Stacey Morrison has detailed her heart-warming exchange with The Pussycat Dolls star Nicole Scherzinger. Photo / Getty Images.
Stacey Morrison has detailed her heart-warming exchange with The Pussycat Dolls star Nicole Scherzinger. Photo / Getty Images.
The Hits Drive host Stacey Morrison has opened up about a heart-warming moment she shared with The Pussycat Dolls star Nicole Scherzinger.
Morrison travelled to Sydney last week to interview The Pussycat Dolls ahead of their appearance at So Pop Festival in Auckland in May.
Talking to her Drive co-hosts Mike Puru and Anika Moa, Morrison explained she was unsure how her chat with Scherzinger would go after the singer was criticised following an appearance on Australian television.
Nicole Scherzinger attends the Vogue x Tiffany Fashion after party. Photo / Supplied.
"Before I went into this there was a bit of talk that Nicole Scherzinger had an awkward interview on the Project Australia," Morrison said.
"But I looked at it and I thought 'actually, no, it's the hosts that are being awkward'."
Morrison went on to explain she had a completely different and totally positive experience with Scherzinger, who was friendly and down-to-earth before the interview even got underway.
The Hits Drive co-host Stacey Morrison. Photo / Supplied.
Morrison explained it didn't take long for Scherzinger to start a conversation, taking an interest in her own cultural background.
"We're just setting up, she starts chatting to me, she starts asking me if I'm Māori and asking me about Temuera Morrison," Morrison explains.
A recording of the exchange features Scherzinger asking Morrison, "What's your nationality?", to which she replies: "I'm Māori. I'm indigenous to New Zealand."
The HIts Drive team Stacey Morrison, Mike Puru and Anika Moa. Photo / Supplied.
The Pussy Cat Dolls star then explains: "I have Hawaiian blood in me so it's close to the Māori culture."
Scherzinger had no idea Stacey was related to legendary Māori actor Temuera Morrision – who voiced Chief Tui, the character married to her own Sina, in the animated Disney movie Moana.
Morrison explains her connection to Scherzinger's animated onscreen husband, saying: "You know what, so you were married to Temuera. Temuera is my cousin. We're all connected. We're all whanau."
Scherzinger replies enthusiastically with: "Oh that's so cool!"
Morrison goes on to explain to her co-hosts why she feels Scherzinger may be misunderstood by some – and it comes down to her stunning beauty.
"You know what I think Nicole Scherzinger suffers from? The sort of beautiful that she is, is intimidating. She is so beautiful.
"When she's on X-Factor and you hear her talking she seems kind. But when she's not talking people project that on to her and she looks like maybe she might be scary."
• The Pussycat Dolls will perform alongside fellow pop acts Steps, Jesse McCartney, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Samantha Mumba and more at the So Pop festival, which reaches Auckland in May
