O'Day was discovered in 2004 on the MTV reality show "Making the Band 3", founded by Sean "Diddy" Combs, and emerged as the show's breakout star. During Season 2 of "Making the Band 3" while the competition was still ongoing, "Blender" magazine contacted O'Day to pose for their September 2005 issue. The magazine described her as the contestant "who bared calm resolve and tanned hip bones in beating out almost 10,000 girls for the chance at singing and strutting in a P. Diddy–steered girl group". O'Day expressed anxiety about competing to be in the group. "I’ve been in the ‘cut’ situation several times," she stated. "It’s hard to stand in a room and know that the dream I want is all in [Combs’s] hands." O'Day had dropped out of college in order to participate in the competition.