Rosemary Elikolani is Nicole Scherzinger’s mother, a former hula dancer of Native Hawaiian and Ukrainian descent who raised Nicole largely as a single parent in Hawaii and Kentucky. After marrying Gary Scherzinger, who adopted Nicole, the family found stability. Rosemary’s cultural background and resilience deeply influenced Nicole’s career and connection to her Hawaiian heritage.
Most fans know Nicole Scherzinger for her powerhouse vocals and stage presence. But behind the star stands a woman who shaped her from the beginning. Rosemary Elikolani is Nicole’s mother, and her story weaves together Hawaiian culture, single-parent determination, and the kind of quiet influence that rarely makes headlines. Born in Hawaii with Native Hawaiian and Ukrainian roots, Rosemary worked as a hula dancer and later raised Nicole through challenges most parents can’t imagine. Understanding Rosemary means understanding the foundation beneath Nicole’s success.
Who is Rosemary Elikolani?
Rosemary Elikolani is best known as the mother of Nicole Scherzinger, the singer and former Pussycat Dolls frontwoman. But reducing her to just that title misses the fuller picture. She brought her daughter into the world in Honolulu in 1978 and raised her through moves, financial struggles, and the complex work of single motherhood. Public records and Nicole’s own social media posts confirm that Rosemary later became Rosemary Elikolani Frederick after remarrying.
She doesn’t seek the spotlight. You won’t find her on red carpets or giving magazine interviews. Instead, she appears in occasional Instagram posts on Mother’s Day or in passing mentions when Nicole talks about her upbringing. That low profile makes sense for someone who spent decades focused on raising children rather than building a public persona.
Early life and Hawaiian roots
Rosemary was born and raised in Hawaii, where her heritage reflects the islands’ multicultural fabric. She carries Native Hawaiian ancestry, a connection that runs deep through family lines and cultural practices. Some sources also note Ukrainian and Polish heritage, though details about that side of her background remain sparse. What’s clear is that growing up in Hawaii meant immersion in a culture where dance, music, and storytelling weren’t just entertainment but ways of preserving identity.
Hawaii in the mid-20th century was a place where traditional customs existed alongside modern American life. For families like Rosemary’s, maintaining Hawaiian practices meant something. It meant keeping language alive, honoring ancestors, and passing down skills like hula to the next generation. That environment shaped how Rosemary would later approach motherhood and what she’d teach her own daughter.
Hula dancer & cultural life
Rosemary worked as a hula dancer, a profession that carries more weight than outsiders might realize. Hula isn’t just swaying to music. It’s a storytelling art form that requires years of training, physical discipline, and deep knowledge of Hawaiian legends and chants. Dancers learn to communicate narratives through hand gestures, footwork, and facial expressions. Each movement has meaning.
Performing hula meant Rosemary was connected to something larger than herself. She would have learned from kumu hula (hula teachers) who passed down traditions carefully guarded for generations. Whether she performed for tourists or at cultural events, the work required dedication. It also meant she understood what it took to train, perform, and push through the physical demands of dance—lessons that would later prove useful when Nicole showed her own talent.
Raising Nicole: single parent struggles and resilience
Nicole was born Nicole Valiente, named after her biological father, Alfonso Valiente. He left when Nicole was still a baby. That departure set Rosemary on a path many single mothers know too well: working multiple jobs, stretching every dollar, and making choices between what you want for your child and what you can afford. Raising a daughter alone in Hawaii came with costs that kept climbing.
Eventually, Rosemary made a decision that changed everything. She packed up and moved the family from Honolulu to Louisville, Kentucky. The move wasn’t about adventure. It was about survival and opportunity. Louisville offered a lower cost of living and better job prospects. For Nicole, it meant new schools, new friends, and a jarring shift from island life to the American South. But it also meant stability, something Rosemary fought hard to provide.
Money stayed tight. Rosemary worked as a welder at times, a physically demanding job that paid the bills but left her exhausted. She didn’t have the luxury of helicopter parenting or funding expensive lessons without sacrifice. When Nicole showed interest in performing arts, Rosemary found ways to make it happen, even when it meant going without herself. That kind of resilience doesn’t make headlines, but it builds the foundation for everything that comes later.
Family, remarriage, and the Scherzinger name
Life shifted again when Rosemary met Gary Scherzinger. He became the stability the family needed. Gary didn’t just marry Rosemary; he stepped into a father role for Nicole and later adopted her, giving her the surname that would become famous worldwide. Public records and interviews confirm that Gary’s presence brought financial relief and emotional support that had been missing.
Nicole also has a younger sister, Keala Scherzinger, who shares the same bond with Gary. The blended family dynamic worked, by all accounts. Gary attended Nicole’s early performances and supported her ambitions in ways that mattered. For Rosemary, having a partner meant she could finally exhale a bit. The weight of single parenthood lifted, and the family found its footing.
Gary Scherzinger — stepfather and family anchor
Gary Scherzinger took on the role of father without hesitation. He worked steady jobs and provided the kind of reliable presence that allows kids to dream bigger. When Nicole needed to travel for auditions or training, Gary and Rosemary figured out how to make it happen. His willingness to adopt Nicole speaks to his commitment. Stepfathers don’t always get credit, but in this family’s story, Gary played a part that can’t be ignored.
Private life in public moments
Rosemary doesn’t chase attention, but she surfaces in Nicole’s public life in small, meaningful ways. Mother’s Day posts on Instagram show the two together, often with captions full of gratitude. One post from 2020 featured a photo of Rosemary with the caption celebrating her strength and love. Those glimpses reveal a close relationship built on mutual respect.
Interviews with Nicole occasionally reference her mother’s influence, particularly when discussing work ethic and cultural pride. Nicole has spoken about learning discipline from watching Rosemary juggle multiple jobs and never complain. She’s also credited her mom with keeping her connected to Hawaiian culture, even after moving thousands of miles away. But Rosemary herself stays out of the press, choosing privacy over publicity.
Cultural influence on Nicole’s early training
Rosemary’s background as a hula dancer gave Nicole an early education in performance. Even before formal dance classes, Nicole would have watched her mother rehearse, perform, and embody stories through movement. That exposure matters. Kids absorb more than we realize, and having a parent who treats dance as art rather than entertainment plants seeds.
When Nicole started taking dance classes in Louisville, she already had a foundation. She understood rhythm, storytelling through movement, and the discipline required to master choreography. Teachers noticed her talent quickly, and by her teens, Nicole was performing in local theater productions and competing in talent shows. Rosemary’s influence shows up in Nicole’s stage presence—the way she commands attention without trying, the fluidity in her movement, the respect for the craft.
Nicole’s connection to her Hawaiian roots also comes directly from Rosemary. Despite growing up mostly in Kentucky, Nicole identifies strongly with her Hawaiian heritage. That’s not accidental. It’s the result of a mother who made sure her daughter knew where she came from, even when daily life was consumed with just getting by.
What we know — and what’s only been reported
Some facts about Rosemary Elikolani are well-documented: she’s Nicole’s mother, she was born in Hawaii, she worked as a hula dancer, and she raised Nicole largely as a single parent before marrying Gary Scherzinger. Those details show up consistently across credible sources, including Nicole’s own statements and public records.
Other details are less certain. Specific claims about her Ukrainian or Polish heritage appear in some profiles but lack primary documentation. Exact dates and locations beyond “Hawaii” and “Honolulu” remain fuzzy. Stories about her early life, siblings, or extended family don’t have much public verification. When writing or reading about Rosemary, it’s worth noting what’s confirmed versus what’s been repeated across entertainment sites without clear sourcing. Respecting the difference matters.
Timeline
1978: Nicole Valiente was born in Honolulu to Rosemary Elikolani and Alfonso Valiente.
Early 1980s: Alfonso Valiente leaves; Rosemary raises Nicole as a single parent.
Mid-1980s: Family moves from Honolulu to Louisville, Kentucky, for better opportunities.
Late 1980s/Early 1990s: Rosemary marries Gary Scherzinger, who adopts Nicole; Keala is born.
1990s–2000s: Nicole pursues performing arts with family support; Rosemary remains out of public eye.
2010s–Present: Rosemary appears occasionally in Nicole’s social media posts, particularly on Mother’s Day.
Why Rosemary matters to Nicole’s story
Stars don’t appear out of nowhere. They’re built by years of effort, sacrifice, and support systems most people never see. Rosemary Elikolani represents that hidden foundation. She didn’t have money or connections. What she had was cultural knowledge, physical strength from years of dance, and a refusal to let circumstances define her daughter’s future. She worked jobs that broke her body, moved her family across an ocean, and found a partner who stepped up when it mattered.
Nicole’s success belongs to Nicole, but the path to that success was cleared by a mother who understood what resilience actually looks like. Rosemary taught her daughter to honor her roots, work without complaining, and find strength in cultural identity. Those aren’t lessons you learn in a classroom. They’re passed down through example, in the quiet moments between work shifts and bill payments. Rosemary Elikolani may not seek the spotlight, but her influence lights up every stage her daughter stands on.
