Pussycat Dolls pounce on Salt Lake

Melody Thornton is looking forward to coming to Salt Lake City.

"I have family in Utah," Thornton said during a phone call from Los Angeles as she was on her way to rehearsal. "My sister lives in Phoenix and she said she was going to fly to Salt Lake and meet up with everyone to see the show."

Thornton is a member of the six-woman pop group The Pussycat Dolls, which she joined in August 2005.

"I was familiar with the group from MTV with their spot with Christina Aguilera," said Thornton. "And I knew what they were about. Then I saw an ad on MTV that called for girls to audition for the group in Burbank. So I went down there and got the job."

Thornton expected the auditions would be like "American Idol."

"I thought there would be a million people sleeping outside and all that," she said with a laugh. "But in reality there were a few hundred people there. And it wasn't as intense as I thought."

The singer said she wasn't nervous going into the whole thing.

"I was more anxious," she said. "And when I found out I was accepted, I wanted to meet everyone. I love meeting new people and getting connected. I have a sister and I need that companionship. So, getting into The Pussycat Dolls was a step in that direction."

The Pussycat Dolls made their debut in 1995, with other members, including the group's executive producer/founder Robin Antin. The current lineup — Thornton, Nicole Scherzinger, Carmit Bachar, Ashley Roberts, Jessica Sutta and Kimberly Wyatt — came together in 2004.

Scherzinger was a member of the girl group Eden's Crush. Sutta was a captain for the Miami Heat dancers, Bachar toured with Ricky Martin and Roberts and Wyatt were dancing in L.A.

Thornton, however, had always focused on singing. "I'm the only one in the group who isn't a trained dancer. So there lies my biggest hardship. I can't watch the choreography and pick it up like the rest of the girls. My build is more athletic. So I have to work harder to get the steps down."

What she lacks in natural dance ability, Thornton makes up with singing.

"I grew up with a singing family," she said. "I was raised on blues and Motown — Jackson 5, Aretha Franklin, Al Green, Marvin Gaye.