Nicole Scherzinger Gives Surprise ‘Buttons’ Performance at Broadway Bares

Nicole Scherzinger delivered a surprise performance of the Pussycat Dolls’ 2005 hit “Buttons” from their debut studio album, PCD, during the annual Broadway Bares charity event in New York City.

The Broadway Bares benefit is staged each year to raise funds for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. This year’s edition featured dancers from Sunset Blvd., the musical revival in which Scherzinger stars, and a high-energy appearance from the pop star herself.

“Please give it up for my beautiful cast of Sunset Blvd,” Scherzinger told the crowd in a video shared by BCEFA on Instagram. “Happy Pride, baby!”

The cast recording, Sunset Blvd: The Album, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Cast Albums chart dated Nov. 9. The album was recorded live at the Savoy Theatre in London and released Oct. 25 via The Really Useful Group/The Other Songs.

Scherzinger, who scored four top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 as a member of The Pussycat Dolls, won her first Tony Award for best actress in a musical for her performance in Sunset Blvd. The role previously earned Glenn Close a win in the same category for the original Broadway production in 1995. Scherzinger triumphed in a stacked category that included Audra McDonald, the most awarded performer in Tony history with six wins. McDonald was nominated for Gypsy but has now lost in her last three nominations, following Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune (2020) and Ohio State Murders (2023).

Broadway Bares is known for blending theatrical spectacle with star appearances, but booking a pop icon like Scherzinger to perform a major hit from the 2000s added an extra layer of excitement, signaling that Scherzinger, while fully immersed in musical theater, remains proud of her Pussycat Dolls legacy.

Sunset Blvd. is scheduled to run on Broadway through July 6, 2025.