Scherzinger initially rose to fame as a teen idol alongside her colleagues in the short-lived girl group Eden's Crush.
The Pussycat Dolls' founder Robin Antin recalls that when Scherzinger first walked in for her audition to join the burlesque troupe, the outfit she donned was way "too conservative" for the group.
Scherzinger later admitted she cried when she saw the first and "revealing" outfit she would have to wear as a member of the band, as she was dealing with body image issues at the time.
Margeaux Watson of Entertainment Weekly took a major swipe at Scherzinger for her role as lead singer.
Watson said, "there are two kinds of girl groups: those anchored by a superstar (the Supremes, Destiny's Child), and those made up of charismatic personalities endowed with limited individual gifts (Spice Girls, TLC).
The Pussycat Dolls are neither – they're a brand, not a band. [...]
2005's multi-platinum PCD finds lead Doll Nicole Scherzinger in the spotlight, and she's no Beyoncé."
Scherzinger has claimed that she was responsible for both lead and backing vocals on the group's songs, with hardly anything sung by the other members.
She commented, "...people don't even know the story.
I was in the center because I was singing.
I was the one singing."

Scherzinger is also a vocal supporter of gay rights and became a gay icon.
Scherzinger's popularity within the gay community increased due to her work with the Pussycat Dolls.
One of the songs written by Scherzinger, "I Don't Need a Man", was dedicated to all of her gay fans.
She explained: "Whoever I could inspire, I wanted to inspire them.
It's about the messages of empowerment and loving yourself for who you are."
Scherzinger is also very vocal when it comes to bullying.
She believes in acceptance and recalls receiving knock backs and the message of her music releases show how she dealt with them.
In 2017, for Gay Pride Month, Billboard asked numerous pop culture luminaries to write 'love letters' to the LGBTQ community, one of whom was Scherzinger.
In her letter she expressed her admiration "When I think of the LGBTQ community, I think of a community standing strong against adversity and a community that unites for change."

She admits it is "frustrating" to read about the media's portrayal of her as "a man-eater".
Scherzinger has been linked to a number of different men, but insists none of the rumors are true.
In July 2013, Scherzinger posed semi-nude for a "Protect the Skin You're In" T-shirt, part of a campaign by fashion designer Marc Jacobs to raise awareness and cash for melanoma research.
All sales benefit the NYU Cancer Institute and NYU Langone Medical Center.
The outfits she wore as a Pussycat Doll and sexual dance moves they performed has continued ever since she embarked on her solo career.
Scherzinger said: "I think I am able to handle myself in a good manner and hopefully I'm a positive role model for other girls out there."
Scherzinger also wore the first Twitter dress at the EE launch party.

Scherzinger has developed an image as a sex symbol and "one of the hottest women on the planet."
Since 2006 has been featured on FHM's "100 Sexiest Women" list peaking at number nine in 2011 and 2014.
In 2012, VH1 ranked her the eight on their list of "100 Sexiest Artists", while Complex magazine ranked her the twenty-ninth on their list of "The 100 Hottest Female Singers of All Time".
Scherzinger initially rose to fame as a teen idol alongside her colleagues in the short-lived girl group Eden's Crush. The Pussycat Dolls' founder Robin Antin recalls that when Scherzinger first walked in for her audition to join the burlesque troupe, the outfit she donned was way "too conservative" for the group. Scherzinger later admitted she cried when she saw the first and "revealing" outfit she would have to wear as a member of the band, as she was dealing with body image issues at the time. Margeaux Watson of Entertainment Weekly took a major swipe at Scherzinger for her role as lead singer. Watson said, "there are two kinds of girl groups: those anchored by a superstar (the Supremes, Destiny's Child), and those made up of charismatic personalities endowed with limited individual gifts (Spice Girls, TLC). The Pussycat Dolls are neither – they're a brand, not a band. [...] 2005's multi-platinum PCD finds lead Doll Nicole Scherzinger in the spotlight, and she's no Beyoncé." Scherzinger has claimed that she was responsible for both lead and backing vocals on the group's songs, with hardly anything sung by the other members. She commented, "...people don't even know the story. I was in the center because I was singing. I was the one singing."
Scherzinger is also a vocal supporter of gay rights and became a gay icon. Scherzinger's popularity within the gay community increased due to her work with the Pussycat Dolls. One of the songs written by Scherzinger, "I Don't Need a Man", was dedicated to all of her gay fans. She explained: "Whoever I could inspire, I wanted to inspire them. It's about the messages of empowerment and loving yourself for who you are." Scherzinger is also very vocal when it comes to bullying. She believes in acceptance and recalls receiving knock backs and the message of her music releases show how she dealt with them. In 2017, for Gay Pride Month, Billboard asked numerous pop culture luminaries to write 'love letters' to the LGBTQ community, one of whom was Scherzinger. In her letter she expressed her admiration "When I think of the LGBTQ community, I think of a community standing strong against adversity and a community that unites for change."
She admits it is "frustrating" to read about the media's portrayal of her as "a man-eater". Scherzinger has been linked to a number of different men, but insists none of the rumors are true. In July 2013, Scherzinger posed semi-nude for a "Protect the Skin You're In" T-shirt, part of a campaign by fashion designer Marc Jacobs to raise awareness and cash for melanoma research. All sales benefit the NYU Cancer Institute and NYU Langone Medical Center. The outfits she wore as a Pussycat Doll and sexual dance moves they performed has continued ever since she embarked on her solo career. Scherzinger said: "I think I am able to handle myself in a good manner and hopefully I'm a positive role model for other girls out there." Scherzinger also wore the first Twitter dress at the EE launch party.
Scherzinger has developed an image as a sex symbol and "one of the hottest women on the planet." Since 2006 has been featured on FHM's "100 Sexiest Women" list peaking at number nine in 2011 and 2014. In 2012, VH1 ranked her the eight on their list of "100 Sexiest Artists", while Complex magazine ranked her the twenty-ninth on their list of "The 100 Hottest Female Singers of All Time".
Nicole Scherzinger