Scherzinger was born in Honolulu, Hawaii to a Filipino father and a Hawaiian/Russian mother. Her mother Rosemary was 18 at the time of Nicole's birth and lived in a inner city neighborhood, and separated from her father when Nicole was a baby. Then they moved to Louisville, Kentucky with her sister Ke'ala and German-American stepfather Gary Scherzinger, who adopted the children. She has described her upbringing as "conservative Catholic". She began her life as a performer in Louisville, attending the Youth Performing Arts School at duPont Manual High School and performing with Actors Theatre of Louisville. Scherzinger majored in theater arts at Wright State University, but put her studies on hold in 1999 to sing backing vocals for the rock band Days of the New. 
