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Pussycat Dolls deny former member’s claim group is “a prostitution ring”

By | Published on Thursday 19 October 2017

Kaya Jones

The Pussycat Dolls have issued a statement denying claims by former member Kaya Jones that the group is, or at least was, “a prostitution ring”.

Jones was a member of the group from 2003 to 2005, appearing on three tracks on the band’s debut album ‘PCD’, including the hit ‘Don’t Cha’. In a series of tweets last week, she said: “My truth. I wasn’t in a girl group. I was in a prostitution ring. Oh and we happened to sing and be famous. While everyone who owned us made the $”.

“How bad was it? People ask”, she continued. “Bad enough that I walked away from my dreams, bandmates and a $13 million record deal. We knew we were going to #1. I want the den mother from hell to confess why another one of her girl group girls committed suicide? Tell the public how you mentally broke us. To be a part of the team you must be a team player. Meaning sleep with whoever they say. If you don’t they have nothing on you to leverage”.

The “den mother from hell” referred to there is thought to be Pussycat Dolls founder Robin Antin. As well as that group, Antin also founded pop group GRL, who split after one member, Simone Battle, took her own life.

Speaking to The Blast days later, Antin said that Jones’ tweets were “disgusting, ridiculous lies”, and that Jones is “clearly looking for her fifteen minutes”. She also claimed that Jones was never an official member of the group anyway, adding that to bring Battle’s death into her accusations was “nasty” and disrespectful.

Yesterday, The Pussycat Dolls also issued a lengthy statement denying Jones’ “false allegations”, adding that “if Kaya experienced something we are unaware of then we fully encourage her to get the help she needs and are here to support her”.

“The Pussycat Dolls has always and will always stand for female empowerment and sisterhood”, says the statement. “We stand in solidarity with all women who have bravely spoken publicly of their horrific experiences of abuse, harassment and exploitation. However, we cannot stand behind false allegations towards other group members partaking in activities that simply did not take place”.

It continues: “To liken our professional roles in The Pussycat Dolls to a prostitution ring not only undermines everything we worked hard to achieve for all those years but also takes the spotlight off the millions of victims who are speaking up and being heard loud and clear around the world”.

“While we were not aware of Kaya’s experiences that allegedly took place during her short time working with us, before the group signed a recording contract, we can firmly testify that we were not privy to any misconduct taking place around us. If Kaya experienced something we are unaware of then we fully encourage her to get the help she needs and are here to support her”.

Finally, it concludes: “Since its inception, The Pussycat Dolls and founder Robin Antin have supported and empowered women from all walks of life to flourish in their careers. Should any member or associate allude to any form of abuse or harassment whatsoever, it will be taken very seriously and investigated. We truly wish Kaya the best and hope she gets the help she deserves”.

Jones, who released her latest single ‘What The Heart Don’t Know’, in August, has tweeted in response to Antin’s comments: “Doing this to gain [my] fifteen minutes, says the abuser. I went platinum this year. Did you? No. Ten years dated group but you’re helping my career? Hahaha. Say sorry. Admit publicly the truth and I might not tell your secrets – and I highly advise you don’t test me. I finally have the strength to fight back. Oh by the way, I don’t fight to lose. Something you should know before round #1 begins”.

Following the Pussycat Dolls statement yesterday, she also tweeted: “Today for me is about letting go and moving forward. Artists on all platforms need to be protected! I am proud to be a part of this movement”.



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