Paris Hilton Turned Down ‘Don’t Cha,’ The Pussycat Dolls’ Biggest Hit Song

While most people think of Paris Hilton as a celebrity who’s famous for being famous, the hotel heiress actually started several entertainment ventures over the years. From modeling to writing to acting to podcasting, she’s done quite a few things over the years to expand and cement her fame. Among these ventures was her brief foray into music, which saw her turn down the chance to sing a song that would become a major hit for another act.

Paris Hilton had the chance to record ‘Don’t Cha’ but passed on the song

Most people have heard of “Don’t Cha” by the Pussycat Dolls. As arguably their biggest hit, it’s one of the defining tracks of the group’s existence. It’s hard to imagine that not being the case, but it almost wasn’t.

Like many musicians, “Don’t Cha” wasn’t actually written by the Pussycat Dolls themselves. The tune was penned by Busta Rhymes and CeeLo Green, with the first version of the song sung by Tori Alamaze. However, she eventually gave up the rights to the track, and Universal Records shopped it around to different artists.

That’s where Hilton came in — or, rather, didn’t come in. As Digital Spy reported, the one-time singer decided against recording the track herself. At the time, Hilton was just getting started in the music business. Reportedly, she didn’t think the track sounded very good.

Paris Hilton’s rejection sent the song to the group that would make it famous

“Don’t Cha” eventually became the Top Selling Single of the Year when it debuted in 2005. The re-recorded hit turned the former burlesque troupe into one of the big musical acts of the mid-2000s, scoring the group worldwide recognition.

Hilton was surprised at how things turned out after the song came out. According to her, the version she’d heard initially was markedly different from the one the band would make later. “If I’d heard that, of course I’d have jumped at the chance,” Hilton said.

The heiress’ self-titled debut album dropped in 2006, though it brought some trouble. Though Hilton didn’t continue as a singer, she stuck with music, becoming an accomplished DJ. 

‘Don’t Cha’ wasn’t the only song the Pussycat Dolls made famous

Following their breakout hit, The Pussycat Dolls earned their spot as icons by pumping out plenty of other amazing songs during their relatively short time together. In addition to “Don’t Cha,” their debut album PCD also contained several other popular tracks, including “Stickwitu” and “Buttons.” With Doll Domination, their second and final album, they released tracks like “When I Grow Up” and “I Hate This Part.”

“Don’t Cha” wasn’t the last time the group managed to one-up a song’s original release, either. They covered the Rihanna-Chris Brown song “Bad Girl” for the Confessions of a Shopaholic movie soundtrack. While the film bombed pretty hard with critics, the song was a hit.