The Record Music Magazine

Here’s the deal: this girl can sing, dance, write and set a stage on fire with her performance, so don’t just call her ‘that girl from the Pussycat Dolls’! With a star-studded solo debut out this month, you better put a name to the face. Nicole Scherzinger is set to become one of the hottest female acts of the year and we’re bringing you an exclusive interview where you can learn all about the new solo album titled Her Name Is Nicole. Check it out!

The Record: What is your favourite part of having a solo album?
Nicole: My favourite thing about this new album is that it’s my music and it’s… Nicole! I don’t think people really know who I am as an artist. This is the music that I’ve been able to create with some of my dearest friends in the business and I’m really proud of it.

TR: How long have you been working on this album?
Nicole: I’ve been working on it for a year and a half now. But in my heart and soul, I’ve been working on it all of my life. All of the experiences that I’ve had in my life ~ being on stage, being in musical theatre, being in a rock band, my relationships with love, with the business ~ I got to throw into this melting pot, into this music… I’m excited about this album because I have no limitations, I have no boundaries.

TR: Did you have a musical direction in mind for yourself as a solo artist?
Nicole: I started working on it over a year ago and I didn’t know what I wanted to do so I tried everything. And I think if you try everything then in the end you will come full circle and be true to yourself with the music and it will all make sense. So I’ve got chanting on here because I love to chant, I’ve got the craziest freshest beats from will.i.am, Timbaland, Pharrell, Kanye West, Polow Da Don I’ve got beautiful ballads, some alternative, some rock songs… I’m really an eccentric artist, I think, or at least my head and my ears are and I was able to just not care and make the music that I wanted to make.

TR: How is this album different from your sound with the Pussycat Dolls?
Nicole: When I see myself in the Pussycat Dolls, it’s just one of the many alter-egos I have. It’s like I have this crazy power when I’m with these five other chicks on stage ~ I’m like superwoman! (Laughs) This album is a little bit stripped down, and people will get to know who I am as an artist and as an individual. The music came from my heart and my experiences with love and relationships.

TR: Do you have a favourite song off the album?
Nicole: There are so many songs that are dear to my heart on this album. I think Whatever U Like, the one that says ‘Her name is Nicole’; I think that’s a contender. I have a beautiful ballad called Happily Ever After written by Ne-Yo. I love this song, I feel like he wrote it for me, that it was meant for me ~ basically it’s this song about being stuck in a relationship that you’re not meant to be in and being strong enough to break out of it and realising your self worth and self identity. I also have this great song called Just Say Yes that I did with Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol and I think it’s special because I don’t think people would necessarily think of it as something that came from me. There’s also a song called Baby Love that’s so sweet ~ it’s about summer love, it’s about cruising, you’ve got the top down, and I don’t know… I have this hot song I did with Pharrell called I M.I.S.S. You. We have a song called Puakenikeni which is a Hawaiian flower ~ a throwback to my Hawaiian heritage.
I got to work with so many people that I had always dreamed of working with and it’s totally different. When people hear the music they will hear that it’s me ~ they’ll be like ‘We get who you are as an artist. You have your own sound.’ I think it’s some really fresh stuff. There were so many songs that I don’t even know are going to make it. I’ve probably recorded well over 60 songs for this album and I love and adore each one of those songs.

TR: Will we hear any of the others that didn’t make it on to this album?
Nicole: I think I’ll keep [them] in mind for the Pussycat Dolls album ~ and what I can hear us girls doing together. I’ll save some songs for that album, maybe I’ll save some for the Her Name Is Nicole Part 2 album. (Laughs) I think there are so many different sides and facets to me and to all humans and that’s what is so special about this album. I don’t have a message really, I’m just trying to be me on this album and hopefully that will be enough for the people when they hear the music. I have love songs, I have songs for when I’m upset, I have songs where…you’re just going to shake your booty when you hear these songs. So I think the message is just me being me on this album and loving the music and hopefully people will like the outcome from that. I put so much love into this album; it’s all about the hard work.

You can read the rest of our feature on Nicole Scherzinger in the November 2007 issue of The Record Music Magazine available at your local newsagent.

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