Paradise Celebrities

Trying to make the best of what’s left of her Spanish vacation, Nicole Scherzinger was spotted heading off for a day at sea with her Pussycat Dolls bandmates in Ibiza.

And while she seemed to be enjoying herself, Nicole and her race car diving boyfriend Lewis Hamilton were the victims of thieves earlier on in their vacation.

According to press reports, “two bags were stolen from the couple’s rented Mercedes shortly after a chauffeur had loaded their luggage into the vehicle outside the Malaga Palacio hotel on Saturday.”

An eyewitness told The Daily Star newspaper: “Lewis’ driver was cleaning the wing mirrors when two men ran up to the open boot (trunk) he’d just finished loading and pinched a rucksack and a leather hold-all. The one (thief) carrying the rucksack dropped it as the bodyguards pursued him but the other guy with the smaller piece of luggage kept hold of his. I overheard one of the security men saying it had Lewis’ iPod inside it with all his music on.”

As one of five sexy singers in girl group The Pussycat Dolls, Nicole Scherzinger has found the perfect way to become the centre of attention.

Over the last few weeks, it seems Lewis Hamilton's girlfriend is being influenced by dominatrix fashion as she has been increasingly seen wearing PVC.

After pouring herself into a stunning grey PVC dress at the Vodafone Live Music Awards in London last month, the 30-year-old pop star opted for another rubber ensemble for her gig in Sydney today.



Dressed in a skin-tigh black dress with a peep-hole top section, it was clear to see what first attracted racing ace Lewis to the American beauty.

The unforgiving fabric clung to Nicole's amazing curves as she wiggled down the green carpet ahead of Tuesday's concert at the Royal Opera House.

Unsurprisingly, Nicole's restrictive outfit was just for the photocall - but her penchant for PVC continued as she opted for a pair of trousers in the same material, teamed with a tartan top for the group's gig.

Girls on parade: Nicole and her bandmates (L-R) Melody Thornton, Kimberly Wyatt, Jessica Sutta and Ashley Roberts before their performance

Joining her bandmates Ashley Roberts, Jessica Sutta, Melody Thornton and Kimberly Wyatt on stage at the famous Sydney landmark, the Pussycat Dolls performed some of their biggest hits, including Don't Cha, StickWitU and Buttons, as well as their latest track When I Grow Up.

The Los Angeles Group are currently promoting their second album Doll Domination, which includes tracks from Nicole's as-yet-unreleased solo album Her Name Is Nicole.

The group is now a quintet after Carmit Bachar quit in March to work on a solo album.

Working it: Nicole - in PVC trousers - and her fellow Dolls perform at the Sydney Opera House

Nicole, who has mixed Hawaiian, Filipino and Russian heritage, started dating 23-year-old Lewis in May after previously meeting at the MTV Europe Music Awards six months previously.

She recently said of her racing beau: 'Lewis is such a wonderful guy. I definitely think he could be The One.

'We might be moving into together soon, he is so kind and generous, we just get on so well.

'Everything is going very well. He is a genius.'

TransAtlantic romance: Nicole, 30, with her racing driver beau Lewis Hamilton, 23

Poured into a skintight PVC dress Nicole Scherzinger's every bump and lump was on display.

But luckily for the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls the only bumps she has are her generous curves.

The 30-year-old girlfriend of racing ace Lewis Hamilton was displaying her perfect figure at the Vodafone Live Music Awards at the Brixton Academy last night.

Miaow! The Pussycat Dolls arrive at the Vodafone Awards last night in London

And she and her bandmates weren't just there to party. Instead they thrilled the crowd as they performed their hits onstage in corsets and stockings.

The Los Angeles Group are currently promoting their new album Doll Domination.

Raunchy: The Dolls wowed onstage in hotpants, suspenders and fishnets

Among the star studded audience was Baby Spice Emma Bunton, who looked all grown up in a stylish black dress and red lipstick.

The new mother appeared to be taking fashion advice from her former bandmate Victoria Beckham, in her Posh style bodycon outfit and blonde Pob.

The other guests included newly single DJ Mark Ronson, whose model ex Daisy Lowe was on the catwalk across London at Vivienne Westwood's show.

Singers Kelly Rowland, formerly of the band Destiny's Child, and Estelle also attended the bash.

Blonde ambition: Holly Willoughby (left) and Baby Spice Emma Bunton

Soul women: Singers Estelle and Kelly Rowland also attended the event

Newly single Mark Ronson arrives looking more like a trainspotter than a DJ, and Fearne Cotton (right) look glorious in dark green

Her short blonde teased curls were more reminiscent of a pensioner than a pop princess.

But there was nothing over-the-hill about Beyonce's stunning performance as she joined dozens of stars at last night's Fashion Rocks event.

The former Destiny's Child singer, who is normally recognisable by her flowing tresses, stole the show with three incredible performances.



For one she swopped her long locks for a short blonde 'do. But the new look isn't permanent. The Dreamgirls actress is to play legendary jazz singer Etta James in the upcoming film, Cadillac Records, a biopic about legendary record producer Leonard Chess.

The 27-year-old also perfomed in an incredible sequinned outfit which highlighted her every curve.

She wore the clinging gold suit, with plunging neckline, for a sizzling duet with Justin Timerberlake of Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing. The pair's performance channeled the classic song's original singers, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell.

Beyonce and Justin Timberlake duet at the Fashion Rocks event

Beyonce dazzled in her gold sequinned catsuit, which clung to her famous curves

The fifth annual Fashion Rocks concert, at Radio City Music Hall in New York, was held to celebrate the relationship between music and fashion, while raising money for charity.

Beyonce was one of dozens of Hollywood and music stars who turned out to perform at the fundraiser for Stand Up To Cancer, a program established by the Entertainment Industry Foundation to raise money for cancer research.

Diva-tastic: Mariah Carey, Mary J Blige, Beyonce and Miley Cyrus perform their charity single onstage at the Fashion Rocks show

The whole crew: Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Beyonce, Miley Cyrus, Rihanna, Ashanti, Natasha Bedingfield and Nicole Scherzinger

She was joined on stage by Welsh singer Duffy, Mariah Carey, Natasha Bedingfield, Fergie, Rihanna and Miley Cyrus to sing their new charity song, Just Stand Up.

Charlize Theron and fellow Oscar winner Hilary Swank introduced the collaboration.

An armful of Rihanna: The Umbrella singer performed in a showgirl costume

Jump: The Pussycat Dolls perform an energetic routine

English singer Natasha Bedingfield said the event held a special significance to her, after losing her grandmother to cancer.

'This is the first time we're all together singing the song,' she said. 'It was really special. It was really like a sisterhood, like a bond.

'We're all used to being the stars - the only star in the room - and it was really nice I think that everyone could just come together and really support each other.'

Welsh girl Dufy and singer Solange, Beyonce's sister, onstage

Diva time: A glittering Mariah performed with a gang of dancers

Other performers included Kid Rock, Keith Urban, Duffy, the Pussycat Dolls and the Black Eyed Peas.

The event was supported by a live telethon that aired simultaneously on three American TV channels - ABC, NBC and CBS.

Amond those who turned out to offer their support to the cancer charity were US presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain.

Presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain lent their support

They were joined by cancer sufferer Patrick Swayze, who spoke movingly of his battle with the pancreatic form of the disease.

'I keep dreaming of a future - a future with a long and healthy life,' he said. 'A life not lived in the shadow of cancer but in the light. I dream that everyone diagnosed will be fortunate to have hope.

Actor Patrick Swayze: The cancer sufferer spoke movingly about the disease

'That every human being lost to cancer isn't gone but is standing here with us tonight. I see a future where all scientists come together with a unified agenda and share their research and their brilliance.

'I dream that the word cure will no longer be followed by the words it's impossible. We can do anything. But the longer we do nothing more people will die.'

Britpack: Natasha Bedingfield and Duffy performed on the night

Looking svelte: Leona Lewis and Fergie

Pop princesses: Singers Rihanna and Ashanti

Actress Hilary Swank and R&B legend Mary J Blige

When Nicole Scherzinger released her first solo single late last year, it seemed that the song might signal an end to her role as lead singer with the Pussycat Dolls.

The single, Baby Love, was a Top 20 hit in Britain.

An exuberant Nicole then performed it with rapper Will.i.am at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Germany - an event at which she also met her now boyfriend, British racing driver Lewis Hamilton, for the first time.



But while a promising solo career seemed to be on the cards for the Hawaiian-born Scherzinger, the prospect of leaving her day-job ultimately didn't appeal to the 30-year-old frontwoman.

'I had a big decision to make,' she says. 'I'd finished my solo album and I had to choose between putting that out or concentrating on a new Pussycat Dolls record.

'In the end, I decided it was too early for a solo project.

The music industry can be very fickle, and it seemed more important to solidify what I was doing within the group.'

Nicole and the Dolls perform at the Conde Nast 'Fashion Rocks' pre-party at Mansion yesterday

As she sits beside her four feisty bandmates in a London hotel, it is easy to see why Nicole decided to stay put.

The Los Angeles group were originally set up as a burlesque song-and-dance ensemble by actress and choreographer Robin Antin, but they display all the good-natured camaraderie of a hard-gigging rock band.

They stress that they are a 'sisterhood', and listening to them chatter enthusiastically, often finishing sentences for one another, it's hard to argue.

But while they are famous for their revealing stage costumes and over-the-top dance routines, they are keen to emphasise the importance of their music and a forthcoming album, Doll Domination, that is an infectious hybrid of pop melody and booty-shaking R&B.

Vamped up: Nicole puts in a sexy performance

We sing songs with an urban twist,' says 23-year-old Melody Thornton, the youngest Doll, between sips of a soft drink.

'It's got an edge, it's got the funk. Urban music is the modern-day pop, especially in the States, and we embrace it on that level. It's left-of-centre pop.'

'Having already made one album, we knew what to expect this time,' adds red-haired Jessica Sutta, 26.

'We knew what we were doing, and we're very loyal to each other.'

As with the group's debut, 2005's PCD, Doll Domination is a precursor to a tour that will see the girls take their high-octane live show around the world.

The ambitious Nicole talks openly of establishing the Pussycat Dolls as a global 'brand', though she adds that the quintet, who have been criticised for their sexy routines, are mindful of their responsibilities as role models to an audience of mainly young, impressionable teenage girls.

The girls strike a pose for the camera

I'm from a conservative background, and I think it's important to be aware of the messages that we're putting out,' she says.

'Some people say the music industry encourages young people to drink or have sex, but that's not what we're promoting. We try to do things with integrity.

'I don't like to use the word raunchy. What we do is more stylised. It's all about putting on a performance.

'I don't think the way we dress is any different to how Beyonce dresses. I always say: "Keep it sassy, but keep it classy."'

Blonde, bubbly Kimberly Wyatt, 26, who trained with the Joffrey Ballet in New York, is even more animated on the topic of the group's live show.

Ashley, Jessica, Nicole and Kimberly perform on the NBC 'Today' television show in New York's Rockefeller Plaza

'I get upset at the way some people talk about us,' she says indignantly. 'They dismiss us as if we're strippers, but we're not like that at all.

'I've trained for this all my life. I did tap-dancing, jazz and ballet.

'But at the end of the day, people just want to put you in some sort of box.

'With us, that box is always marked "raunchy". But the most important thing to me is that I am honest and feel good about myself.

'If people insist on calling me raunchy, well, then maybe I am raunchy. But I'm comfortable with who I am and how I present myself.'

Puppy love: Jessica walks her dog Starr in Manhattan

One fan with no concerns as to how the Dolls present themselves is Lewis Hamilton.

Nicole's boyfriend since February, he often travels with her on promo trips, while Scherzinger has also been spotted watching her beau burn rubber on the world's Formula 1 tracks.

'The attention we get isn't important to me,' she says. 'As long as my boyfriend and I are happy, that's all I care about, and we're truly happy.

'It's hard to have a relationship in this industry, so we're taking things one step at a time and living moment to moment.

As long as the other girls are OK about it, I hope he'll come on the road with us when we tour.'

'There's always room for him on the tour bus,' adds Melody supportively (one presumes that she doesn't mean as the driver).

'He's very sweet and a good person.'

The Pussycat Dolls have changed dramatically since emerging as a Hollywood cabaret act.

Originally a troupe of up to 30 girls, they performed burlesque dance routines to Fifties and Sixties pop hits, before eventually hitting the big time at Johnny Depp's infamous club the Viper Room.

'The atmosphere at those early shows was amazing,' recalls Ashley Roberts, 26.

'There were queues stretching onto Sunset Boulevard. Everyone wanted to see the show.'

'It was really hectic,' adds Jessica.

'We'd rush offstage and change out of our corsets in this tiny little corner and then go back out again. We were bumping into each other all the time.'

In 2001, the group reinvented themselves as a vocal act. With most of the original dancers departing, Nicole and Melody, the two strongest singers, were recruited from outside to bolster the group's musical credentials.

'I was intimidated at first, because the girls were all so beautiful,' remembers Nicole.

'I had to get into character. I'm quite a reserved person, but I had done a lot of musical theatre.

'One of the roles I'd played was Velma Kelly in the musical Chicago, so I homed in on that.'

'The transition was difficult,' adds Jessica.
'When I started, there were 30 girls in the group; now there are five.

The girls arrive at the 2007 Meteor Music Awards at Dublin's Point Theatre

'Dancers aren't always the nicest people to be around, and I almost quit a couple of times. But I loved the group so much I saw it through. I know I made the right choice.'

'The group is all about having confidence in yourself and connecting with an audience,' adds Ashley.

'But that confidence doesn't come from trying to be hot onstage. That's not a factor in what we do.

'If we're sexy, then we're lucky, but that's not what we get up there for.'

It should come as no surprise that successful girl troupe the Pussycat Dolls have decided to capitalise on their success by launching a branded clothing line - and that they have opted for as little clothing as possible.

Pussycat Dolls founder Robin Antin debuted a lingerie collection as part of Los Angeles Fashion Week, with the main emphasis for her inspiration coming from 'scantily' and 'clad'.

The group, who began life as a burlesque troupe performed onstage at the fashion show, during Mercedes Benz fashion week in California.

Barely there: Pussycat Dolls founder Robin Antin has designed a lingerie collection which appears to have taken its inspiration from the twin sources of 'scantily' and 'clad'

Hot to trot: A model wears a nautical-inspired camisole and pant set, and another a rock-chick inpired look with a bottom-grazing skirt

And for once, band members Nicole Scherzinger, Kimberly Wyatt, Jessica Sutta, Melody Thornton and Ashley Roberts looked somewhat overdressed as models took to the stage in Antin's racy designs.

Antin's Victoria Secrets style lingerie collection will clearly please some people but one LA fashion designer called the increasing trend for celebrity designers "bogus".

Centre of attention: Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger took centrestage despite the model's racy outfits

Fashion Week regular Sue Wong said: "I don't believe in reality TV stars turning into designers or a music mogul or a flash-in-the-pan turning into a designer.

She added: "It's all about merchandising and them trying to capitalise on their 15 minutes of fame. I don't think those kind of houses can be taken seriously.

"What can be taken seriously is a real, bona fide talent."

Overdressed: The group, who began life as a burlesque troupe performed onstage at the fashion show

No doubt Antin hopes the lingerie line will do better than her other bright idea, a range of toy Pussycat Dolls to compete with the spectacularly successful Bratz doll phenomenon.

Manufacturer Hasbro unveiled plans to launch the dolls, aimed at girls as young as 8 years old and modelled after the risqué group who famously sang "Don't cha wish your girlfriend was a freak like me".

But after protests by parent groups, Hasbro dropped plans for the line.

Racy: Singer Nicole Scherzinger performs as the dancers model the racy animal print designs

Less is less: A model wears a lacy frilly thong matching bra during the show which was a part of LA's Mercedes Benz fashion week

Lingerie lover: Sean 'P-Diddy' Combs showed his support for the Pussycat Dolls line