Heat's Big Interview! Nicole Scherzinger: 'I eat cold pizza for breakfast'

A year ago, Nicole Scherzinger was just another pop star. Sheof Pussycat Dolls fame, she of dating Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton fame and she of amazing abs fame. Oh, and she had a decent solo career, too, with her second single, Dont Hold Your Breath, charting at Number One in March 2011.

When Nicole, 34, was appointed as the new judge on The X Factorlast year, a few folk raised their eyebrows. Shed been a guest judge in 2011(and credits herself with discovering One Direction). But fast-forward to August 2012, and it was clear within minutes of bursting on to our screens as a judge that this was a woman we were going to be obsessed with.

If she wasnt making up words, she was saying saucy things about the contestants (usually involving balls) or putting her leg up on the judges table in a fit of shamazingness. Andshe made X Factor history by having two of her boys in the final Jahmne Douglas and James Arthur eventuallywinning with tattooedlady-magnet James.

Now, shes back with her fifth solo single, Boomerang, but her place on The X Factor still hasnt been confirmed for 2013. When we find out were going to chat to Nicole for a whole ten minutes, were hugely excited. Weve got so much to discuss from whether or not shell return to the show, to Lewis. The interview will take place over the phone as Nicoles at home in LA, and weve been told we can only ask one question about Lewis so wevegot to make it good.

Its 6pm on a grotty Monday in London, but its 10am almost 5,500 miles away in Los Angeles, where Nicole is. At six on the dot, we dial a very long number and wait to be connected. Four minutes later (and having heard the same pan-pipey hold music six times), theres no sign of Nicole, just an automated voice telling us to hold until our chairperson joins the call. We dont even know who this chairperson is. Four minutes later and no ones joined the call,and were still holding. We frantically e-mail Nicoles PR, because were scared to put the phone down. Weve now been on hold for 17 minutes.

Then, our mobile rings, and we wonder if its Nicole. With one ear on our mobile and the other on the landline, we realise its actually her PR, and were told Nicole is running late, but shell call us.Two minutes later, the phone rings

Hello? [A child-likevoice utters a small, joyous Hello!]Hi, Nicole! How are you?

Good, thanks. How are you?

Very well, thanks. Where are you right now?

Im in Los Angeles sunny California!

Hows the weather?

Its gorgeous! Itsa little schizo. Its chilly sometimes and then its really, really boiling hot. But its still beautiful.

Its freezing here in London. What are you doing at the moment? Are you at home?

Im at home and Im missing my SoulCycle class for you.

What on earth isa SoulCycle class?

Its awesome. Its a spinning class, combined with choreography on the spinning, and its, like, also a club. Its really dark, its candlelit and they play lots of music, and all the instructors are kind of like life coach therapists. Theyre just motivate-y and while theyre helping you get through the class, all so inspiring its really awesome.

So its good for the soul. And body. And relaxing

Theres no relaxation. Youre so pumped, basically. [Laughs.] But youre not onlygetting stronger physically, youre also getting stronger ina mental, physical and spiritual way as well.

Everyones obsessed with your word, s! hamazing.! Whats your new word for 2013?

[Thinks.] I dont know.I think its got to come naturally. I have been saying shamaze more. Ive just been taking off the ing and living with the shamaze. [Laughs.]

Best not to force it, eh?

[Sounds serious.] If it comes, it comes. Its got to come naturally. I need inspiration. So Im sure Ill get it when I come back [to the UK] in a few weeks. Shamaze is fun as well.

So, when did you last speak to James Arthur?

Um, I dont knowexactly when. Myself, James, Rylan and Jahmne, we all keep in touch through e-mail.

Do you e-mail themall a lot then?

I know that theyre on tour right now, so Im just, as always you know, we made friends and, like, brothers for life. So Im here if they need me.

Young James israther popular withthe ladies, isnt he?Is it down to his twinkly blue eyes and long eyelashes?

I dont know. Hesjust unassuming and unconventional, and hes one of those guyswho is just, you know, really talented andhas a great gift, but doesnt really know it. Its attractive whena guy is not cocky and over-confident.

Exactly. It's hot

But really, its his music. When people hear his music, thats what theyre drawn to.

Youre a very happy person. Does anything make you angry?

Yeah. Mean people. I dont like mean people. I dont like people abusing other people. Its uncalled for. And I was the girl who would stand up for people being bullied in school. I feel like Im like 10ft tall and have muscles of steel when actually Im this scrawny girl [but still] like, I could takeyou on! [Laughs.]

Now. Weve got an important question. And its about Lewis. What does he smell like first thing in the morning?

Um, shamaze. [Laughs.] He never smells bad. It sucks. [Laug! hs.]

Youre a superstar, but we want to know how normal you are. So when was the last time you did the washing up?

[Sounds surprised.]Oh! [Still surprised.]A few days ago! Everyyear or every six months, I do a crazy spring-clean I spent, like, eight days cleaning outmy house.

That sounds likea cleaning marathon...

Yeah, I go crazy.I need things to be really organised at the beginning of the year. hats just like me: boxes galore and giving away stuff to my family, and doing laundry and everything. Im analwhen it comes to cleaning.

Are you secretlya domestic goddess?

Yeah. I came froma house where I kept asking my dad, growing up, When are we going to get a dishwasher? and hed say, Why, when we already have one you? So not to say that I dont appreciate my maid now, but Im more capable. Im thegirl that cleans up before the maid and then finishes up when shes done.

Thats impressive

[Nicole laughs.]

Have you ever eaten cold pizza for breakfast?

Oh my gosh, yes! Andthey told us in school, growing up, that if youeat cold pizza before an exam it helps your brain work better.

So, pizza makes you clever, according to Nicole Scherzinger

I know! I just ate cold pizza last week, actually, because I was workingso much on the house and I didnt want to leave, so I ordered pizza and then had it for breakfast the next morning [Giggles.]

What kind of pizzawas it?

[Coyly.] It was fromPapa Johns. [Giggles like a naughty child.]

What was on the pizza?

The only thing I ever get. Tomatoes, mushrooms and onions.

When did you last fill your car up with petrol?

Well, I have been so domesticated this week. The past week is the most domesticated Ive ever been in a year. I havent been home in six months, so Im doing all these things and I got gas in my car last week. And those are all the exciting things that I get to do in my life. Just for, like, a week or two. Then I go back out and travel and Im gone.

What! s in your! handbag?

I always have a voice recorder to record ideas or my vocals,or for a vocal warm-up,as I never know when Im going to need to be in the studio at the last minute.I always have my phone and also my eye drops, because my eyes dry up a lot. I also always have my iPod, and a little bag of make-up.

What are you listeningto on your iPod atthe moment? Isthere anything on there thats a bit un-Scherzy?

Yeah, I used to run to System Of A Down when I was jogging.

[System Of A Down are the kind of beardy rocky types youd see in Kerrang!]

No way!

Yeah. That would motivate me to get up the big hill. The latest albumsI bought were by [US R&B singer]Miguel and Mumford & Sons, andIm excited about this new group called For King And Country. Theyre Australias version of Coldplay,but theyre a Christian band.

[The PR person comeson the phone to say that heat has time for one more question]

So, are you going to come back to The X Factor?

We havent had any official talks yet, obviously I hada shamazing time last year. It doesnt hurt thatI broke all the records, but the work spoke for itself and I couldnt have asked for a better year with my boys. So well have to see what happens this year.

But would you liketo come back?

[Whimsically.] Its all up in the air.

[The phone call ends.]

heat takes a look at our trusty Dictaphone. Weve had just nine minutes and 54 seconds of Scherzy chat action! So watch out, Nic well be after those last six seconds when youre back in the UK

Nicoles single, Boomerang, is out now