- 3 minutes ago
The Pussycat Dolls dive into their Billboard Chart History and share stories from their iconic career. They discuss collaborating with CeeLo Green on their smash hit “Don’t Cha,” filming the music video for “When I Grow Up,” and teaming up with A.R. Rahman on the global hit “Jai Ho (You Are My Destiny).” They also share meeting and working with Snoop Dogg on “Buttons,” and how Britney Spears’ “Slave 4 U” served as inspiration. They reveal a surprising backstory behind “Beep,” where Will.i.am originally wrote “My Humps” for the Pussycat Dolls but decided to keep it for himself and more!
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00:00Hi, we're the Pussycat Dolls, and this is our Billboard Chart History.
00:21Hans, we gotta go over this choreo, right?
00:24Don't you?
00:25I still got it.
00:30Don't you wish your girlfriend was...
00:45Debut at 95, but peaked at number two.
00:47I thought we was number one!
00:51What kind of show is this, Billboard?
00:54Come on, Billboard, let's get it back.
00:56Maybe now we're doing this next round, we can push it to number one.
00:58Yay!
00:59You know what I mean?
01:01We're coming for you, Natasha Butterfield.
01:04But Jonesha made us splash around the world.
01:08It was unbelievable.
01:10Yeah.
01:10I remember them saying, we're going to put Busta Rhymes on this track, and I called my mom.
01:14Dangerous.
01:15I was like, Mama P, Busta Rhymes is going to be in our song.
01:17She was like, what?
01:18I was like, we've made it!
01:21It was so insane.
01:22It was so insane.
01:23It was crazy.
01:24I mean, who knew with that song?
01:25Like, we didn't know how infectious it was going to be.
01:29Yeah.
01:29How, you know, the people would embrace it all over the world, internationally.
01:35So much love.
01:36Thank you so much to CeeLo Green for writing that song.
01:40But CeeLo, what a beautiful spirit that man is.
01:44Yeah.
01:45Meeting him and being in his presence.
01:46He was just so grounded and so loving and held so much space for us in that moment.
01:51And then to see him do his thing with Donald Sparky and Crazy.
01:59So we had worked with CeeLo for Don'tcha.
02:03And we were like, okay, what's that next song?
02:06Grab me a CD.
02:07Yes.
02:08I was in the studio with him, and he's playing me a bunch of stuff.
02:10He played me a song called Crazy.
02:13Honey, you heard it first.
02:15And I said, well, that's not our song.
02:20That's your song.
02:22Nobody can touch that song.
02:24Then we were touring, came back to L.A.
02:27And I was driving up to, like, the record plant in my car.
02:30And I was like, they were like, that's Crazy by Gnarls Barkley.
02:34I was like, who is Gnarls Barkley?
02:37Isn't that crazy?
02:38It's crazy.
02:41I do remember that when we first heard that beat, I was like, oh, this is a goodie.
02:46It's kicking in.
02:47We're ready.
02:47Don't you wish your girlfriend was a freak like me?
02:51Like me?
02:52Don't you?
02:56When I grow up, I want to be famous.
02:58I want to be a star.
02:59I want to be a boobie.
03:00When I grow up, I want to be a star.
03:03I want to be a boobie.
03:05Everybody thought we were saying boobies.
03:07We were saying boobies.
03:08We were saying boobies.
03:08What?
03:09But we were saying groupies while doing this around our boobies.
03:13The colors and sparkles.
03:16Yeah.
03:16We worked with the best music producers.
03:18Wait.
03:18Wait.
03:20Was Don't You Paul Hunter?
03:22Yes.
03:23Don't You was Paul Hunter.
03:24Yes.
03:24Then we had-
03:25Francis Lawrence.
03:26Francis Lawrence.
03:27And then Joseph Kahn.
03:28Joseph Kahn.
03:29Wild.
03:29That was in the middle of Hollywood Boulevard.
03:32We actually shut down the street to dance on this scaffolding that was not stable.
03:37We shut down the traffic.
03:38We didn't shut down traffic.
03:39We didn't shut down traffic.
03:41The traffic was still coming by.
03:41They would stop traffic.
03:42We would have to film a few dance scenes.
03:45Oh, yes.
03:45And while the traffic was honking, they're like, okay, stop for a second.
03:48Yeah.
03:48Let the traffic go.
03:50And then we would wait.
03:51And then we'd cut back off.
03:52Preset again.
03:53Then it was like, the pressure.
03:54The scaffolding also was not stable.
03:57Let's just also talk about that.
03:57She was a little wiggly.
03:59She was a bit wiggly.
04:00We were like, is this safe?
04:01Meh.
04:02It was worth it is what it was.
04:03We still did it anyway.
04:04We still did it.
04:05Oh, my God.
04:05Didn't you guys have to do like these insane backward head rolls too?
04:09Yes.
04:10Then we danced on the cars on that one as well.
04:12Yeah.
04:13That was crazy.
04:14Brittany did make a cameo.
04:15Almost.
04:16Almost.
04:17She did film it.
04:18She filmed it.
04:19But it didn't quite make it.
04:21Her team wasn't too keen.
04:22Yeah.
04:23Also, the-ography, that arm choreography, I mean, had its moment amongst like the dance world.
04:28Classic.
04:29Do you remember, we're doing a walking down Hollywood Boulevard, wouldn't it have been?
04:33And we'd go into a pose and you walked sort of between my leg and the post box.
04:39Oh, yes.
04:39But if you see in the video, the post box isn't a real post box.
04:42I think it's a prop, so it just sort of tilts as it comes through.
04:46Really?
04:46That's so funny.
04:47It kills me every time.
04:48Everyone's going to go watch that now.
04:49Go find it.
04:50Oh, shout out to Dark Child Rodney Jerkins for that song.
04:53Love him.
04:54He's an incredible human being.
04:56Brilliant.
04:56We love you, Rodney.
04:58When I grow up, be on TV.
05:00People know me.
05:01Be on magazine.
05:06Nobody gonna love me better.
05:09I'm gonna stick with you forever.
05:12Nobody gonna take me higher.
05:16I'm gonna stick with you forever.
05:17I'm gonna stick with you forever.
05:17I remember I had my bangs and I was going through sort of that short choppy era with the hair.
05:22I don't know if that was my best look, the whole stick with you, but I love the song.
05:27Yeah, I thought it was sweet.
05:28We all lived so young in the video.
05:30Yeah, little babies.
05:31My gosh, we were babies.
05:32We had Cupid?
05:34We had Zeus.
05:35Zeus?
05:35Yeah.
05:36Your little child.
05:37Oh, that's right.
05:37A little white child made a cameo.
05:40Oh, rest in peace, Zeus.
05:41Yeah, Zeus.
05:42Sweet Zeus.
05:44He was small but mighty, that thing.
05:45This song in particular, still to this day, one of my friends, like whenever we have a little drink,
05:50have a little girls night out, we'll get back in the car.
05:52And she, by the way, doesn't drink, but she's always the designated driver.
05:56She's like, okay, Ash, you've had a few cocktails.
05:58Can we put it on?
05:59And she bangs this track and just has a scene together.
06:02It's really sweet.
06:03Yeah.
06:03I love it.
06:04I don't know if you all know this little known fact.
06:07So when I first heard the song, Ron Fair played it.
06:13And I was like, I think this song was for Mary J. Blige.
06:17Really?
06:18No way.
06:19Yeah.
06:19And I was like, no, we need this song.
06:21I can't even imagine.
06:22And I love Mary.
06:23I can't even imagine Mary on it.
06:25I know.
06:25I know.
06:25So it was meant to be our song.
06:28Yeah.
06:29That's a funky old family.
06:30I know, it's a blessing too.
06:32Yeah.
06:32But it is the song.
06:34When we perform it, the whole place knows every single word, every lyric, all the lights
06:39from the phones go up.
06:41Yeah.
06:41It's that moment to remember.
06:42It is that moment.
06:42I can't wait to have that again.
06:44And you know what?
06:44I'm actually really proud of that song because I think our first single was Don't You?
06:49And our second single was Stick With You.
06:51And I remember that because I was like, okay, people are going to expect us to come out
06:56with buttons.
06:57Then we had to write buttons.
06:58But Stick With You was like, we wanted to give them something different.
07:02Yeah.
07:02That's right.
07:03Follow Up Don't You was something so different.
07:05Yeah.
07:05Pulled upon the heartstrings a little bit.
07:07We're like, you think you know, but you don't.
07:09That's great.
07:10Keep on guessing.
07:10It was a good call.
07:12Well done.
07:12It worked out.
07:13Yeah, well done on that call.
07:14When I heard the song, before it was our song, I would sit in my car and just listen
07:22to it.
07:22I remember driving home one night and I'd sit in the car and I'd just listen to it on
07:26repeat and would just dream.
07:28That's how I felt.
07:29It's a feel good song, isn't it?
07:31Like, you know, just the melody comes in and it makes you feel light and like fluffy and
07:35connected.
07:37So it's a goodie.
07:38Like an easy listening.
07:39Yeah.
07:39Yeah.
07:40Yeah.
07:40Yeah.
07:41Yeah.
07:42Yeah.
07:42Yeah.
07:43Yeah.
07:46Yeah.
07:46Yeah.
07:54Yeah.
07:56It was freezing.
07:58They're like, act like you're warm and enjoying life.
08:02It was crazy.
08:04It was crazy.
08:05It was crazy.
08:05But it looked, it looked beautiful.
08:06And I mean, the movie.
08:08The movie was so beautiful, right?
08:11To be attached to something like that.
08:13It was quite iconic.
08:14It was an honor to work with A.R. Rahman.
08:16Yeah, it was.
08:16Brilliant, brilliant producer, writer.
08:19And I felt very fortunate because I got to write the English adaptation of that because
08:26it was a big song before we did it.
08:28It was for Slumdog Millionaire.
08:30It was in their language.
08:32Esther Dean was on that, writing that as well.
08:34Ron Fair really helped out with all that.
08:36It was amazing.
08:37And we actually did that when we were in London.
08:40Yes.
08:41Yes.
08:42And people love that song.
08:43Around the world.
08:45That song.
08:45It's those drums.
08:46It's A.R. Rahman's beats are like tribal.
08:50Yeah.
08:50Primitive.
08:55I'm excited for us to reimagine and re-envision that on stage.
08:59I think we can make it really something special.
09:02Yeah, definitely.
09:02I'm excited for that.
09:03Yeah.
09:04I know.
09:04I feel like the damn choreography.
09:08Catch me.
09:08Catch me.
09:09Catch me.
09:09Catch me.
09:09Come and catch me.
09:10I want you.
09:11Oh, that's it.
09:12You can save me.
09:14Oh, River Chider!
09:16Oh, yeah!
09:17Oh, yeah!
09:18Oh, yeah!
09:19Oh, yeah!
09:19Oh, that's what I did.
09:20Catch me.
09:20Catch me.
09:21Catch me.
09:21Come and catch me.
09:22I want you now.
09:23I know you can sing it.
09:25Come and save me.
09:26I need to-
09:26LT.
09:27T.
09:27T.
09:27T.
09:28T.
09:30T.
09:30T.
09:30T.
09:30T.
09:31T.
09:31T.
09:42that's been going around where the girl's face is like it's like this the second that that peak
09:49is that bee kicks in i'm like yeah you get that you get that beyonce something smells nasty
10:03buttons is my favorite i love them all but like the second buttons kicks in
10:09something comes over me internally and i'm i just want to get out on that stage it was our first
10:15one of our first songs as well before it was actually completely produced we even performed
10:20it with about 12 of us in the group oh my god did we perform like new year's eve or
10:25something yes
10:26yes so crazy and then snoop dogg yeah i thought i saw a pussycat i mean snoop saying all of
10:32our names
10:32individually i was like that's so cool and to walk in for that music video snoop
10:39dog in a puff of smoke with his chicken and waffles there for us he was so lovely yeah
10:45it was like everything you ever wanted to experience from snoop dogg imagining meeting him
10:50just happened he's the best he is still to this day he is like og but he's also got a
10:57little bit
10:57of martha stewart in i know he's like like you know original gangster i mean also the budgets we had
11:04back
11:04then that was like a three-day video shoot that corset was pulled so tight around my stomach man
11:10i had bruises for weeks yeah but it was worth it it was worth it i got to be in
11:15the studio and write
11:16it and work on it with sean garrett and polo de don and um that was like an honor for
11:22me to be a
11:22part of that writing process um but in the beginning there's a chant so i used to i was in
11:28a rock band back days of the new and i would chant all the time so i just went in
11:34on that beat i loved
11:35it and i started doing some crazy chanting and then polo sampled it it's so cool there it is and
11:41there's
11:41the magic right there she was yeah what's that sauce chantin sauce i like it a moon man for best
11:49dance in a video later i'm so glad you reminded us about that didn't we get a moon man for
11:54something
11:54else yeah when i grow up yes when i grow up in buttons two moon men i honestly those like
12:00those
12:00little moon men i feel like like one of my most favorite things that we got just because i remember
12:05watching cribs growing up and seeing everybody that i looked up to have moon men and i was like oh
12:09my god
12:10i've got some no like childlike and he was like heck yeah mom we made it we should probably bring
12:17the hoodie back we've got to bring the hood back we gotta bring the don't you hood back we gotta
12:21bring
12:21the buttons hood back francis lawrence what a brilliant he was just doing he wasn't doing films
12:28at the time now he's like an unbelievable film director yeah so he got to like take
12:32pussycat dolls to the cinema i hope he remembers me of course he will he does also speaking of like
12:40film in that breakdown that whole thing i wrote that part by the way thinking because you know
12:46britney's slave for you oh yeah slave for you so i wrote yeah when they all get together and
12:53yeah i have that moment but then he had like that um pinstripe solo thing it felt very like italian
12:59film
12:59noir
13:10this was in the desert we were dirty but it was a good song it was shot so beautifully right
13:17here
13:21this was like so like you said it was so beautiful like sunset us dancing
13:27you know in the desert with the rain rain the rain we had all the elements that was insane
13:34it was pelting down it was so worth it and we shot it we're like remember the choreography
13:41kicking yeah yeah yeah i kind of do i remember this right
13:45do you know what the piano in the middle of the desert was iconic it was such a moment it
13:52was so
13:52i do remember though us feeling like we were so sexy with our white hair and it seemed like a
13:57drowned
13:58rat did we do that again i don't know if it like internally we were like this
14:06eventually we got the right shot remember on tour we would do like a
14:11uh like a dj sped up version it would go yes oh my god we're gonna have to figure out
14:21a new
14:22remake
14:36i'm gonna do my thing while you're playing with you
14:42oh did you hear how sharp those eyes were came out of nowhere oh my gosh again babies though
14:49don't like i feel like when i look back at that video i'm like we were just little babies and
14:54it
14:54was like a whirlwind it happened so fast and i did we had a whole new look in that video
14:59as well
14:59i sure did like a little cindy lou i don't know what i was thinking a little half-up ponytail
15:09yeah i don't remember my outfit from this one oh wait did i have those little sort of like
15:15velvety shorts that we're all wearing yes the really like low-rise short ones yeah i was rocking
15:22i love the little dance sections everybody had their little moment to shine and do their thing on the
15:27dance floor with yes and a shout out to all the girls who are in the video that made it
15:31so mega
15:32all the dolls yeah i love y'all absolutely yeah i love you oh well i am it's so cool
15:37to do it oh yeah
15:41like we was at the nightclub and i was like we gotta hit this hard i think i hit that
15:47like they
15:47created that nightclub moment yes yes you come up to get into it and i would jump so high yeah
15:57oh my gosh you really were the destroyer then just i'm calling you the destroyer destroy my back
16:04oh my god i don't have a booty i gotta use my back i was actually one of my i
16:09was always one of my
16:09favorite bits she was she did get excited about that did you all know that will i am actually wrote
16:18my humps my lovely lady lumps for us i am so gutted about this because i want humps so he
16:26wrote
16:27william is like my brother i want lovely lady lumps you got all the lovely lady lumps already
16:34you don't need the song uh it's meant to be fergie it's true um black abuse but william was like
16:41my
16:41brother and so and we were always in the studio together and he wrote my humps and he was like
16:46no
16:47this is too good so he kept it for black and then he felt bad so then he went and
16:52he wrote beats for us
16:54it worked out we got the seconds yeah we did i mean with the humps now you can you know
16:59that's
17:00the penis though it was so good but it makes sense i can understand now the journey of then how
17:04we got to beep right and then we're on the street dancing right on cars and stuff carrie hillson
17:25carrie hillson that song she's so magical also timberland was the naughties right like timberland
17:32like that whole era justin timberlake nelly frittado like the fact that we got to work with him it's
17:37just so iconic and so cool yeah yeah absolutely i'll never forget my bangs i had these wretched
17:45ass bangs and this is before clips they were horrible they sewed it into my head i don't know
17:51what i was thinking we didn't have all the things we got we didn't have all these little influencers
17:56everybody had these cute little clippies now clippies we had them we had to sew it into my head
18:01i was like what was happening i just remember doing the leg thing on the top of the taxi with
18:06the explosion going off i was like i like that one yeah i like that one did you like slide
18:12down the
18:12taxi did i probably yes you did you do slide down the taxi like when you slide down the pole
18:20and don't
18:21show yeah oh my god but that was face first you're like onesie like catsuit yeah that had a life
18:28yeah
18:28that did have nine lives it had it was went on tour and that was my whole outfit for tour
18:32remember yes
18:33remember when we'd have like one outfit on tour are you gonna bring it back no no no no let
18:40it happen
18:42tim man he could do a beat timbo we love you
18:59oh my gosh you know it's a wild fact about this pasha who was my strictly come dancing partner that
19:05i
19:05did in the uk is in this music video he was one of the dancers and he was like i
19:11was in hush hush
19:12i'm like oh my god what i watched it back oh my god it's wild yeah i actually remember having
19:20that
19:20curly hair we was going to that 70s disco vibe yeah i was david bowie with the silver star yes
19:30we did some partnering in this music video yeah we did and we flew in the air up like splits
19:36and then
19:37we went back yeah yeah we really committed to this the whole 70s thing were you roller skating i
19:44thought i was roller skating i think i was roller skating it wasn't you or maybe it was jessica
19:49i don't know somebody was roller skating was carmen alexia roller skating oh my gosh
19:56wow that's a flash who made that choice
20:00wow it was crazy i love that because not y'all gonna kill me but like i'm not gonna lie
20:08when
20:08i heard the song i was like i will survive would be a perfect mashup yeah so that's how we
20:14went into
20:15hush hush and die first i wasn't right yeah it's a disco vibe isn't it
20:23oh my god that hair though in the video yeah there's some hair choices i look back on like that
20:28you guys have such big gorgeous disco diana ross hair i felt bald
20:35babe you always have just a different phrases of of the mohawk yeah it was like there's a short
20:43crock and roll come on you're giving that chair flip right now though honey yeah make it up for
20:49it now the other day you said i'm coming back hairy yeah yeah kim i can't wait to throw my
20:57hair
20:58around and you you still flung your mohawk around so hard but now sometimes when i was feeling a bit
21:06tired i actually used my hair this is what are you saying you know the neck's not fully working we're
21:11gonna add a little flip there was no place to hide thank god it's so flexible like seriously
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