Pussycat Dolls Star Carmit Bachar Says She Wasn’t Invited Back For Reunion

Former Pussycat Dolls performer Carmit Bachar has claimed that she was not invited to take part in the group’s upcoming reunion.

Carmit was an original member of the girl band when they launched in the mid-2000s, and was part of the line-up when they released hits like Don’t Cha, Buttons and Stickwitu.

Although she eventually stepped away from the Pussycat Dolls before the release of their second album to pursue a solo career, she reformed with the band in 2019 for the release of the surprise hit single React and a planned reunion tour, which was eventually cancelled following the Covid pandemic.

Last week, it was announced that the Pussycat Dolls would be heading on tour later this year as a three-piece, with Carmit speaking out about this for the first time on Tuesday.

“As an original member of The Pussycat Dolls, that chapter of my life will always hold profound meaning,” she began. “I carry with me deep gratitude for the music we created, the experiences we shared, and most importantly, the incredible fans around the world who supported us.

“I am especially thankful to the LGBTQ+ community – performing at Pride events has been among the most meaningful and joyful moments of my career.”

Carmit continued: “In light of recent developments, I feel it is important to speak honestly and respectfully. I was not contacted regarding the group’s decision to move forward, and I learned of these plans at the same time as the public.

“Given my history with the brand, having been part of its foundation long before its commercial debut and instrumental in the connections that led to the record deal… I would have appreciated direct communication.

“While this is disappointing on a personal level, I remain proud of the role I played in helping shape what The Pussycat Dolls became. I believe the legacy of any group is built not only by those seen on stage, but also by the collective contributions and shared vision that brought it to life.

“My intention in sharing this is not to create division, but to honour the truth and the fans who have supported us throughout the years. Transparency and respect are values I hold deeply.

“At this time, I am choosing to focus on my well-being and to move forward with positivity and purpose. I remain open-hearted about the future and grateful for the continued love and encouragement I receive.”

Read Carmit’s full statement below:

The band’s 2020 live shows were repeatedly postponed as the result of the Covid pandemic, before being cancelled entirely, which coincided with reports of a legal dispute between Nicole and PCD founder Robin Antin relating to the tour.

Back in 2022, Carmit and bandmate Jessica Sutta claimed they had not been informed before the announcement that the tour was being shelved.

“We want to say how incredibly disappointed we are to learn of an announcement made on Instagram that the Pussycat Dolls reunion tour is cancelled,” they said in a joint statement. “As of now, there has been no official notification of that.

“Either way, it seems as though it’s the end of a chapter to an incredible, life-altering experience filled with awesome memories that we will forever be grateful for.”

Jessica – who now describes herself as a “mommy, wife and activist”, and is outspoken in her pro-Donald Trump and anti-vaccine views – has also insisted that while she was “never planning to return” to the Pussycat Dolls “under the current circumstances”, and is “still unable to dance due to ongoing health issues”, the reunion announcement still proved “difficult for me”.

Melody Thornton, meanwhile, turned down the opportunity to reform with the Pussycat Dolls in 2019, so her absence from the upcoming reunion comes as less of a surprise.

“I’m primarily a vocalist, and getting into that group, and Nicole had been signed [by a label] twice, so it only made sense for her to sing the majority of the leads,” she previously explained.

“But then, I kept being asked to wait my turn, and then my turn just never came, and we only released two albums.”

She added: “I’m actually a really bad dancer. I’m a singer. So for me, there’s really nothing to go back to.”