Nicole Scherzinger performs “Sunset Blvd.” in New York on Sept. 27.

Nicole Scherzinger, widely known as the former lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls, has achieved a new milestone with her Broadway debut as Norma Desmond in Sunset Blvd., where her portrayal has garnered enthusiastic standing ovations, some even midshow. In the Andrew Lloyd Webber revival, Scherzinger captures the complex character of Desmond, a former Hollywood star clinging to memories of her past fame. Her performance has been met with widespread praise, with People Magazine describing her presence on stage as “commanding” and “magnificent,” noting that the longest standing ovation, lasting six minutes, came after her opening number.

Her journey to Broadway followed a career of highs and challenges. Scherzinger first gained fame with the Pussycat Dolls in the early 2000s with hits like “Don’t Cha” and “Stickwitu.” While she attempted a solo music career, her 2011 debut album Killer Love did not chart in the U.S., leading her to shift toward television. Scherzinger became a judge on shows like The X Factor and The Masked Singer, and she won Dancing With the Stars in 2010. In 2023, she left The Masked Singer to prepare for her role in Sunset Blvd.

Critics have highlighted her remarkable stage presence and vocals, with the New York Post calling her “otherworldly” and praising her stirring renditions of songs like “With One Look” and “As If We Never Said Goodbye.” The New York Times also awarded the show a Critic’s Pick title, describing her vocal performance as “poised” and “smartly deployed.”

Scherzinger told Variety that she sees her role in Sunset Blvd. as a way to show the world her versatility, beyond her pop star persona. Celebrating her Filipina and Native Hawaiian heritage, she also brought a Hawaiian cultural practitioner to the St. James Theatre on Indigenous People’s Day to share her culture with the cast and crew, connecting her background to her portrayal of Desmond.