Nicole Scherzinger has stage fright

Former Pussycat Dolls star Nicole Scherzinger is so shy that she still prays for confidence before she goes onstage.

As a teenager, devout Catholic Nicole, whose grandad is a preacher in Hawaii, would grip her parents’ hands and beg God to calm her crippling stage nerves.

In the Dolls she held pre-gig prayer sessions with the others. Even now, before each solo gig, she clasps her hands skywards and slips into a trance.

“As a teenager, Nicole would be gripped by fear and felt she couldn’t go on stage unless she connected to God,” the Mirror quoted scout Betsy Kronish, who saw Nicole win the Kentucky State Fair’s Coca-Cola Talent Classic contest at the age of 15, as saying.

“She’s a perfectionist. She came to us a shy, shy girl who wouldn’t talk to anyone, but who had a deep yearning to sing. She and her parents are deeply religious – they came to every one of her shows and the three of them would pray in unison before Nicole sang. Religion is a huge part of her family. She tells me she still prays before she goes onstage,” Kronish added.

Scherzinger wants special needs music camp

Dancing With The Stars contestant Nicole Scherzinger has said that she wants so start a music camp for people with special needs.

Speaking to Los Angeles's Talk radio station, the Pussycat Dolls singer said the idea was inspired by her aunt, who has Down's syndrome.

"I grew up with my aunt who is actually younger than me because my grandmother had her at an older age and she has Down's syndrome," the 31-year-old said.

"I used to tell my girls in the Pussycat Dolls that I would have my own musical camp or school where I would teach people with special disabilities or Down's syndrome."

Scherzinger revealed that she would like to be an advocate for people with Down's syndrome.

“I want to bring awareness to how special people with Down's syndrome [are],” she