Nicole Scherzinger on Healing and Gaining Confidence in Her Forties

After her acclaimed stint in London’s West End, former Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger is gearing up to make her Broadway debut in Jamie Lloyd’s reimagining of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard.

For Nicole, performing as lead character Norma Desmond—a role she’s been “waiting for [her] whole life”—has been a transformative process, allowing her to “heal a lot of old wounds.”

Speaking exclusively to HELLO! at the Wimbledon Championships, Nicole shared, “It’s helped me to heal a lot of old insecurities, a lot of fears that I’ve had.” She elaborated, “The role is very raw and very real. There’s no vanity in it whatsoever. It’s just really opened me up a lot… It’s been such a healing, transformational time for me.”

The Honolulu-born star continued, “The role battles with a lot of issues, a lot of issues of abandonment and loneliness, and in some ways, I feel parallel to Norma at times. Being able to open up my heart and my soul, and be so truthful on stage every night, it’s just cathartic.”

“It feels like you’re not hiding from anything. You’re not running from anything. You’re just being brave enough to look your deepest, darkest fears and insecurities in the eye every single night. And so you’re forced to heal from that.”

While Nicole states that she was “born to be on stage,” she confesses that she feels more confident now than ever before. During her time as part of the iconic girl group, the Pussycat Dolls, the singer leaned into music to bolster her confidence.

“It’s the music that gives me the confidence. It’s the music that makes me feel superhuman. I transform into my very own Sasha Fierce,” she explains.

“I’ve always been like that since I was a little girl; I always felt like I didn’t fit in, I was pretty awkward. Then, when I heard ‘Greatest Love of All’ by Whitney Houston and started to sing, I just felt more comfortable in my skin… It’s the music moving through me, the storytelling working through me, that gives me the confidence.”

Now at the age of 46, the Olivier Award-winning actress is seemingly in her element and taking life in stride. Opening up, she reveals, “I’ve been loving my forties. That’s the greatest thing—as you go through life and its experiences, it’s a blessing.”

“People don’t realize how much of a privilege it is and that things do get better. I know the younger generations go through hard times; we all did, but it’s preparing you for something.”

“It’s preparing you for your purpose. It’s preparing you for your destiny. It’s preparing you for your greatness within. I am more confident now than ever.”

She continues, “And this role [Norma] has even helped me with that as well, getting out of my head and not being afraid to show my ugly, darkest parts because our perfections are not what connect us. It’s our imperfections that truly connect us all.”

Forging stronger family connections is at the top of Nicole’s list. With her demanding role seeing her travel across the pond for nine months, the former X Factor judge is eager to reunite with loved ones.

“I am really excited to go home to Hawaii to see my grandparents. I miss them so much, and I have a really big family,” she explains. “Before I go to Broadway, I have to see them.”

Before tackling Broadway, Nicole is teaming up with Wimbledon to host a special concert in New York’s Dumbo neighborhood to celebrate the return of the Hill in New York. Returning for its third year, the event sees tennis fans gather to enjoy the sporting action from afar.

Of her involvement, she says, “I’m honored. I get to go home, and I’m also an adopted Brit, so I get to bring the hill from here to the hill over there and be the first official artist to do this concert for Wimbledon on the hills. I think it’s super prestigious but also going to be really fun.”

“I just want everybody to have a good time, that’s what it’s all about and it’s a celebration of this beautiful tradition of Wimbledon, and about connecting people across the pond and bringing us all together. So that’s what we’re gonna do.”

Nicole Scherzinger will be performing at Wimbledon’s Hill in New York event on Friday, July 12.

Source: HELLO!