Nicole Scherzinger receives glowing reviews for Cats debut

Pop star Nicole Scherzinger has received glowing reviews for her West End debut in Cats.

The former Pussycat Dolls star wowed critics with her portrayal of Grizabella at the opening night of the Andrew Lloyd Webber classic in London on Thursday (11Dec14).

They praised her transition from raunchy pop star to accomplished stage actress, and lauded her version of Memory, Grizabella's iconic song that was made famous by veteran performer Elaine Paige.

Scherzinger won a five-star review from Quentin Letts of Britain's Daily Mail newspaper, who wrote, "Miss Scherzinger nailed it, her low voice almost gasping with emotion, harmonising briefly with another singer before seizing back her solo and clinching it with lusty, self-discovering power. Meow meow meow!! And at the end she looks at us with magisterial pity."

Dominic Cavendish, of The Daily Telegraph, awarded her four stars and wrote, "She finds something deep inside and truly makes your hairs stand on end."

Ron McPhee, of the Daily Mirror, added, "Her voice is more than powerful enough to compete with the seasoned musical stars surrounding her on the Palladium stage in Central London... Even Scherzinger's acting skills are outstanding. And it's a compliment to say she blends in perfectly with the cast."

And Henry Hitchings, of the London Evening Standard, was also impressed, writing, "Even in her ragged outfit she's never going to convince us that she's an old, dishevelled pariah - and her high-heeled boots are one of several concessions to Scherzinger's real-life image. Yet she captures the mournfulness of a character confronting her faded youth. When she sings Memory - the song made famous by Elaine Paige - her yearning and passion are overwhelming."