Carmit Maile Bachar (born September 4, 1974) is an American dancer, choreographer and singer. She is a former member of the pop groups the Pussycat Dolls (2003–2008) and LadyStation (2011–2016). As a dancer, she has been on tour with Beyoncé, Janet Jackson, Ricky Martin and No Doubt and in music videos for various artists, such as Michael Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, the Black Eyed Peas, the Offspring, Aaliyah and Beyoncé.

Early life

Bachar was born in Los Angeles, her father is of Jewish Israeli descent and her mother is of Dutch, Indonesian, and Chinese descent. She was born with a cleft lip and cleft palate. She was raised in Encino, California. Both parents were dancers; her mother worked as a dance teacher at Bancroft Middle School of Performing Arts and her father worked with Elvis Presley and Marcel Marceau. Bachar competed internationally as a rhythmic gymnast for 10 years, and placed 5th in the U.S. Olympic trials in 1992. During her career competing on the U.S. National Team, she attended Hamilton Academy of Music in Los Angeles, studying music, dance, piano and viola. But throughout the years of talent, she endured the years of cleft surgery and was also the victim of bullying.

Career

1993–2008: Career beginnings and the Pussycat Dolls

In 1993 Bachar began a successful career as dancer, appearing in television commercials and movie dance scenes, such as And the Band Played On (1993), North (1994) and Good Burger (1997). In 1995 choreographer Robin Antin asked Bachar to join her new project, the Pussycat Dolls, a burlesque dance troupe, with a repertoire of 1950s and 1960s popular music and dressed in pin-up costumes. In the following years, they performed live weekly at The Roxy Theatre, in West Hollywood, and were featured in magazines, specials for MTV and ad campaigns. During that time, she also participated on tours for Ricky Martin, No Doubt and Beyoncé, and danced in various music videos, such as Michael Jackson's "Blood on the Dance Floor", Jennifer Lopez's "Ain't It Funny", the Black Eyed Peas's "Shut Up", Aaliyah's "Rock the Boat" and Beyoncé's "Crazy in Love" and "Baby Boy". As the Pussycat Dolls grew in popularity, music producers Jimmy Iovine and Ron Fair became involved in 2003 to transform the dance troupe into a musical group. After some reformulations and tests with singers and dancers, the musical group was formed by Nicole Scherzinger, Melody Thornton, Ashley Roberts, Kimberly Wyatt, Jessica Sutta and Bachar – the only troupe member remained in the final lineup. The group achieved worldwide success with the singles "Don't Cha", "Buttons" and Grammy Award–nominee "Stickwitu", and their multi-platinum debut album PCD (2005). Despite their commercial success, the group was plagued by internal conflict due to the emphasis on Scherzinger and the subordinate treatment of the other members, causing Bachar's departure from the group in March 2008.

2008–2018: LadyStation and solo releases

In 2008, Bachar said that she was recording her debut solo album. On her MySpace, she uploaded two solo songs: "Overrated" and "Carmasutra". In 2009, Bachar announced that her album would be called Formerly Of... and would be released that year. The album was being produced by Grammy Awards–winner Jared Lee Gosselin and would feature songs like “Cupid”, “Love Is a Weapon”, “Me” and “Cream”. Despite this, Bachar failed to sign a record deal and the album was cancelled. Two unreleased songs, "Fierce" and "Cream", were reused on rapper Detroit Diamond's 2010 EP, with Bachar featured on three songs. In 2011 Bachar formed the electropop duo LadyStation, along with DJ Sammy J (Samantha Powell), and they released their debut single, "Body in Motion". In the following years, they released other singles, such as "Loud", "Motivation" and "Nurse U Back to Life", and performed live at electronic music festivals and nightclubs. LadyStation's last release before disbanding in 2016 was the EP Voices on June 1, 2015. On February 24, 2017, Bachar release her debut solo single, "It's Time", as an independent artist. On April 18, 2018 she released her second single "How Far".

2019–present: The Pussycat Dolls reunion and other projects

On November 29, 2019, the Pussycat Dolls confirmed their comeback and, on February 7, 2020, they released a new single, "React", with a live performance on the finale of The X Factor: Celebrity. They announced a 36-date world tour, but plans were canceled due the worsening situation arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and the group ended the reunion in 2021. On May 27, 2021 she released her third single, "Questions".

Personal life

Bachar married Kevin Whitaker in 2008 and they have a daughter, Keala Rose (2011).

Philanthropy

It has been reported that she wishes to form a non-profit organization called "Smile With Me": "I want to have my own charity for children and adults who are born with a cleft palate. I was born with one and I want to educate and inspire people by saying that inner beauty is more important than looks." Bachar is an ambassador of "Operation Smile", a worldwide children's medical charity that helps improve the health and lives of children and young adults born with facial deformities. In November 2007, she participated in an Operation Smile international medical mission in Bolivia, where she and her team organized creative stations for the kids like face and body painting, bookmaking, music and dance.

Discography

With the Pussycat Dolls

With LadyStation

EPs

Singles

As solo artist

Singles

Other appearances

Filmography

Film

Television

Music videos

Concert tours

Tours where Bachar was a dancer:

Awards and nominations