I’ll put a spell on you, says superstar singer

BETWEEN her last appearance in the West End and her first on Broadway, Nicole Scherzinger is coming to Henley.

The award-winning American singer, actress and dancer is to open the Henley Festival next month.

It will be her only appearance in the UK outside of her appearances as Norma Desmond in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard in London, which she has just finished before resuming at the St James Theatre New York in the autumn.

The 45-year-old former Pussycat Doll won the Olivier Award for best actress in a musical for her portrayal of Desmond, a reclusive, ageing former movie star, at the Savoy Theatre.

“This is the role of my life that I’ve been waiting for,” she says. “But I had no idea that I was waiting for it and it has changed my life, you know?

“It has changed how people view me and it has been such a beautiful, brilliant, really amazing process and one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.

“What a blessing we’re reaping, of being acknowledged and recognised and now I get to make my Broadway debut as Norma
Desmond. I’m really excited to go to New York because it was always a childhood dream of mine to do Broadway and now I’m making my debut there.”

Before heading to Manhattan, Nicole is working hard to prepare for her performance on the “floating” stage at Henley, the first time she will have visited the town.

“I hear that it’s a kind of posh area,” says the Hawaiian-born star. “I think that’s really cool. Coming from America, I love that tradition, that everyone is going to be dressed up. It makes me feel like I’m in some Woody Allen film, where everybody’s going back in time, maybe.

“I have never done a show like this in the UK and I hear they love to have a good singalong and a great time. A lot of my family and friends have bought tickets and are coming so I’m really excited.

“I want it to be a wonderful time for everyone so I’m literally building my set. This is completely me doing what I love, which is singing the music that I love, not only my own stuff, but some of my favourite songs. I’m actually learning some new songs as well as some classics, some covers, some anthems for people to sing along to.

“One of my favourites is I Put A Spell On You and I love to sing Purple Rain but I’m also excited to try some new stuff.

“I haven’t settled on the setlist yet because I want to jam it out with my band but we may or may not be playing around with some Kings of Leon, some ABBA, Queen, Led Zeppelin possibly, really fun stuff.

“The best way I know how to express myself is through music, so I’m going to be singing songs that hopefully everybody knows and loves and it will be a really feelgood, fun time.

“Hopefully, on the day, I will get to look around because no one can beat England when the sun comes out. We’re so blessed when it is summertime. I get to perform at this beautiful festival that I’ve never been to and my friends and my family will be making a full-on day of it.”

Nicole, who is engaged to former Scottish rugby international Thom Evans, says she is “excited” to be going home but has enjoyed her time in London. “I was born in Hawaii, grew up in Kentucky and I live in Los Angeles now,” she says.

“London is a special city and has been so good and so supportive of me during this whole process.

“I’m engaged to be married but right now I’m just trying to get all my ducks in a row before I move to New York City.

“My run here in the West End was four months but my run there will be over nine months, so I will have to focus on that and then after that, I can focus on the wedding.”

Nicole, who will turn 46 a week tomorrow, will want to ensure her big day goes just right as she is an “overthinker”.

“I get that from my mother,” she says. “I get concerned and stressed and I’m also extremely detailed because I feel like if it’s not the best or the greatest then what am I doing?

“I’ve got to make every moment count, so yes, I am a perfectionist.”

• Nicole Scherzinger will headline at the Henley Festival on Wednesday, July 10 at 9pm. For more information and to buy tickets, visit henley-festival.co.uk/artist/nicole-scherzinger