Pussycat Dolls Singer Defends Political Stance After Tour Exclusion

Former Pussycat Dolls member Jessica Sutta has stood by her political views after being excluded from the girl group’s much-awaited reunion tour, claiming her backing of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made her a “liability” to the project. The 43-year-old singer was conspicuously missing from the PCD Forever Tour announcement in March, which featured only three original members — Nicole Scherzinger, Kimberly Wyatt and Ashley Roberts — whilst Sutta, Carmit Bachar and Melody Thornton were left out entirely. Speaking on “The Maverick Approach” podcast on 22 March, Sutta disclosed she had been blindsided by the reunion and alleged that her alignment with Kennedy’s 2024 presidential campaign, combined with her public health advocacy following her own medical struggles, had essentially removed her from the comeback.

The Gathering That Excluded Members Behind

The Pussycat Dolls’ reveal of their PCD Forever Tour in March proved surprising to several original members who were noticeably excluded from the lineup. Sutta disclosed that she, Bachar and Thornton neither received advance notice of the reunion, learning about it instead through rumours and media reports. She stated she attempted multiple times to contact founder Robin Antin before the news broke publicly, only managing to reach the choreographer on the night the tour was announced. “None of us were called. None of us were told about anything,” Sutta explained. “In fact, we were caught off guard.”/p

The removal from consideration proved particularly painful for Sutta given her deep attachment to the band’s history. When Scherzinger called the following day following the official announcement, Sutta was too upset to answer the phone. While acknowledging genuine admiration for Scherzinger’s latest Tony Award win for her role in “Sunset Boulevard,” Sutta felt the manner of her exclusion exposed something troubling about the band’s values. “The way they did this simply showed me exactly why I’m not in the group,” she said, suggesting that the reunion’s execution demonstrated deeper issues in the group’s internal workings and decision-making process.

• Sutta, Bachar and Thornton not included in PCD Forever Tour
• Three members selected: Scherzinger, Wyatt and Roberts only
• No prior notice given to excluded original members
• Sutta characterised reunion as a “cash grab” project

Political Views and Professional Consequences

Sutta has grown more outspoken about her backing of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., particularly during his 2024 presidential campaign. She went to campaign rallies, posted regularly on social media and spoke at rallies, openly positioning herself with Kennedy’s platform. However, she thinks this political stance could have played a role in her exclusion from the reunion tour. In her podcast appearance, Sutta suggested that her association with Kennedy—and by extension, the broader political movement he represents—made her problematic for the group. “I align with Bobby Kennedy, which is aligning with MAGA,” she acknowledged, though she clarified her support was based on specific policy positions rather than wholesale support of any political party.

The singer characterised the reunion as essentially a profit-driven initiative, indicating that commercial considerations superseded any dedication to inclusivity or acknowledging all founding members. “It’s a money grab. I mean, come on. Let’s keep it real, right?” Sutta said bluntly. She expressed frustration that her political views seemed to have been considered incompatible with the group’s public image or commercial interests. Despite her reservations about elements of contemporary politics, Sutta maintained that her main reason for supporting Kennedy stemmed from support for those affected by vaccine-related health issues—a cause deeply personal to her own medical journey.

Health Campaigning as Political Catalyst

Sutta’s political engagement is fundamentally tied to her individual health challenges. In the past few years, she has been candid regarding dealing with serious persistent health problems that she links to a COVID-19 vaccine administered in 2021. She has also made clear that she is dealing with a neurological condition, struggles that have significantly affected her perspective and campaigning focus. These medical experiences motivated her to participate in groups dedicated to vaccine safety and health autonomy, finally directing her to Kennedy’s campaign, which emphasised these issues.

For Sutta, supporting Kennedy represented a practical opportunity to magnify the voices of those in the vaccine-injured community who she considered had been overlooked by mainstream discourse. “We didn’t have a pathway for the vaccine-injured community to obtain assistance without him,” she declared, stressing that her political position was motivated by personal necessity rather than partisan ideology. This health advocacy has become fundamental to her public profile, yet it appears to have established a professional divide between herself and former bandmates who may have preferred to steer clear of connection with such contentious health controversies.

Holding Steadfast Positions on Contentious Issues

Despite the career consequences from her political stance, Sutta has demonstrated no inclination to backing down from her convictions. She remains unwavering in her backing of Kennedy and the initiatives he promoted during his 2024 presidential campaign, attending rallies, posting frequently on social media and speaking publicly about concerns regarding vaccine safety. Rather than distancing herself from these stances to protect her professional future, Sutta has kept advocating openly for what she believes in, even as it seems to have cost her a highly profitable reunion chance to work with one of her former group’s most significant projects.

Sutta’s unwillingness to soften her position reflects a wider conflict in today’s entertainment landscape, where creative professionals’ personal views more frequently overlap with commercial viability. She has admitted the potential professional consequences of her activism, yet seems committed to champion her convictions over professional standing. Her candid acknowledgment that alignment with Kennedy’s positions may be seen as endorsing “MAGA” politics demonstrates her awareness of how her position is interpreted, whilst at the same time declining to apologise for or substantially alter her open promotion on matters concerning health that she deems personally essential.

• Sutta participated in several Kennedy campaign events during the 2024 presidential race
• She continues to maintain an active online platform advocating for vaccine safety awareness
• The artist continues discussing openly about her own health challenges openly
• Sutta acknowledges her views may be perceived as politically divisive
• She prioritises health-related advocacy over potential professional reconciliation opportunities

A Professional Path Outside the Group

Whilst the reunion tour exclusion marks a significant professional setback, Sutta has preserved a dynamic career trajectory separate from the Pussycat Dolls throughout the past two decades. The singer has developed independent ventures, media appearances and ongoing performance commitments that have helped her preserve her presence in the entertainment industry. Her work as a performer and public figure has stretched far past the girl group that originally launched her career, demonstrating her ability to carve out a distinct professional identity separate from the ensemble that established her reputation.

Looking ahead, Sutta appears set to continue her campaigning efforts and creative pursuits independent of the reunion tour’s outcome. Her readiness to speak openly about her principles, whilst certainly costly in terms of group reconciliation, has also positioned her as an outspoken voice on health and social matters within entertainment sectors. Whether through musical work, advocacy or public appearances, Sutta seems determined to maintain her autonomy and pursue opportunities aligned with her principles rather than abandon her standards for the sake of career reconciliation.