Nicole Scherzinger Spills About New Album and Performing on X Factor!

Exclusive! "I've been through a lot of hard times in my life," the reality TV judge tells us, "and I'm sharing that through my music"

Nicole Scherzinger is getting up from The X Factor judges' table to do some singing and dancing of her own.

Get ready for it!

The former Pussycat Dolls frontwoman exclusively tells me...

She will perform on an upcoming episode of the hit Fox series. Nice!

"I have the song in mind, but I never know if I'm going to change my mind depending on how I'm feeling," she said.

This is just a preview of what's to come for Ms. Scherzinger. The long-awaited U.S. release of her album, Killer Love, is now set for early next year. "I'm so excited," she said. "My fans have been so loyal and just waiting. Obviously I've been waiting to put the album out to make sure that I have the time and the love to promote it."

Tracks range from "really awesome dance" tunes to those that "are really personal," Scherzinger said. "I've gone deeper than I've ever gone...The album's called Killer Love because I'm talking about love, a hard love. It's worth going through if it's meant to be. I've been through a lot of hard times in my life and I'm sharing that through my music."

When we talked, Scherzinger was getting ready to perform at a Jingle Ball concert in Phoenix before jumping on a plane to London for Monday's annual Royal Variety Performance gala. Andrew Lloyd Weber personally invited her to perform two songs from Phantom of the Opera to mark the 25th anniversary of his hit stage musical.

And then it's back to The X Factor. Watching Drew Ryniewicz get cut wasn't easy. It never is. "It breaks my heart and that's why I'm crying, too," she said. "I'm not a judge first—I'm an artist first. I've been there. I know what it's like. I know how devastated she is and how much it means to her."

Scherzinger's prediction for the end? "I want Josh [Krajcik] to go all the way," she said of her remaining Over-30s contestant. "I believe in him so much. I think it's between him and Melanie [Amaro]."