Nicole Scherzinger "seriously" can't understand why she doesn't get a cut of One Direction's profits.
The US singer was one of those on the panel who put together the British boyband on the UK X Factor. Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne and Niall Horan all failed to get through as solo artists, but were then put into a band - with Nicole previously saying the move was her idea.
She's now joked about how strange it is to see them dominating the pop charts globally.
"I'm happy for their success. I can't believe I put together the group and then I'm at Walmart buying One Direction bags for my nieces. Like, something is wrong with this picture!" she laughed to British magazine Heat. "Can you guys please send me a box of One Direction goodies? Somebody help me out here. Not only do I not get a cut, but now I'm buying bags for my nieces, with the boys' faces on it. I was like, 'What?'... Where's my cut? Seriously? I'm a giver, what can I say? I gave the world One Direction."
Nicole is dating Formula One ace Lewis Hamilton, who she's been with on and off for years. There has been constant speculation about when they will wed, with Lewis, 29, even speaking out to deny they are engaged.
She may not have a ring on her finger, but Nicole, 36, already has an idea about the kind of wedding she'll have.
"No, but I could definitely hear it at the club," she replied, when asked if she'd play one of her tracks on her big day. "It was really cute the other day when I was doing sculpt yoga [when one of my songs came on], but not at my wedding. No, I couldn't take it seriously."
The star isn't against others using her music to mark their love for each other though. Recently a member of her family tied the knot and Nicole was only too happy to bust out a song for them.
"It's so funny, because my cousin got married the other day and I went to New Orleans for his wedding and they were like, 'Come, Nicole, you've gotta sing!' So I got up there and was supposed to be singing a three-minute version of my song [and it] ended up being a 15-minute dance-off," she explained. "I don't know how that happened, but they loved it. I was like, 'I should be getting paid for this!'"
