Nicole Camille Escovedo was born in Berkeley, California, on September 21, 1981. Her biological parents were Peter Michael Escovedo, a member of Lionel Richie's band and brother to '80s pop percussionist Sheila E., and an anonymous backstage assistant.

At the age of 3, for financial reasons, Nicole moved in with her father's bandmate Lionel and his then-wife Brenda Harvey-Richie. Six years later, Richie officially adopted Nicole.

There are plenty of privileges to being raised in affluent circles. Nicole's formative years were spent at Los Angeles' prestigious Buckley School, where she met and befriended Paris Hilton the heir to the Hilton empire.

But money is also often synonymous with the fast lane, and as a teenager Nicole began partying hard and experimenting with drugs and alcohol. Following her high school graduation in 2000, she decided to go to college.

She enrolled in the University of Arizona, the same school as pro basketball player Luke Walton and actress Heather Blair. Nicole dropped out after two years.

At this point, with the influences of her youth still fresh in her mind, Nicole decided to become a musician. She founded the rock band Darling with model Josie Maran and socialite sisters Soleil and Sofia Alberti.

On her own and on the loose, Nicole never broke out of the pattern of her teenage years. In February of 2003, the police pulled her over in Malibu. She was questioned and it was soon discovered she was driving with a suspended license. Upon searching her Mercedes-Benz, police found heroin in the car and Nicole was immediately arrested. She later plead guilty to all charges. Nicole was sentenced to probation and ordered to attend a drug rehabilitation program.

Nicole was first signed on to The Simple Life as a replacement for Paris' sister Nicky, who was approached by FOX executives, but wasn't interested in participating. The show aired in December of 2003 and was successful enough to justify a sequel series, which aired the following summer.

The fame that The Simple Life earned her allowed Nicole to branch out. She made appearances on such shows as Eve (starring rapper Eve), Punk'd, Rock Me Baby, and MADtv. She was cast alongside Julie Bowen in Kids In America, and is still working on breaking into the music industry.