Claim: Nicole Scherzinger sings Don't Hold Your Breath, her debut single.

Nicole Scherzinger -LRB- -LSB- niˈkoʊl_ˈʃɜːzɪŋər -RSB- born Nicole Prascovia Elikolani Valiente ; June 29 , 1978 -RRB- is an American recording artist , actress and television personality born in Honolulu , Hawaii and raised in Louisville , Kentucky . She performed initially in high school plays , and studied at Wright State University before dropping out to pursue a musical career alongside the American rock band Days of the New and later auditioned for Popstars , becoming a member of the short-lived girl group Eden 's Crush . She rose to fame as the lead singer of the burlesque troupe-turned-recording act the Pussycat Dolls , who became one of the world 's best-selling girl groups . During their hiatus , Scherzinger planned to embark on her solo career with Her Name is Nicole , but it was later shelved after four singles failed to impact the charts significantly .   Following the group 's disbandment , Scherzinger ventured into television winning the tenth season of Dancing with the Stars and became a judge on The Sing-Off and on US and UK versions of The X Factor . Her debut studio album Killer Love -LRB- 2011 -RRB- was released to moderate success and was preceded by the number-one single `` Do n't Hold Your Breath '' . In 2014 , Scherzinger released her second album Big Fat Lie to commercial disappointment and starred on the West End revival of the musical Cats for which she received a Laurence Olivier Award nomination Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical .   Throughout her career , she has had a total of three UK number one singles , two of which coming from recording group The Pussycat Dolls and one as a solo artist . She has sold over 60 million records worldwide , as a solo artist and as the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls . In accordance with multiple sources , Scherzinger has sold at least 37 million singles and has had in excess of 15 million total album sales . Since her first chart entry in 2005 , she has scored 20 top-20 hits on the UK Singles Chart . Outside her work in the entertainment industry , Scherzinger has advertised brands including Herbal Essences and Müller , and helped to create the clothing brand Missguided . She is also an ambassador for UNICEF and a global ambassador for the Special Olympics and is involved in charitable activities .