Pussycat Dolls Singer Defends Political Stance After Tour Exclusion

Former Pussycat Dolls member Jessica Sutta has stood by her political views after being left out of 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 caught off guard by the reunion and alleged that her alignment with Kennedy’s 2024 presidential campaign, coupled with her public health advocacy following her own medical struggles, had effectively sidelined her from the comeback.

The Reunion That Excluded Participants Behind

The Pussycat Dolls’ announcement of their PCD Forever Tour in March came as a shock to a number of original members who were noticeably excluded from the lineup. Sutta revealed that neither she, Bachar nor Thornton received advance notice of the reunion, learning about it instead via rumours and press coverage. She stated she tried several times to reach out to founder Robin Antin before the news went public, only succeeding in 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 exclusion was especially painful for Sutta given her emotional connection to the group’s legacy. When Scherzinger rang the next 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 believed the manner of her exclusion exposed something troubling about the group’s priorities. “The way they did this just showed me exactly why I’m not in the group,” she said, suggesting that the manner of the reunion reflected deeper issues in the group’s internal workings and decision-making process.

• Sutta, Bachar and Thornton excluded from PCD Forever Tour
• Three members picked: Scherzinger, Wyatt and Roberts only
• No advance warning communicated to excluded original members
• Sutta characterised reunion as a “cash grab” initiative

Political Convictions and Career Implications

Sutta has become increasingly vocal about her backing of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., especially throughout his 2024 presidential campaign. She went to campaign rallies, frequently shared content on social media and delivered speeches at events, openly positioning herself with Kennedy’s platform. However, she thinks this political stance may have directly contributed in her exclusion from the reunion tour. In her podcast appearance, Sutta indicated that her connection to Kennedy—and by extension, the broader political movement he represents—made her a liability for the group. “I align with Bobby Kennedy, which is aligning with MAGA,” she acknowledged, though she explained her support was rooted in specific policy positions rather than blanket endorsement of any political party.

The singer characterised the reunion as fundamentally a commercial venture, indicating that commercial considerations superseded any commitment to inclusion or recognising all original members. “It’s a cash grab. I mean, come on. Let’s keep it real, right?” Sutta said bluntly. She voiced concern that her political beliefs seemed to have been considered at odds with the group’s public image or commercial interests. Notwithstanding her disagreements with certain aspects of modern politics, Sutta maintained that her primary motivation for supporting Kennedy stemmed from advocacy for those affected by vaccine-related health issues—a cause deeply personal to her own health journey.

Health Advocacy as Political Driver

Sutta’s public advocacy is intrinsically linked to her own medical difficulties. In the past few years, she has been candid regarding managing significant long-term health concerns that she attributes to a COVID-19 vaccine taken in 2021. She has also revealed that she is dealing with a neurological condition, difficulties that have deeply influenced her worldview and advocacy priorities. These health experiences prompted her to engage in communities focused on vaccine safety and bodily autonomy, ultimately drawing her towards Kennedy’s campaign, which prioritised these concerns.

For Sutta, supporting Kennedy represented a practical opportunity to magnify the voices of those in the vaccine-injured community who she believed had been overlooked by conventional media narratives. “We didn’t have a opportunity for the vaccine-injured community to get help without him,” she remarked, stressing that her political stance was motivated by personal circumstance rather than political allegiance. This health activism has become central to her public identity, yet it seems to have established professional distance between herself and former bandmates who might have wanted to steer clear of association with such contentious health discussions.

Taking Strong Stands on Divisive Matters

Despite the career consequences from her public position, Sutta has shown no signs of backing down from her beliefs. She remains steadfast in her support for Kennedy and the causes he championed during his 2024 presidential campaign, attending rallies, regularly sharing content on social media and commenting openly about vaccine safety concerns. Rather than moving away from these positions to protect her professional future, Sutta has continued to advocate openly for what she stands for, even as it appears to have resulted in losing a highly profitable reunion chance to work with one of her former group’s most significant projects.

Sutta’s resistance to adjust her stance demonstrates a broader tension in today’s entertainment landscape, where artists’ personal beliefs increasingly intersect with business success. She has recognised the possible career repercussions of her public campaigning, yet demonstrates resolve to prioritise her principles over professional standing. Her candid acknowledgment that alignment with Kennedy’s positions may be seen as endorsing “MAGA” politics shows her understanding of how her approach is understood, whilst at the same time declining to apologise for or substantially alter her public campaigning on health issues that she deems personally essential.

• Sutta participated in multiple Kennedy campaign events during 2024’s presidential election
• She has maintained a prominent online platform advocating for vaccine safety awareness
• The singer keeps speaking publicly about her personal health challenges publicly
• Sutta acknowledges her positions could be seen as politically controversial
• She prioritises health advocacy over potential professional reconciliation opportunities

A Professional Path Beyond the Group

Whilst the reunion tour exclusion constitutes a notable career disappointment, Sutta has maintained an active career separate from the Pussycat Dolls across the previous two decades. The singer has undertaken solo work, broadcast engagements and ongoing performance commitments that have allowed her to sustain her presence in the entertainment industry. Her work as a public personality and performer has extended well beyond the girl group that initially brought her fame, demonstrating her capacity to establish a separate professional persona apart from the ensemble that established her reputation.

Looking ahead, Sutta appears well-placed to continue her activist initiatives and creative pursuits regardless of the reunion tour’s outcome. Her willingness to speak frankly about her convictions, whilst certainly costly in terms of band reunion, has also positioned her as an prominent figure on health and social matters within entertainment sectors. Whether through music, campaigning or public speaking, Sutta seems resolved to maintain her autonomy and pursue opportunities in keeping with her principles rather than compromise her principles for the sake of commercial reunion.