Pussycats and as a potential flash-in-the-pan, one-hit-wonder with her old group Eden's Crush (formed on the reality TV show Popstars), so she's well aware that this is make-or-break time. It's her first--and best--chance to establish her own Doll-free identity. So although the bump-and-grind videos, and come-hither song lyrics (not to mention the sexy swimsuits she adorned for us) have served her well so far, the question still lingers: Is Nicole more than just a one-trick kitty? Our bet is that we'll be gazing at her for some time to come.

MEN'S FITNESS: What con we learn About you from your album?

NICOLE SCHERZINGER: That the Pussycat Dolls is just one side of me. My album is definitely more personal and more vulnerable. It's not just about being fearless and strong. Musically, I was able to go to a lot of different places. I worked with Timbaland and Ne-Yo and Akon and Pharrell and Sting. And I do music that's more representative of me personally. It's not just about the [Pussycat] image.

So that sexy persona isn't necessarily a natural fit for you?

No, it isn't. I had to work really hard mentally so I could get comfortable in the wardrobe and find that inner Pussycat Doll. I came from a shy place, a very conservative Catholic family. You definitely would never have found me wearing a leopard print growing up. I wasn't used to wearing clothes that were so revealing, so I had to step up my game and find a healthy place for my body and my shape.

But weren't you already fit?

I'd always been conscious of my health because I grew up dancing. Dancing is an intense workout. But I never lifted until I started working with my trainer, Adam Ernster, three years ago.

How has your body changed?

I was actually thinner, but I wasn't as strong. I'm 5'6" and about 125 pounds right now. Before I started doing weights I was about 10 pounds lighter. I've definitely gained weight, but I know that's muscle.

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What's your fitness routine?

I work out for an hour or two a day, at least five days a week. I do weights and interval training. I have to keep myself strong, especially my core, to keep solid as a dancer. I try to keep everything in balance: my abs, my legs, my arms, everything. And I jog a lot. On the road, I'll either run a whole hour before my show or I'll run half an hour and maybe train 40 minutes with weights. I have to keep my stamina up. Otherwise I'll never get through an hour-and-a-half show of singing and dancing.

So live performances are really that grueling for you?

Definitely, especially as a cardio workout. Have you ever tried to talk while doing cardio? You get winded easily. That's what singing live is like. So I run a lot. I train by singing while I'm on the treadmill.

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Is the motivation to stay fit the same as what drives you in your career?

Without a doubt. It all works together. For me working out isn't just about the physical, it's more mental. Not many people have the drive to work out day after day, year after year. When you see people who are fit, you can tell their level of determination. When I was working with Timbaland, he was getting into building muscle and losing weight, and he was training intensely. You could see the willpower. That says a lot for him and where his music's going to be. And now his career is taking off. It's because he put in the work he needed to make it happen.

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Purrrfect pitch: pussycat doll Nicole Scherzinger is not resting on her success. A new solo album and acting roles are just the start of her newest move—to become the music industry's next breakout star. But don't ask to work out with her. She goes it alone there too

Men's Fitness, March, 2008 by Albert Kim

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