Nicole Scherzinger’s breathtaking “In Memoriam” tribute at Sunday’s 2024 Tony Awards moved audience members as the former Pussycat Dolls lead singer helped honor late stars in the Broadway community.
During the live broadcast, the 45-year-old singer belted out her rendition of “What I Did For Love” from A Chorus Line as a screen behind her showed the names and faces of Broadway legends the world has lost in the last year, including Chita Rivera, Alan Arkin, Glynis Johns, Ron Cephas-Jones, Richard M. Sherman and more.
Scherzinger stunned in a sparkling gold and silver dress as she melodically paid tribute to the gone-too-soon actors, directors, producers and other key figures in the theater community. Her performance was introduced by none other than Brooke Shields, who last appeared on the Great White Way in The Addams Family circa 2011. At the time, she took over as the family matriarch, Morticia Addams, from Bebe Neuwirth.
For her own part, Scherzinger is preparing to bring her Olivier Award-winning performance of Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard to Broadway later this year. The classically-trainer singer will open the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical at the St. James Theater in late September.
On social media, fans reacted to Scherzinger’s show-stopping performance with admiration and applause.
“Nicole Scherzinger sounds *gorgeous* on this song and I LOVE that they’re keeping the focus on the honorees in this In Memoriam sequence. They so often get this wrong. They got this one right,” one X user shared.
“I stand with Nicole Scherzinger,” another fan wrote.
“Nicole Scherzinger has always been that girl. I can’t wait to experience her Norma Desmond 😍 #TonyAwards,” a third shared.
Earlier in the day, Scherzinger professed her excitement at the gig in an Instagram Story. The Masked Singerjudge shared an official Tony Awards announcement photo while urging her followers to tune in for her Tony Awards performance debut.
“Mom. I’m singing at @thetonyawards 🥹🙏,” she wrote over the picture. “I’m so honored to be performing for the first time, see you tonight.”
