The group began as a fictional quartet for the eponymous Disney Channel original musical film, which premiered in 2003.

The film became the highest-rated premiere for a Disney Channel Original Movie at the time and its soundtrack was certified double platinum by the RIAA.

Following the success of the film, members Bailon, Williams, and Bryan began recording as a real vocal group while Symoné opted to focus on solo projects.

The following year, Symoné returned for the sequel film The Cheetah Girls 2 and its platinum certified soundtrack, which would be her final work with the group.

The Cheetah Girls spawned numerous merchandise lines which included clothing, dolls, and video games.

It was based on the best-selling series of young adult books of the same name by Deborah Gregory and was filmed in October and November 2002.

[4] The film starred Raven-Symoné as Galleria, Sabrina Byran as Dorinda, Adrienne Bailon as Chanel, and Kiely Williams as Aquanette.

[5] Upon release, the film was the number one rated basic cable telecast and premiered to 6.5 million viewers, a record for Disney at the time.

[13] A sitcom based on The Cheetah Girls was in development as a potential TV series for ABC in their 2004–2005 season.

ABC was set to put the show into production in early 2004, with discussions also being held to write a role for fellow 3LW member, Jessica Benson.

[16] The group's first release as a trio and recording act was a cover of the Hercules soundtrack song "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)" which appeared on Disneymania 3 in February 2005.

[21] In November, the group contributed a cover of "Shake a Tail Feather" to the soundtrack of the film Chicken Little, which was released as a single in France.

[43] "Fuego" was released as the second single from the album and peaked at number 27 on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play chart.

The group featured young women of various races, backgrounds, and sizes, and also showcased music from cultures around the world.

The Cheetah Girls had comparatively tame choreography and dressed in innocuous clothing, which helped the group gain popularity with tweens and parents alike.

[54] The message in The Cheetah Girls films is that stardom is attainable as long as you remember that your close personal relationships are more important.

[56] Celebrities such as Fifth Harmony,[57] The McClain Sisters,[58] Zendaya,[59] Olivia Holt,[60] Coco Jones[61] and Brittany O'Grady[62] have mentioned The Cheetah Girls as idols or an inspiration.