AllRespect.com // Nicole Scherzinger Says She Originally Didn't Want To Cover 'Jai Ho'

Posted on 2009-03-25 03:00:12
Artist/band(s): Nicole Scherzinger [FB], Pussycat Dolls [FB]

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1607620/20090324/the_pussycat_dolls.jhtml

Pussycat Dolls leader was very nervous about rewriting 'Slumdog Millionaire' song.By James Montgomery

Nicole ScherzingerPhoto: MTV News

In a story published on the Desi Hits! Web site on Friday, Pussycat Dolls lead singer Nicole Scherzinger admitted that she initially "kind of didn't want to" re-record an English-language version of A.R. Rahman's "Slumdog Millionaire" hit, "Jai Ho."

"I was really scared and I kind of didn't want to do it," she told the site. "I heard the song and fell in love with it ... and I was scared to death to touch it. I was afraid for people to hear it before I even wrote it." But she said her producers and label exec gave her the courage to see the project through. "Every night I would pray" for it to turn out right," she said. "If people like it, then I'm really grateful."

Last month, when MTV News spoke with Scherzinger at the kickoff to Britney Spears' Circus tour, she detailed the long and fairly complicated process of making "Jai Ho," while not being quite so outspoken about her anxiety.

"The people at the label, Jimmy Iovine and Ron Fair, asked me to see the movie and listen to this new producer, A.R. Rahman, so I studied him, and I saw the movie and was captivated and thought it was the most genius thing ever," Scherzinger explained. "And they said, 'Well, that's good, because you're going to have to rewrite it and do your own version of it.'

"So, we were on tour at the time — we were in London, and we all went to go see the movie — and while we were doing our shows, I just worked on the song," she continued. "It's an honor to be part of this project in any way, before all the Oscars happened, because the story is unbelievable."

So after finding out she would have to not only rewrite the song's Hindi lyrics, but do it while PCD were wrapping their Doll Domination tour, Scherzinger had no choice but to buckle down and work.

"It's crazy how the whole thing came about," she said. "It just happened so quickly. I'm a writer, and I've been fortunate enough to write for the Dolls, but when they asked me to look at the movie and do my own version, I was really afraid to take on the task of rewriting the lyrics," she said. "Because I thought the movie was so profound, I didn't know how to make sure I kept the integrity of the movie and the love story, but also make it cool enough for the Pussycat Dolls and for people all over the world to connect to.

"I just followed my heart and I came from a very spiritual place," she continued. "I just wanted people no matter where they are, whatever relationship they're in — be it spiritual or a guy/girl relationship — to be able to connect to the song. So it was kind of unbelievable to be able to do that. I hope people don't hate it!"

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