MUSIC: No debut album for Nicole Scherzinger?

I just heard another single off of Nicole Scherzinger's debut album, Her Name is Nicole. The album itself has been pushed back so many times, it's already been designated a failure. I've actually heard four singles off the album and "Rio" is the fifth. I think what her publicity team was trying to do is find a track that would launch the album and put it on the charts, but none of the singles have been remotely popular.

The first, released in July, was “Whatever U Like” featuring T.I., which I actually enjoyed because of the tempo. It was the type of club song that the Pussycat Dolls would've released, so it should've been a hit. But the highest it got on the Billboard charts was 88. Listen to see if you would've downloaded it:


Then there was single #2 “Baby Love” released in September, written and produced by will.i.am. It was a sweet song, but nobody thinks "sweet" when they think of Nicole, so it was sort of out of character. The 3rd single was “Super Villain” featuring Mad Scientist, who also produced it. It isn't bad. It's a playful song that could've had a graphically killer video, but it was buried after its November release. Then she topped off 2007 with the sexually suggestive Hawaiian-infused "Puakenikeni" in December, a song written by and featuring Brick & Lace. The beat is hot, but her this track, along with the other three, seem more like summer singles, not holiday season playlist material.

The only tracks that I'd completely skip are surprisingly ones produced by Timbaland and Ne-Yo. On "Physical," Timbaland and Nicole start sounding like horses neighing. I realize they're going for that over-the-top 80s Vanity 6 feel, but it just sounds ridiculous in 2008. As for Ne-Yo's “Happily Never After,” I've heard better ballads come out of him. This one sounds like a Disney song and girls who dance seductively in music videos surrounded by fire shouldn't sing Disney songs. There was only one track, "Just Say Yes," that she sings with Snow Patrol that I couldn't get my hands on. But I choose to be optimistic that it'll be better than her latest release "Rio," which is actually a Brazilian remake of a Duran Duran song that she did for a Caress Brazilian product promotion, that is really really cheesy. If you dare to listen:


So what do you think? Will she ever release her debut album? Should she even bother trying?