Melody Thornton

Melody Thornton (born September 28, 1984) is an American singer-songwriter, dancer and television personality. She rose to stardom as a member of the successful pop group the Pussycat Dolls. The youngest member of the group, Thornton assumed the second most prominent vocal role, after lead vocalist Nicole Scherzinger, and was distinguished for her melismatic vocal runs. As of 2010, Thornton has departed from the group to focus on her solo career. Thornton's first mixtape, P.O.Y.B.L was released March 15, 2012.

Early life

Thornton graduated from Camelback High School in Phoenix, Arizona, in 2003. She is of Mexican American descent through her mother, Elia, and African American descent through her father, Theolph Thornton. Thornton has an older sister named Nichole Thornton. Her talent was first discovered at a Papago Elementary School talent show when she sang Mariah Carey's remake of Badfinger's "Without You".

Career

2003–10: Pussycat Dolls era

In 2003, Thornton saw The Pussycat Dolls on MTV Diaries featuring Christina Aguilera and heard they were auditioning for a new group member. Thornton went to the audition on December 2, 2003, and was recruited later that month. For her audition, Thornton only sang, but was still accepted into the group as a soprano vocalist in order to add vocal strength. As with the other Dolls, she was a salaried employee of Interscope Records. Her nickname for the group is "Baby Doll" because she is the youngest of the group.

The Pussycat Dolls achieved worldwide success in 2005 with their album PCD, which debuted at number five on the U.S. Billboard 200 Chart and produced the hits "Don't Cha", "Buttons", and "Stickwitu", the last of which earned the group a Grammy Award nomination. Following the departure of Carmit Bachar in March 2008, the group continued as a quintet and in 2008 released their second studio album, Doll Domination which included the hits "When I Grow Up", "I Hate This Part", "Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny)" and "Hush Hush". She was the only member to have contributed vocals apart from Scherzinger on Doll Domination (Standard Edition). She provides additional backing vocals and ad-libs to several of the songs, although on Takin' Over the World", "Elevator", "Love the Way You Love Me" and "Painted Windows" she can be found sharing the lead vocals with Scherzinger. Additionally on "When I Grow Up" (music video version), "Whatcha Think About That", "In Person" and "Top of the World" she sings secondary vocals. She also recorded her very first solo song called "Space", which was included in the deluxe edition of Doll Domination.

2010–present: Solo projects and television appearances

During the Pussycat Doll's hiatus, Thornton worked on several projects including a cameo on Keri Hilson's music video "Slow Dance" and being a judge at E!'s TV show Bank of Hollywood with the production by Ryan Seacrest. In June 2010 Rap-Up reported that she has departed from the group and was working on her solo album. Speaking about her position in the group she commented, "I got into the group to sing. That was made very clear to me. But it became more and more apparent what was going on. Roles were being minimized and minimized, and then by the time it got on the show, it was very much like 'Y'all play your part and this is what it is.' It was tough because you don't want to shit on your own opportunity."

On February 20, 2010, in an interview for The Source Thornton explained that her songs will be different from the group's sound but will not going to abandon that pop demographic that she acquired through the Pussycat Dolls. In June 2010 Rap-Up first announced that Thornton was working on her solo album with collaborators including Cee Lo Green, Polow da Don, and Lil Wayne. On Vibe Magazine she stated that she is also working with Dre and Vidal. Thornton's recording of the Cee Lo produced song "Love Gun" leaked to the internet around this time. The song was eventually recorded by Green and Lauren Bennett for his album The Lady Killer.

On June 16, 2011, Thornton's first official single, "Sweet Vendetta", was released. On June 26, 2011, Thorton announced plans to have her debut solo album released sometime in 2012. On March 5, 2012, Lipstick & Guilt was released as a promotional single. On March 15, 2012, her first mixtape "P.O.Y.B.L", an acronym for Piss on Your Black List, was released. The mixtape contains 10 tracks of five remakes and four originals all written by Melody. The project includes production from Andre Harris ("Smoking Gun"), Church and State ("Sweet Vendetta"), Mark Vinten ("Intro"), and Melody on the self-produced "Hit the Ground Runnin'," plus a duet with Bobby Newberry (a cover of La Roux's "Bulletproof").

On May 24, 2012, a music video for the cover version of "Bulletproof" from P.O.Y.B.L, featuring Bobby Newberry, premiered. On June 14, 2012, she made a cameo appearance in a Bobby Newberry's music video for his debut single Dirrty Up, alongside ex-Pussycat Doll member Ashley Roberts.

On April 30, 2013, Thornton was a featured vocalist on LL Cool J's 2013 album Authentic on the track "Something About You (Love The World)" along with Charlie Wilson and Earth, Wind & Fire.

On May 17, 2013, Thornton made a special guest appearance in Fat Joe's music video "Ballin'".

In 2017, Thornton appeared in the second season of E4 reality series Celebs Go Dating, and in 2019, she participated in the eleventh series of Dancing on Ice alongside professional partner Alexander Demetriou. She finished in fifth place, after being eliminated in Week 8 following a skate-off against Saara Aalto.

In June 2019, Thornton joined Rip It Up The Show, a 70’s musical on a theatre tour of the UK concluding in November 2019 at the London Palladium.

Discography

Mixtapes

Singles

Featured singles

Other appearances

Awards and nominations