Pussycat Dolls Singer Defends Political Stance After Tour Exclusion

Former Pussycat Dolls member Jessica Sutta has defended her political views after being excluded from the girl group’s much-awaited reunion tour, claiming her support for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made her a “liability” to the project. The 43-year-old singer was notably absent 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 health-related campaigning following her own medical struggles, had essentially removed her from the comeback.

The Get-together That Excluded Members Out

The Pussycat Dolls’ reveal of their PCD Forever Tour in March came as a shock to a number of original members who were clearly excluded from the lineup. Sutta revealed that neither she, Bachar nor Thornton received advance notice of the reunion, finding out instead through rumours and media reports. She claimed she tried multiple times to contact founder Robin Antin before the news went public, 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 blindsided.”/p

The exclusion proved particularly painful for Sutta given her emotional connection to the band’s history. When Scherzinger called the following day after the official announcement, Sutta was too upset to answer the phone. Despite expressing genuine admiration for Scherzinger’s recent Tony Award win for her role in “Sunset Boulevard,” Sutta felt the manner of her exclusion revealed 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 reflected deeper issues in the group’s internal workings and decision-making process.

• Sutta, Bachar and Thornton removed from PCD Forever Tour
• Three members selected: Scherzinger, Wyatt and Roberts only
• No advance notification provided to excluded original members
• Sutta described reunion as a “cash grab” project

Political Beliefs and Career Implications

Sutta has become increasingly vocal about her support for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., especially throughout 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 removal 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 problematic for the group. “I align with Bobby Kennedy, which is aligning with MAGA,” she stated, though she explained her support was rooted in particular policies rather than blanket endorsement of any political party.

The singer portrayed the reunion as fundamentally a commercial venture, indicating that financial interests overrode any commitment to inclusivity or recognising all original members. “It’s a money grab. I mean, come on. Let’s keep it real, right?” Sutta said bluntly. She voiced concern that her political views appeared to have been deemed at odds with the group’s brand image or financial interests. Notwithstanding her reservations about elements of contemporary 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 medical journey.

Health Advocacy as Political Catalyst

Sutta’s public advocacy is intrinsically linked to her own medical difficulties. In the past few years, she has been candid regarding experiencing serious ongoing health issues that she attributes to a COVID-19 vaccine taken in 2021. She has also revealed that she is managing a neurological condition, struggles that have significantly affected her beliefs and advocacy aims. These medical circumstances motivated her to participate in organisations centred on vaccine safety and bodily autonomy, eventually bringing her to Kennedy’s campaign, which prioritised these concerns.

For Sutta, supporting Kennedy constituted a tangible chance to amplify the voices of those in the vaccine-injured community who she considered had been disregarded by mainstream discourse. “We didn’t have a pathway for the vaccine-injured community to get help without him,” she remarked, emphasising that her political position was motivated by personal circumstance rather than party politics. This health activism has become integral to her public profile, yet it appears to have established a professional divide between herself and former bandmates who may have chosen to steer clear of association with such disputed health debates.

Maintaining Firm Stances on Contentious Issues

Despite the professional fallout from her public position, Sutta has demonstrated no inclination to backing down from her beliefs. She remains steadfast in her backing of Kennedy and the causes he championed during his 2024 campaign for president, attending rallies, posting frequently on social media and speaking publicly about vaccine safety concerns. Rather than distancing herself from these stances to protect her professional future, Sutta has continued to advocate openly for what she stands for, even as it seems to have resulted in losing a lucrative reunion opportunity with one of her ex-group’s most significant projects.

Sutta’s resistance to soften her position illustrates a fundamental divide in contemporary entertainment, where performers’ individual convictions more frequently overlap with commercial viability. She has admitted the possible career repercussions of her advocacy work, yet appears determined to champion her convictions over commercial approval. Her open recognition that connection to Kennedy’s stance may be perceived as supporting “MAGA” politics reveals her recognition of how her stance is perceived, whilst yet continuing to refuse to express regret about or significantly change her public campaigning on health-related matters that she deems personally essential.

• Sutta participated in several Kennedy campaign events throughout 2024’s presidential election
• She continues to maintain a prominent social media presence advocating for vaccine safety awareness
• The artist keeps speaking publicly about her own health struggles publicly
• Sutta recognises her positions could be seen as politically divisive
• She prioritises health-related advocacy over possible career reconciliation prospects

A Working Life Beyond the Group

Whilst the reunion tour exclusion represents a considerable professional challenge, Sutta has preserved a dynamic career trajectory outside of the Pussycat Dolls throughout the past two decades. The singer has undertaken solo work, broadcast engagements and continued performing engagements that have enabled her to maintain her standing within entertainment. Her work as a public personality and performer has extended well beyond the vocal group that first established her reputation, showcasing her ability to carve out a separate professional persona independent of the ensemble that established her reputation.

Looking ahead, Sutta appears well-placed to continue her activist initiatives and artistic endeavours irrespective of the reunion tour’s outcome. Her willingness to speak candidly about her principles, whilst admittedly costly in terms of group reconciliation, has also established her as an outspoken voice on health and social matters within entertainment circles. Whether through music, campaigning or speaking engagements, Sutta seems committed to maintain her independence and explore possibilities consistent with her principles rather than sacrifice her values for the sake of commercial reunion.