Album: released as a single (2020)
Charted: 29
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This slice of electro-pop finds The Pussycat Dolls singing of spicing up a stagnant relationship.

    When I get messed up at the party
    I make a scene and get upset
    But when I wake up in the morning
    You bring me breakfast in bed and act like there's nothin' to forget


    Lead vocalist Nicole Scherzinger wants her stoic lover to "react" to her emotional behavior. However he won't be provoked.
  • "React" was The Pussycat Dolls' first single since "Hush Hush; Hush Hush" (2009). The group first teased the track during their comeback TV performance on The X Factor: Celebrity on November 30, 2019.

    Unfortunately, the comeback didn't get very far. After a few shows in 2020, COVID hit, canceling their tour. Group founder Robin Antin then started beefing with lead singer Nicole Scherzinger, and they ended up in court, effectively putting down the Pussycat Dolls.
  • The song features lead vocalist Nicole Scherzinger and backing vocalists Ashley Roberts, Jessica Sutta, Carmit Bachar, and Kimberly Wyatt (former member Melody opted out of the reunion citing the desire to continue with her own solo career).
  • Nicole Scherzinger wrote the song with Georgia Buchanan, Johan Gustafsson, William Simister and Hannah Wilson. Swedish producer Gustafson also produced the track with fellow Swede and Will Simms. Scherzinger told Entertainment Weekly she was working with Simms on new music and when she first heard "React," she was excited to jump on it because it was "really melodic, fresh, and current and new-sounding."
  • The Pussycat Dolls filmed the song's music video in Los Angeles during the week of January 14, 2020. Bradley & Pablo (Dua Lipa, Charli XCX, Nicki Minaj and Cardi B) directed the clip, inspired by the chair dancing in the girls' X Factor: Celebrity performance. Said Scherzinger:

    "Coming back, we wanted to just do something that felt really new and fresh and something we'd never done. It's got that electro-pop feel and a great dance beat, so it's something we could dance hard to and do our own thing to, in regard to choreography."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Metallica

MetallicaFact or Fiction

Beef with Bon Jovi? An unfortunate Spandex period? See if you can spot the true stories in this Metallica version of Fact or Fiction.

Marvin Gaye

Marvin GayeFact or Fiction

Did Marvin try out with the Detroit Lions? Did he fake crazy to get out of military service? And what about the cross-dressing?

Jason Newsted (ex-Metallica)

Jason Newsted (ex-Metallica)Songwriter Interviews

The former Metallica bassist talks about his first time writing a song with James Hetfield, and how a hand-me-down iPad has changed his songwriting.

Dan Reed

Dan ReedSongwriter Interviews

Dan cracked the Top 40 with "Ritual," then went to India and spent 2 hours with the Dalai Lama.

Little Big Town

Little Big TownSongwriter Interviews

"When seeds that you sow grow by the wicked moon/Be sure your sins will find you out/Your past will hunt you down and turn to tell on you."

Brandi Carlile

Brandi CarlileSongwriter Interviews

As a 5-year-old, Brandi was writing lyrics to instrumental versions lullabies. She still puts her heart into her songs, including the one Elton John sings on.