"React" is a song recorded by American girl group
The Pussycat Dolls
The Pussycat Dolls were an American girl group and dance ensemble, founded in Los Angeles, California, by choreographer Robin Antin in 1995 as a burlesque troupe. At the suggestion of Jimmy Iovine, Antin decided to take the burlesque troupe ...
and was released by
Access Records on February 7, 2020. It is the group's first song in over a decade, the last being 2009's "
Hush Hush; Hush Hush
"Hush Hush; Hush Hush" is the remix of "Hush Hush", a song by American female group The Pussycat Dolls. The track was written by Andreas Romdhane, Josef Larossi, Ina Wroldsen, Nicole Scherzinger, Dino Fekaris, and Freddie Perren and produced b ...
", and is their first independent release since partnering with First Access Entertainment. "React" sees the return of
Carmit Bachar
Carmit Maile Bachar ( he, כרמית בכר; born September 4, 1974), known professionally as Carmit, is an American singer, dancer, model, actress and showgirl. She is a member of the Pussycat Dolls. She is married to longtime partner Kevin Whita ...
who left the group before the release of their last album, ''
Doll Domination
''Doll Domination'' is the second and most recent studio album by American girl group the Pussycat Dolls, released on September 19, 2008, by Interscope Records. The album's release was preceded by the departure of the group's longest-standing memb ...
'' (2008), although it does not feature
Melody Thornton
Melody Thornton (born September 28, 1984) is an American singer and television personality. After graduating high school, Thornton became one the main vocalists of the pop girl group the Pussycat Dolls and released the albums '' PCD'' (2005) an ...
, who opted out of the reunion citing the desire to continue with her own solo music career. It was written by group member
Nicole Scherzinger
Nicole Scherzinger (; born Nicole Prascovia Elikolani Valiente, June 29, 1978) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and television personality. She is best known as the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls, one of the best-selling g ...
, along with
Georgia Buchanan
Georgia Buchanan (born 23 December 1990), known professionally as Call Me Loop, is an English singer and songwriter. Following the release of her debut single "Looking at You" in 2016, she has since independently released two extended plays, ''C ...
, Johan Gustafsson, William Simister, and Hannah Wilson. It was produced by Gustafson, Will Simms, and Swedish producer Ivares.
A pulsating
electropop
Electropop is a hybrid music genre combining elements of electronic and pop genres. Writer Hollin Jones has described it as a variant of synth-pop with heavy emphasis on its electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a re ...
and
synthpop
Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s a ...
song, "React" is about a stagnant and turbulent relationship with lyrics that speak of wanting a more powerful reaction and excitement from one's lover. The group debuted "React" during a medley performance of their previous singles on ''
The X Factor: Celebrity'' on November 30, 2019, and shortly after confirmed a
concert tour
A concert tour (or simply tour) is a series of concerts by an artist or group of artists in different cities, countries or locations. Often concert tours are named to differentiate different tours by the same artist and to associate a specific to ...
for 2020 which was then pushed back due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
. The song was subsequently performed on ''
Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway
''Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway'' (referred to simply as ''Saturday Night Takeaway'' or ''SNT'') is a British television variety show, created and presented by Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly (colloquially known as Ant & Dec), and ...
'' and
G-A-Y
G-A-Y is a long-running gay nightclub, based at Heaven in Charing Cross, London. It started in 1976, and for many years was based at the London Astoria.
History
G-A-Y started in 1976 in the Sundown club in the basement of the London Astoria (l ...
as part of
National Student Pride as well as being performed at other TV appearances in the UK and Australia. The ''X Factor'' performance generated in excess of 400 complaints with British broadcast regulator
Ofcom
The Office of Communications, commonly known as Ofcom, is the government-approved regulatory and competition authority for the broadcasting, telecommunications and postal industries of the United Kingdom.
Ofcom has wide-ranging powers acros ...
regarding a perceived raunchy nature of the performance. The group subsequently answered complaints by noting that they were entertainers and their intention was to always be fierce, whilst empowering women to own their bodies.
"React" received praise for its uptempo production, drawing comparisons to the group's 2006 singles "
Beep
The Blocks Extensible Exchange Protocol (BEEP) is a framework for creating network application protocols. BEEP includes building blocks like framing, pipelining, multiplexing, reporting and authentication for connection and message-oriented pe ...
" and "
Wait a Minute". An official music video was released on February 7, 2020, and features
pyrotechnics
Pyrotechnics is the science and craft of creating such things as fireworks, safety matches, oxygen candles, explosive bolts and other fasteners, parts of automotive airbags, as well as gas-pressure blasting in mining, quarrying, and demolition. ...
and water, as well as a dance routine involving chairs, inspired by the 1983 movie ''
Flashdance
''Flashdance'' is a 1983 American romantic drama dance film directed by Adrian Lyne and starring Jennifer Beals as a passionate young dancer who aspires to become a professional ballerina (Alex), alongside Michael Nouri playing her boyfriend an ...
''. Critics called the release a successful return to music, further praising the video's synchronized choreography and backdrop of fire and water. Commercially, the song reached number two in Scotland, number nine in Hungary and Serbia, number ten in Israel, the top twenty on a number of international digital charts, as well as number 29 in the UK; becoming the group's eleventh top-forty single in the UK. Scherzinger noted that "React" could be followed by further new music from the group depending its success and their
(then upcoming) concert tour. A remix of "React" produced by
Cash Cash
Cash Cash is an American electronic music group from Roseland, New Jersey. The group consists of three DJs / musicians: brothers Jean Paul Makhlouf, Alex Makhlouf and Samuel Frisch. They produce, record, mix and master all their music together as ...
and an acoustic music video were also released in promotion of the song. Just over a year after the song's release, "React" was
certified
Certification is the provision by an independent body of written assurance (a certificate) that the product, service or system in question meets specific requirements. It is the formal attestation or confirmation of certain characteristics of a ...
silver by the
British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is the British recorded music industry's Trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards, the Classic BRIT Awards, National Album Day, is home to the Mercury Prize, and co-owns the Official Charts Company with th ...
(BPI), denoting 200,000 units shipped in the UK. In 2022, the group would cancel their tour due to COVID-19 and call time on their reunion citing contract disputes between Scherzinger and Antin.
Background
Following the re-release of ''
Doll Domination
''Doll Domination'' is the second and most recent studio album by American girl group the Pussycat Dolls, released on September 19, 2008, by Interscope Records. The album's release was preceded by the departure of the group's longest-standing memb ...
'' (2008) and the group's single 2009 "
Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny)
"Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny)" is a song by Indian composer A. R. Rahman and American girl group The Pussycat Dolls, recorded for the re-release of the group's second studio album ''Doll Domination'' (2008) and their EP ''Doll Domination – ...
", tensions in the group rose due to Scherzinger being billed as a featured artist on the release. This would go on to lead to a public outburst by member
Melody Thornton
Melody Thornton (born September 28, 1984) is an American singer and television personality. After graduating high school, Thornton became one the main vocalists of the pop girl group the Pussycat Dolls and released the albums '' PCD'' (2005) an ...
during the group's
Doll Domination Tour
The Doll Domination Tour was the second concert tour by American girl group The Pussycat Dolls. It was launched in support of their second studio album, ''Doll Domination'' (2008). The tour was announced in October 2008 with dates in Europe and ...
. The group would then announce a hiatus, with group founder
Robin Antin
Robin Antin is an American actress, entrepreneur, dancer, choreographer and clothing designer. In 1995, she founded the modern burlesque troupe the Pussycat Dolls. By 2005, she diversified into various media including a pop recording group with ...
acknowledging that new members would be joining Scherzinger. By February 2010,
Jessica Sutta
Jessica Lynn Sutta (born May 15, 1982), previously known as J Sutta, is an American singer, dancer, and actress. She is best known as a former member of the American girl group the Pussycat Dolls.
Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Sutta develo ...
,
Ashley Roberts
Ashley Allyn Roberts (born September 14, 1981) is an American singer, dancer, and media personality. She is a member of the pop/ R&B girl group and dance ensemble The Pussycat Dolls.
Roberts released her debut solo studio album, ''Butterfly E ...
,
Kimberly Wyatt
Kimberly Kaye Wyatt (born February 4, 1982) is an American singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and television personality. She is a former member of the pop/ R&B girl group and dance ensemble The Pussycat Dolls. She is also a member of the ...
and Thornton had announced their departures from the group,
with Wyatt later acknowledging that "the group has fully disbanded." There was an attempt for new members to join Scherzinger in 2010, but by the end of 2010 Scherzinger too had left the group to pursue her solo career. Through 2017 and 2018, it was widely reported that the group were considering reforming.
In October 2017, social media sites were set up for the group, further fueling speculation of a reunion and tour.
It would be almost 2 years before any further news emerged, when in September 2019, ''
Entertainment Tonight
''Entertainment Tonight'' (or simply ''ET'') is an American Broadcast syndication, first-run syndicated news broadcasting news magazine, newsmagazine program that is distributed by CBS Media Ventures throughout the United States and owned by Para ...
'' reported that Scherzinger had joined members of the band for new studio sessions. UK ''
The X Factor
''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for ''Pop Idol'' (2001–2003 ...
'' judge
Louis Walsh
Michael Louis Vincent Walsh (born 5 August 1952) is an Irish music manager and television personality. He has managed Johnny Logan, Boyzone, Jedward and Westlife, four of Ireland's most successful pop acts in the 1990s and 2000s. He later bec ...
confirmed that the Pussycat Dolls would be performing on the finale of ''
The X Factor: Celebrity'' on November 30, 2019. The band then confirmed their reunion on British radio station
Heart
The heart is a muscular organ in most animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels of the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the body, while carrying metabolic waste such as carbon dioxide t ...
, confirming that Bachar, Roberts, Scherzinger, Sutta and Wyatt had been recording new music and have announced nine tour dates around the UK in 2020.
During the interview Scherzinger remarked that it had been around 10 years since the group's last tour and that the time felt right, "it's been a long time coming, but this feels like the perfect time to remind the world what it means to be a Pussycat Doll."
The group also confirmed that if the reception to "React" was positive there would be more music to come.
The Tour was then pushed back into 2021 due to the
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...
pandemic.
It is the first new music from the group to
Carmit Bachar
Carmit Maile Bachar ( he, כרמית בכר; born September 4, 1974), known professionally as Carmit, is an American singer, dancer, model, actress and showgirl. She is a member of the Pussycat Dolls. She is married to longtime partner Kevin Whita ...
since her departure in early 2008, prior to the release of the group's last album ''
Doll Domination
''Doll Domination'' is the second and most recent studio album by American girl group the Pussycat Dolls, released on September 19, 2008, by Interscope Records. The album's release was preceded by the departure of the group's longest-standing memb ...
'' (2008). According to group founder Antin, Thornton would not be taking part due to her feeling like the time was not right.
Thornton has since confirmed this during an interview with ''The Sun'' newspaper where she said, "I think it would be great for everyone to enjoy themselves and their lives, and whatever direction they want to go. I worked for years on the development of music and financed it myself. As a creative person I would like to make and release music myself." The group have stated that they are leaving the door open for Thornton and she would be welcome back if she decided to join them later down the line.
Music and lyrics
"React" is a pulsating
electropop
Electropop is a hybrid music genre combining elements of electronic and pop genres. Writer Hollin Jones has described it as a variant of synth-pop with heavy emphasis on its electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a re ...
and
synthpop
Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s a ...
song,
with a dance beat,
written by group lead singer
Nicole Scherzinger
Nicole Scherzinger (; born Nicole Prascovia Elikolani Valiente, June 29, 1978) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and television personality. She is best known as the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls, one of the best-selling g ...
, as well as
Georgia Buchanan
Georgia Buchanan (born 23 December 1990), known professionally as Call Me Loop, is an English singer and songwriter. Following the release of her debut single "Looking at You" in 2016, she has since independently released two extended plays, ''C ...
, Johan Gustafsson, William Simister and Hannah Wilson.
Gustafsson is part of Swedish
record production
A record producer is a recording project's creative and technical leader, commanding studio time and coaching artists, and in popular genres typically creates the song's very sound and structure.Virgil Moorefield"Introduction" ''The Producer as ...
outfit Trinity Music who have previously worked with Pussycat Doll member Sutta. Buchanan, also known as
Call Me Loop
Georgia Buchanan (born 23 December 1990), known professionally as Call Me Loop, is an English singer and songwriter. Following the release of her debut single "Looking at You" in 2016, she has since independently released two extended plays, '' ...
, noted that "React" was the first song she wrote for another artist. Gustafson, Will Simms and Swedish producer Ivares are responsible for producing the song,
which is set to a production of 120
beats per minute
Beat, beats or beating may refer to:
Common uses
* Patrol, or beat, a group of personnel assigned to monitor a specific area
** Beat (police), the territory that a police officer patrols
** Gay beat, an area frequented by gay men
* Battery ( ...
.
Scherzinger was working with Simms on new music and said that when she first heard "React" she was "excited to jump on it" because it was "really melodic, fresh, and current and new-sounding."
"React" is themed around a turbulent relationship, where the lyrics "play with an overly nice man's emotions in the hopes of eliciting a more... powerful reaction".
Vents Magazine described it as a "fiery ode to spicing up a stagnant relationship".
Lyrics include the phrases "Every time I leave, you pull me closer, I hang up the phone, you call me back. / Why don't you mess me 'round like you're supposed to? You're turning me cruel 'cause I'm just wanting you to react."
Artwork
The artwork for "React" was first unveiled on the group's official Instagram account on January 27, 2020.
It features the group facing the camera dressed all in black. Scherzinger's outfit included "long latex sleeves and was paired with loose-fitted pants". Roberts and Sutta were featured slightly side on with their arms on Scherzinger's shoulders. "Roberts' outfit was legless and sleeveless on opposite sides and also displayed her toned torso. Sutta rocked a leotard with cut-out tights on the side." Meanwhile, to the far left, Wyatt wore a "low-cut leotard with huge shoulder pads and fishnet tights underneath" while Bachar appears on the far right with "strapless corset bodysuit and skintight pants."
An alternate version of the cover featuring a black background and white text was used for the
Cash Cash
Cash Cash is an American electronic music group from Roseland, New Jersey. The group consists of three DJs / musicians: brothers Jean Paul Makhlouf, Alex Makhlouf and Samuel Frisch. They produce, record, mix and master all their music together as ...
remix of the song.
Release
In mid January 2020, an early
unfinished version of the song
leaked online featuring Scherzinger's vocals. The
Official Charts Company
The Official Charts (legal name: The Official UK Charts Company Limited) is a British inter-professional organization that compiles various "official" record charts in the United Kingdom, Ireland and France.
In the United Kingdom, its charts inc ...
's Robert Copsey commented that the release strategy was very reminiscent of the
2000–2009
File:2000s decade montage3.png, From top left, clockwise: The World Trade Center (1973–2001), World Trade Center on fire and the Statue of Liberty during the September 11 attacks, 9/11 attacks in 2001; the euro enters into European currency in ...
decade as the song was not available to download or
stream
A stream is a continuous body of water, body of surface water Current (stream), flowing within the stream bed, bed and bank (geography), banks of a channel (geography), channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a stream ...
after the group's debut performance of the song and a rough demo of the song was leaked online. Copsey said "all are pretty much unheard of in 2020, but the nostalgia of it all somehow made it feel right."
On January 27, 2020, it was confirmed that "React" would be released on February 7, 2020, and it was made available to pre-order for digital download and pre-save on
streaming
Streaming media is multimedia that is delivered and consumed in a continuous manner from a source, with little or no intermediate storage in network elements. ''Streaming'' refers to the delivery method of content, rather than the content it ...
outlets. The release was confirmed on the group's Instagram account and included the cover art for the single too.
The Official Charts Company confirmed the song was being released by
Access Records, making it their first independent release and first release in over a decade. Scherzinger told ''
Rap-Up
''Rap-Up'' is a magazine launched in 2001 by founder Devin Lazerine. The publication was originally a website devoted to hip hop, until Lazerine decided to pitch the possibility of a magazine to several publishers. The magazine is focused on the ...
'' that being "able to release our music independently at this moment in time feels incredibly empowering".
The group offered 20 fans the opportunity to learn the choreography for "React" at YouTube Space London, from choreographer
Todrick Hall
Todrick Hall (born April 4, 1985) is an American singer, choreographer, and YouTuber. He gained national attention on the ninth season of the televised singing competition ''American Idol''. Following this, he amassed a huge following on YouTu ...
and get the opportunity to meet the group. Upon release of the song, the group celebrated the release with an exclusive photoshoot lensed by British fashion photographer
Rankin, along with a featured spread in ''Hunger Magazine''.
Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records was an Australian flagship record label, founded in 1972 in Melbourne. It published and distributed many successful Australian artists and expanded internationally, until it was merged with Festival Records in 1998. Festival Mu ...
handled the release in Australia, which included the song being sent to radio stations for
airplay
Airplay is how frequently a song is being played through broadcasting on radio stations. A song which is being played several times every day (spins) would have a significant amount of airplay. Music which became very popular on jukeboxes, in n ...
.
Scherzinger also released a
TikTok
TikTok, known in China as Douyin (), is a short-form video hosting service owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. It hosts user-submitted videos, which can range in duration from 15 seconds to 10 minutes.
TikTok is an international version ...
video of her washing her hands to "React" on March 16, 2020, the feature covered by the Official Charts Company was part of a drive by celebrities to increase awareness of hygiene as part of tackling the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
. On April 3, 2020, the
Cash Cash
Cash Cash is an American electronic music group from Roseland, New Jersey. The group consists of three DJs / musicians: brothers Jean Paul Makhlouf, Alex Makhlouf and Samuel Frisch. They produce, record, mix and master all their music together as ...
remix of "React" was released to digital outlets,
and an exclusive acoustic performance was released by ''Hunger Magazine'' and
Vero.
On April 10, the group released a virtual breakdown video of the choreography for "React". Filmed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the video features members of the group taking it in turns to teach parts of the group choreography. Each of the girls filmed their part individually. According to Brazilian website POPline, the group had recorded a remix in partnership with Brabo Music and featuring
Pabllo Vittar
Phabullo Rodrigues da Silva (born 1 November 1993), known professionally as Pabllo Vittar (), is a Brazilian drag queen and singer.
Life and career 1993–2016: Early life
Born in São Luís, Phabullo is a dizygotic twin and has an older sis ...
for their appearance at São Paulo's LGBTIQA+ parade in 2020. The parade and group's performance was cancelled due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
.
Live performances
"React" was debuted as part of a live medley performance on ''
The X Factor: Celebrity'' finale on November 30, 2019, where the group the song alongside previous singles including "
Buttons
A button is a fastener that joins two pieces of fabric together by slipping through a loop or by sliding through a buttonhole.
In modern clothing and fashion design, buttons are commonly made of plastic but also may be made of metal, wood, ...
", "
When I Grow Up" and "
Don't Cha
"Don't Cha" is a song written by Busta Rhymes and CeeLo Green, and produced by the latter. The chorus is an interpolation of the song "Swass", which was written and performed by Sir Mix-a-Lot. The song was originally recorded and published by Tor ...
". The performance featured fireworks and waterfalls from the ceiling.
''
BuzzFeed
BuzzFeed, Inc. is an American Internet media, news and entertainment company with a focus on digital media. Based in New York City, BuzzFeed was founded in 2006 by Jonah Peretti and John S. Johnson III to focus on tracking viral content. Ken ...
''s Matt Stopera said calling the performance "iconic was an understatement".
These same elements would later be recreated during the song's official music video.
The performance was also praised by Rose Dommu from ''
Out'' who said the group "ate their performance" and noted that the performance was inspired by the movie ''
Flashdance
''Flashdance'' is a 1983 American romantic drama dance film directed by Adrian Lyne and starring Jennifer Beals as a passionate young dancer who aspires to become a professional ballerina (Alex), alongside Michael Nouri playing her boyfriend an ...
'' (1983).
E! also called the performance "epic", with Alyssa Morin saying that the group "made everyone's hearts flutter". Alongside the praise, 400 people complained to British media regulator
Ofcom
The Office of Communications, commonly known as Ofcom, is the government-approved regulatory and competition authority for the broadcasting, telecommunications and postal industries of the United Kingdom.
Ofcom has wide-ranging powers acros ...
due to the "raunchy" nature of the performance and the group's decision to wear sheer PVC outfits on a family programme.
On February 22, 2020, the group performed "React" for the second time on British Television as part of a medley on
series sixteen of ''
Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway
''Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway'' (referred to simply as ''Saturday Night Takeaway'' or ''SNT'') is a British television variety show, created and presented by Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly (colloquially known as Ant & Dec), and b ...
'', along with "Buttons", "
Beep
The Blocks Extensible Exchange Protocol (BEEP) is a framework for creating network application protocols. BEEP includes building blocks like framing, pipelining, multiplexing, reporting and authentication for connection and message-oriented pe ...
" and "Don't Cha". The performance took the form of a comedy skit and was used to poke fun the controversy caused by their previous performance of "React". As part of the performance, a TV
test card
A test card, also known as a test pattern or start-up/closedown test, is a television test signal, typically broadcast at times when the transmitter is active but no program is being broadcast (often at sign-on and sign-off).
Used since the ear ...
flashed up on screen from
ITV
ITV or iTV may refer to:
ITV
*Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of:
** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
reading "we're sorry for the disruption... we're working hard to fix the issue and will return to normal family-friendly, not at all sexy, uncontroversial programming soon." The test card was revealed to be a backdrop which the group jumped through.
Later the same night, The Dolls performed "React" and their previous singles as part of their headlining set at
G-A-Y
G-A-Y is a long-running gay nightclub, based at Heaven in Charing Cross, London. It started in 1976, and for many years was based at the London Astoria.
History
G-A-Y started in 1976 in the Sundown club in the basement of the London Astoria (l ...
for
National Student Pride.
Later, during a performance on
BBC 1
BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, ...
's ''
The One Show
''The One Show'' is a British television magazine and chat show programme. Broadcast live on BBC One weeknights at 7:00 pm, it features topical stories and studio guests. It is currently co-hosted by Alex Jones, Jermaine Jenas, and Ronan K ...
'' on February 26, the group experienced technical difficulties as "even though the track started playing and voices could be heard, the Dolls didn't move up on stage because it appeared that their earpieces weren't working."
This led to some accusations from viewers that only Scherzinger was singing live,
with Adam White writing for ''
The Independent
''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'' noting that during the technical issue, "some members of the group could be seen sharing concerned glances at one another, indicating that they could not hear the song".
After being reintroduced to the audience, the song began to play at a louder volume.
White remarked that it was noticeable how Scherzinger was "singing over the top of a separate pre-recorded track,"
however on the second go, "the group's performance went off without another hitch".
''The One Show'' since confirmed that the technical errors were the fault of the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
and that the Pussycat Dolls were signing live over a backing track but could not hear the track due to an error on the production team's behalf.
On March 5, 2020, the group performed "React" as part of a medley of singles for
, Australia. They also appeared live on the ''
'' breakfast TV show to perform. The group also performed together on March 13, 2020, during the live
telecast charity event. On April 3, 2020, the group performed an exclusive
and ''Hunger Magazine''.
from 2009, "it's a relief to be honest, as any attempt to fit in with the current pop landscape would have felt futile. That doesn't lessen the fact that 'React' is a proper, Pussycat Dolls banger."
Canada, Jazz Tangcay agreed with earlier sentiments saying that "React" is "a killer tune" with a "powerful dance beat".
's Mike Reid described "React", drawing comparisons to the group's 2006 singles "
". Reid concluded that the song was one of the "first standout releases of 2020 and deserves to be a chart-dominating smash".
'' called "React" a fierce comeback and an "electro-pop banger with a massive chorus that gives us everything we want from the iconic performers."
'' featured "React" in their 'Bops Only: 10 Songs You Need to Start Your Weekend Right' playlist, and praised the "electro-pop banger" for its "infectious energy
is sure to get a rise out of longtime fans and new ones alike." ''Hunger'' also named "React" as in their list of "the only tracks you need to hear right now" for the week beginning February 10, 2020. Brittany Spanos from ''
'' magazine praised the "catchy, bouncy pop tune" and stated "Thank God, the Pussycat Dolls are back".
'' called both the song and music video "instantly iconic".
's Mike Wass commented that "React" was "epic" and it was a crime against taste that it did not become a "chart topping smash" and that the group had also served one of the "best dance routines of 2020". The remix was praised for upping the
(BMP) and dramatic breakdown, saying all in all that Cash Cash did the remix justice.
The group received some negative reception, particularly towards the groups' perceived
and dance moves and costumes during live performances of "React". After their debut performance of the song on ''
around the raunchy nature of the performance.
Responding to the criticism, Scherzinger compared the group's desire to be empowering to American singer
who is a strong advocate for body consciousness, saying:
During a performance on ''
'', the group poked fun out of the negative attention they received by performing as part of a comedy skit where their performance was censored.
responded to reports that once again viewers had complained to Ofcom by saying "being on Ant & Dec's show was hysterical; they are so good at what they do and the way they made light of the whole censorship thing was amazing. It's great that we got to be silly with it and we had a blast." She supported early comments by Scherzinger that the intention and aims of the group's performances was always about empowerment, saying "everyone has an opinion on what we do, and while I think the power of a woman can be intimidating, it's all about the intention of our performances".
Despite the comedic nature of the performance, the group's appearance on ''Saturday Night Takeaway'' resulted in further complaints to Ofcom.
Roberts likened the groups' outfits to costumes and responded by noting that the group were entertainers. She said "we are wearing costumes... and they are sassy and fierce. We are owning our femininity and celebrating ourselves as women". Later, despite the
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