After being selected as one of the final nine girls to enter the Los Angeles loft, Brittany Diiorio, the talented 20 year-old singer, dancer, and model from Chesapeake, Virginia, became the first girl eliminated from Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search for the Next Doll. Although a little dissapointed about her early exit from the competition, Brittany was kind enough to sit down with BuddyTV yesterday to talk about her experience on the show, her frustrations, and who she's pulling for to become the next Pussycat Doll.
Click through to read the full interview transcript or to listen to the audio.
BuddyTV: Brittany, can you tell us a little bit about your background and what you were doing before Pussycat Dolls Presents: The Search for the Next Doll?
Brittany: I sure can. I’ve been a classically trained dancer ever since I was a little girl. From three years old all the way until I graduated from high school. I competed up and down east coast, national competitions, all that jazz. Um, I went to the Governor’s School for the Arts in high school where I majored in performing arts, which is basically the same as musical theatre – the whole dancing, singing, acting. Got into modeling in the later part of high school and went to college at Shenandoah University Conservatory for the Arts for two years, majored in musical theatre there also. Ended up switching to dance major and ever since I got into college, I’ve been trying to do the whole solo recording artist thing. I’ve had a manager and done the whole audition from this, that and the third and right now I’m basically just trying to be a solo artist getting some things in the works, some things together and that’s basically it, as quick as I can put it.
What inspired you to go on the show?
Actually, one of my best friends…she saw the commercial somewhere on TV and she called me up and she’s like, “Oh my God, this is so totally you, you need to try out for the show!” And I was like, “Oh my God, I love the Pussycat Dolls, they're auditioning for a new member?” I was like, “Whoa, that’s hot! Ok!” So I was like, yeah I’ll give it a shot and see how I do, and that’s when I went to Atlanta and I auditioned there and ended up being the only girl that they took – I was actually really surprised about that. But that’s pretty much all it was – I was like you know what, I think I got what it takes, I’m going to try this out.
So what was the audition process like for you? How intense was it? Was it harder than you had anticipated?
Like the audition process in Atlanta…the very first audition?
Yeah, that and even the final audition process as well.
Um, the first audition in Atlanta…actually I was really shocked because it really wasn’t that difficult. Like I said, I’ve been classically trained my whole life so I’ve been to conventions and workshops where I’ve had to audition for scholarships and really be under that pressure and know how to perform and stuff like that. So that part really wasn’t that difficult. I kind of felt like I was in my element. It was more like when I actually got deeper into the competition, and once I got to house and was part of the final nine, as you heard on the show when I was talking to my mom, I was like this is a lot harder than I thought because it really was. It was more of a difficult process to try and be everything that Robin and Mikey wanted.
Were you pretty confident that you’d make the final cut and be selected as one of the nine finalists to enter the loft?
Honestly, they kind of made me seem like this stuck up girl who thought she was hot crap, but I really didn’t think that. I had confidence that I’d go far, but I didn’t really believe that I’d go that far. Like, I was almost like, “Oh my God, I was just chosen out of a thousand girls? Dude, this is already such a blessing!” I was like, if I go farther, thank God, that’s such a great experience for me to go through. So, I’m not the type of person to go, “Oh yeah, yeah, I’m in. I got it, yeah,” you know? I have confidence because I’ve always been taught to have confidence, to have female empowerment like the Pussycat Dolls bring. So with anything I do, I have confidence, but we all have our own insecurities and we’re all our own worst critics. So there were a few times where I was like, oh my God I don’t know, what if they don’t pick me…that type of thing.
How challenging was last night’s competition for you?
Um, I think it was really difficult for me because I was trying to really find my individual style. That style that would fit what I thought Robin and Mikey wanted. During the rehearsals, you heard a little bit Mikey talking about the whole “stripperella” thing. He didn’t really talk to me much about that, so it was kind of…I didn’t really understand what he meant by it because with my dancing, I really didn’t feel that I was this hooker, trash, like stripper girl. I was really trying to just be what they wanted, and the Pussycat Dolls, they’re sexy. Bottom line, they’re all sexy. So, in my mind, I was like okay – sexy, a little seductive…and I think the hardest part was trying to be what they wanted and try to take my individuality and mush it into what I felt that they wanted. So throughout the whole process, that was the most challenging part was kind of finding my own thing and really having that shine throughout the show.
The judges had mixed feelings about your group’s performance. Did you agree with their feedback?
I agreed to an extent. I think that Ron Fair was a little harsh. I really do think that our group was one of the best overall, performance wise. So, I think it was 50/50, it was in between. I think all three of us thought that we did a pretty good job, we worked really hard to help each other out throughout rehearsals and we kind of all felt like we pulled it off.
What were your thoughts when the judges announced that you would be going home?
Honestly… (laughs) When I went into the competition, I had already told myself – alright God, I’m putting this in your hands. I’m just going to do my best, and wherever I go from here is where I go. So in my mind, I was upset because I wish I would have gone farther in the competition, but then again, I was like you know, this is what God has in store for me and so be it. The second thing I thought was, I’m going to miss all the girls. Like, I really became close with a few of the girls and it sucks that it didn’t show any of our bonds that we had. I mean, a lot of us got really close during that short period of time. So those are probably the two things that I thought – okay, I guess God doesn’t want this for me, and, oh God, I can’t even say goodbye to my friends. Like oh, I’m going to miss them. That’s what I was pretty much thinking.
You know with all reality based shows, there’s a lot of editing that goes on and we as an audience only get to see a small glimpse of all that actually takes place. How true to life do you think you were portrayed on the show, and were there certain things or events that took place that you wish they would have shown on TV, but weren’t?
Oh yeah! I can go on for days about this, but I’m going to try to keep this as short as possible. They really portrayed me as this trashy, stripper looking girl who thought she was better than everyone, and almost like, she had too much confidence for her own good type thing. And it really wasn’t like that at all. Everyone got the same amount of corrections. I even had to ask Robin and Mikey at one point, “Hey guys, can I have some constructive criticism because you guys haven’t said anything bad or anything good about me, I’m just there.” Because they weren’t really saying anything to me throughout the competition. And with the editing and stuff like that, we had a lot of interviews. So some of the things I said…I know there was one point in the show where I said, “Hell yeah, I’m the whole package! I was born like this, I never had to work for anything.” Like, what! No, that’s not me at all! I’m not that person. I’ve had to work my whole life for everything that I’ve ever done and I was not born like this. I was obviously born with God given talents, but with any talent that you’re given, if you don’t work at it and push yourself, you’re not going to go anywhere with that talent, no matter how good…whatever you were born with. So I think overall, it was frustrating that I was kind of portrayed as this skanky girl who was like, oh I’m the best, and it’s not like that at all. I’m not like that at all, so that’s like the biggest point I can make in any interview is that I was portrayed in a completely different way that what I really am. All my friends are like, “Oh my God, you’re not even like that, that’s not even you. You’re like a big goofball that’s high on life.” And I’m like, “I know, I know! It sucks!” But…what can you do! (laughs)
Who do you think deserves to win? Are you rooting for anyone in particular?
Yes! (laughs) I am rooting for Asia because she was the one girl that I bonded with the most. We…and this was the other thing that was frustrating about reality TV – they didn’t show our bond at all. They didn’t show our friendship. Me and Asia got really, really close on the show for the short amount of time that I was there. She was my homegirl! Like, we would just tell each other how we felt about anything and anybody, or who was making us mad that day, or Mikey’s frustrating us or Robin’s frustrating us. She is my girl and I love her, so I’m rooting for her all the way to the end…she better make it! (laughs)
So what are your plans now that you’re off the show?
My plans right now…I’m actually in the studio a lot recording some new music. I have some movie auditions coming up soon and I have a new manager. So we’re in the works of a lot of really good things, a lot of stuff that I really can’t talk about. But like I’ve been saying, this is not the last you will see of me! (laughs) I’m not stopping here, so…
Do you have any final thoughts about last night or the show in general?
Um, I think I pretty much made my point. Basically, I really just hope that people don’t think that I’m, like I said, this image that they portrayed me as, because I’m definitely not. I’m down to earth, I’m a chill girl. I’ve worked my whole life for everything that I have and I’m so thankful and so blessed…it was a great experience. Can I throw in my MySpace page?
Yeah, definitely.
My URL is myspace.com/onstage4life. And when you get there, that will direct you straight to my music page. So check me out!
Well, thanks again for your time and we wish you the best of luck!
Thank you so much, I appreciate it.
(Interview conducted by Royce Yuen)