The singer was seen leaving Los Angeles with band member Apl.de.Ap earlier this week reportedly en route to London to see will.i.am.
The rapper is in the UK where he is a judge on The Voice and he, Nicole, Apl.de.Ap and other band mate Taboo are believed to have got together to discuss Nicole joining them.
Last summer she and will.i.am shared photos on their Instagram pages of them all together in Los Angeles and heading off to Croatia.
Then, in September, the Sun revealed that Nicole had joined the band in the studio in London to record a song with them.
And in an interview in 2013, Nicole revealed that will.i.am had invited her to join the group in the early 2000s before Fergie came on board.
But Nicole was forced to turn their offer down as she was already under contract with a band called Eden’s Crush, who were formed on the USA version of Popstars in 2001.
Fergie joined the band in 2002 but has been working on her own solo stuff – and being a mum to three-year-old Axl – in 2006.
But US chat show host Wendy Williams said she thought Nicole replacing Fergie would be a bad idea
Speaking on her show yesterday, she said: “They both have the same time of talent.
“I think that Nicole and Fergie possess the same talent and I mean that in a good way,” she continued. “They both sing, they both dance, they’re both world-class beauties and they both speak ‘blackish’.”
But she added: “I think this is a bad idea.”
“Not a bad idea because Nicole’s not talented, because I do think she could do ‘the Fergilicious’, she can sing her behind off and so can Fergie.”
But Wendy advised Nicole against the move because Fergie was ‘the star’ of the band and said it would be like replacing Lauryn Hill in The Fugees with Destiny’s Child’s Michelle Williams.
“Nicole, I’m sorry, I love you dear, but who is going to do Fergilicious if it’s not Fergie?”
