A Piece Of The Doll

Get ready for the Pussycat Dolls. Along with an album debut that will likely be a chart topper, the Los Angeles dance-troupe-turned-pop-music-group is setting precedent with its business model.

The act’s music label, Interscope/Geffen/A&M, is an equal financial partner, according to The Wall Street Journal. Normally, IGA would just get a chunk of the Dolls’ PCD album sales after it drops September 13th. But this deal includes a share from any moneymaking endeavor, including touring, a possible realty TV show, and even the group’s cosmetics line.

With record labels trying to grab as many new streams of revenue as they can, is this a business model for the future?

There are six women in the version of the Pussycat Dolls that will likely tour. There’s another eight-girl troupe based in Las Vegas. They’ve been around for about 12 years, originally organized by LA choreographer Robin Antin, but few original members remain. Guest dancers have included Gwen Stefani, Carmen Electra, Christina Aguilera and Cameron Diaz.

The group that will put out the record and probably tour was more or less manufactured by Antin and IGA, which held open casting calls in LA. Antin splits profits with IGA, and the six performers get a percentage of the revenues.

That money includes profits from Vegas’ Pussycat Dolls Lounge, where the troupe performs hourly. The club reportedly earns about $1 million a month in profits from bar sales and weekend entry fees. And there’s talk of expanding into a nightclub chain that could reach as far as Melbourne, Australia, the WSJ said.