The Pussycat Dolls made a highly anticipated return to the American Music Awards stage on Monday, May 25, performing at the 52nd AMAs from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The reunion marked exactly 20 years since the group’s AMAs debut. Nicole Scherzinger took center stage wrapped in red latex, flanked by Ashley Roberts and Kimberly Wyatt, as the trio launched into their 2006 smash “Buttons” to open the medley. Smoke and pyro filled the arena immediately.
Scherzinger wasted no time making the moment clear for the crowd. She called for the audience’s energy before announcing the group’s return. The response was immediate and loud.
A medley of hits spanning two decades
From “Buttons,” the set moved into “When I Grow Up,” the group’s 2008 hit that also reached the Billboard Hot 100’s top 10. Backup dancers joined the choreography as the performance built in intensity. The trio then introduced their comeback single “Club Song,” signaling that PCD’s return extends beyond nostalgia and into new creative territory.
Furthermore, the production leaned fully into the spectacle that the MGM Grand Garden Arena allows. The combination of pyro, choreography and costume made the set one of the visual highlights of the night.
Busta Rhymes crashes the stage for “Don’t Cha”
The performance reached its peak when Busta Rhymes and Spliff Star invaded the stage. Busta arrived dressed in a cherry red leather jacket and matching pants, looking every bit the part. He became one of only two rap acts to perform at the 2026 AMAs. His masterful flow and breath control added a serious lift to the closing portion of the set.
Together, the Pussycat Dolls and Busta Rhymes performed “Don’t Cha,” their Hot 100 top 10 collaboration, to close out the medley. The audience responded with genuine enthusiasm. Tinashe was spotted in the crowd visibly enjoying the performance. Scherzinger closed the set by thanking the audience directly as the applause continued to build.
Flowers from the stage and what comes next
Following the performance, presenters Anthony Ramos and comedian Gabriel Iglesias acknowledged the Pussycat Dolls from the stage while introducing the next award, giving the group a further moment of recognition from their peers.
The reunion itself came earlier in 2026, with Scherzinger, Roberts and Wyatt confirmed as the trio holding down the group’s return. Unfortunately, the PCD Forever Tour planned for summer was canceled. Nevertheless, the group is still set to perform at the WeHo Festival in Los Angeles on June 6. That appearance gives fans who missed the AMAs moment another opportunity to see the reunited trio live.
The AMAs performance demonstrated that the Pussycat Dolls’ return carries real momentum. Twenty years after their debut on the same stage, the group showed the crowd and a national television audience that they still know how to own a room.
Source: Billboard
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