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GRAZIA: Who suggested a Dolls Domination comeback? What was the pivotal moment to make it happen?

The Pussycat Dolls: “Robin Antin was the creator of The Pussycat Dolls, she was the driving force behind the reunion and it was the first phone call that we got. It took years to make and finally the right timing happened and here we are and we’re so excited – it’s like no time has passed at all.”

GRAZIA: How has the music industry changed since your last release?

PCD: “Streaming! Compact discs don’t exist, and social media is such a way to connect now and to have such immediate access to fans. There were times when that was never a part of it all for us. To see fans, you were out and about doing shows but now you can see them recreating choreography and doing TikTok things – it’s all happening now. I was watching a video of our show from JAY in London and everyone had their phones out. We didn’t have that back in the day.”

GRAZIA: What is that like to perform to now?

PCD: “There are pros and cons. It is great because they are there to support us and they just want to capture it and share the content – it’s a new age, it’s new for us, it’s not where we come from. We would like a little bit more engagement. I remember one of our first shows we got back together, and I said something to make the crowd respond and they were behind their cameras, so they couldn’t engage, and they weren’t living in the moment.”

“There is a bit of a disconnect.”

GRAZIA: You’ve had experience in the industry for many years now. Is there a single question you wish the media would stop asking you?

PCD: “I think [the media] put so much emphasis on ‘Oh my gosh, you’re just so provocative with what you wear.’ It feels like they discount the hard work and the athleticism and the craft that we work so hard for and the background that we come from and the intent from which we do it, to only inspire and empower and encourage others. Not that we do it for attention. It gets a little bit boring. And pitting us against each other as well.”

GRAZIA: The world went wild for your performance on X Factor UK performance. What preparation went into that? How long was the process?

PCD: “We hadn’t been together in 10 years and it was kind of cool. We didn’t have enough time, we were just thrown in and told, ‘Yo, sink or swim’, and we all said, ‘Well I ain’t drowning.’ We did it together and we made each other stronger. We literally only had three days to get that together. Even to the last minute, every piece of the puzzle was in the moment, real time. And to the last moment, we never did the water ever until the actual show which was live. We had one take and that was it. You’ve got to believe in trust and that’s why it’s right and it happened, and it popped off.”

GRAZIA: Growing up and watching you, The Pussycat Dolls were so empowering and still are. What would you like to teach the younger generation through your music?

PCD: “Be you, be fearless, be authentic. Don’t be scared to find your fierceness. Use music as a tool to own your space and have fun. There are some people out there who are struggling to find their confidence or find their identity or just find themselves and I hope that what we do and the music that we make helps them in those moments to not feel alone.

That everyone has a purpose and a calling and a passion. Find that and find your tribe. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Self-acceptance is everything, it brings you happiness. You’ve only got you. If the world doesn’t get to see you, it’s a disservice to them and yourself.

“Hopefully we inspire people to step out and express themselves.”

GRAZIA: You’re the epitome of strong women. But who do you look to in your life for strength?

PCD: “I’d say each other. I look at every single one of these girls and I’m like, ‘Wow’. They are some strong sisters right here. And it does inspire me when I’m having a moment … and we’ve got each other, we’ve got each other’s back. It’s nice to have that. It’s important. Women have to stick together because we’re the only ones that know how we feel, we go through the same struggles, same doubts, same fears, same insecurities and we can come out on the other end together. It’s human nature, it’s a journey to find that and find who you are. Where back and we have all this life experience and wisdom. We’re super secure and confident in knowing who we are and presenting the best version of ourselves.”

GRAZIA: In a recent interview you reflected on filming your new video, ‘React’. While it looks glamorous, what goes on behind-the-scenes that some people might not realise?

PCD: “Our costumes melted together. It was the hardest shoot we’ve ever done. It had to have been 300 degrees in that room. You get two takes, you’re cold, you’re wearing PVC. There are so many different elements. We had a short amount of time. But coming back into this, we’ve done it before, it’s not a shock, we know what we’re in for.”

GRAZIA: The style of dancing you do is so powerful – it’s definitely not easy. How do you stay fit and strong?

PCD: “The Pussycat Doll’s background are dancers, professionally trained dancers. You’re looking at ballerinas. We come from that performance, that arts background, where it is all or nothing.”

GRAZIA: Costume design is also a huge part of your performances. Where does the inspiration stem from?

PCD: “The runway is such a huge inspiration. And seeing how fabrics and structures move across the runways and how it shows the body shapes. The Pussycat Dolls is rooted in dance and creating these beautiful silhouettes and pictures and using the choreography and the way that those costumes move to make moments, it’s about finding stuff that works for that while also covering all the bits that we need to cover. We’re really inspired by Balmain, Mugler right now, McQueen, Vivienne Westwood.”

GRAZIA: If you were to collaborate with any artist, living or dead, who would it be?

PCD: “Lizzo. Lately we have been talking about Lizzo. She’s major.”

“We used to say, inside every woman is a Pussycat Doll. Now inside every woman is a Lizzo.”

GRAZIA: Can we expect an album soon?

PCD: “We’re taking one thing at a time. We’re really happy that the fans received the new single ‘React’ so well. We’re working on new music. We would love to have new music if the fans want us to have new music.”

For more on The Pussycat Dolls, visit the website here.