Fergie (singer)

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Fergie
Fergie in Paris on June 25, 2009
Background information
Birth name	Stacy Ann Ferguson
Born	March 27, 1975 (1975-03-27) (age 34) Hacienda Heights, California
Origin	Whittier, California, U.S.
Genres	Pop, R&B, hip-hop
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, rapper, actress, fashion designer
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1984–present
Labels	A&M, Interscope, will.i.am music group
Associated acts	Wild Orchid, Black Eyed Peas, will.i.am
Website	Fergie.com

Stacy Ann Ferguson (born March 27, 1975),^[1] better known by her stage name Fergie, is an American singer-songwriter, fashion designer, actress, and part-owner of the Miami Dolphins.^[2][3] She was a member of the children's television series Kids Incorporated, and the girl group Wild Orchid. Ferguson was also a co-host of the television show Great Pretenders. She is the female vocalist for the hip hop/pop group the Black Eyed Peas, as well as a solo artist, having released her debut album, The Dutchess, in September 2006. The album spawned five Billboard Hot 100 Top 5 singles (three of which went to number one) making The Dutchess the seventh album from a female artist to spawn five Top 5 hits.^[4]

Early life

Ferguson was born in Hacienda Heights, California, the daughter of Terri Jackson (née Gore) and Patrick Ferguson.^[5] Her parents are of Mexican, Irish, Scottish and Native American descent.^[6][7] The daughter of devout Roman Catholic school teachers, she was raised in that faith and attended Mesa Robles Middle School and Glen A. Wilson High School.^[8] She studied dance and began to do and voice-over work, providing the voice for Sally in two made-for-television Peanuts cartoons, (It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown, 1984, and Snoopy's Getting Married, Charlie Brown, 1985) as well as on four episodes of The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show.^[9] From 1984 to 1989, she starred on the TV show Kids Incorporated. All that time, she was a cheerleader, straight-A student and a spelling bee champion,^[8] as well as a Girl Scout.^[10]

Acting career

As a child actress, Ferguson was on the television program Kids Incorporated for several years with her TV sister Renee Sands, who became a fellow member of Wild Orchid. Ferguson was the voice of Sally Brown in two Charlie Brown specials: It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown (1984) and Snoopy's Getting Married, Charlie Brown (1985). She played Ann in the episode of Married... with Children, "Nooner or Nothing" (1994).

In 2003, Ferguson had a guest role on the Rocket Power special, Reggie's Big Beach Break, on Nickelodeon; she voiced a pop music star named Shaffika. In March 2005, casting for Revolution Studios's big-budget remake of John Carpenter's The Fog was underway. Ferguson was set to return to acting in the role of lighthouse radio deejay Stevie Wayne (a part originated by Adrienne Barbeau). A last minute conflict arose, preventing her contract from closing, and Ferguson left the project.^[11] The role eventually went to Selma Blair. Ferguson finally returned to acting in 2006, appearing as a lounge singer in Wolfgang Peterson's remake of The Poseidon Adventure. She later appeared in 2007's Grindhouse. She has a supporting role in the 2009 musical film, Nine.

Music career

(1991–2001) Wild Orchid

Ferguson was a member of the female trio Wild Orchid, which she fronted with Stefanie Ridel and fellow Kids Incorporated star Renee Sandstrom. Wild Orchid released two albums, but after completing a third album, their record label declined to release it, and she left the group shortly thereafter.

(2003–present) The Black Eyed Peas

Ferguson with fellow Black Eyed Peas member apl.de.ap.

The Black Eyed Peas were recording their third album, 2003's Elephunk, when William Adams (will.i.am) invited Ferguson to try out for a song called "Shut Up". She got the gig and instantly bonded with the trio, going on to record five additional songs on the album.

The following spring, shortly before Elephunk came out, Interscope chairman Jimmy Iovine offered Ferguson a permanent spot to take over vocal duties and fill the void left by background singer Kim Hill's departure in 2000.

After releasing her debut solo album, she and the Black Eyed Peas in late March 2009 released their song "Boom Boom Pow" from the album The E.N.D., which went to number-one in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts,^[12][13] the group's first chart topper.^[12] They subsequently released a second single from the album, "I Gotta Feeling", which proved an even greater success than the first, moving from number 2 behind Boom Boom Pow to the top spot on July 11,^[13] and staying 14 straight weeks at number-one on the Billboard Hot 100,^[14] the longest stay at the top of 2009. The two hit singles back to back kept the Black Eyed peas on the top for 26 conecutive weeks, from April 18 through October 16.

When Adams was asked to sum up his bandmates, he called Ferguson the "body" of the group.^[8]

(2006–present) Solo career

After two successful Black Eyed Peas albums, Ferguson began pursuing a solo career. She recorded two songs for the Poseidon soundtrack and performed "Auld Lang Syne" in the film.

Her debut solo album, The Dutchess, was released on September 19, 2006.^[15] The album's name is a misspelled variant of the title of Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, with whom Ferguson shares a surname and popular nickname. The album is similar in style to that of the Black Eyed Peas, as fellow Peas member will.i.am is the album's executive producer.

The Dutchess, a mix of pop and R&B songs, spawned six hits for Ferguson, beginning with "London Bridge", "Fergalicious", "Glamorous", "Big Girls Don't Cry", "Clumsy", and "Finally". "Big Girls Don't Cry" became Ferguson's first worldwide number-one single, and is her most successful single to date. Ferguson scored her fifth consecutive Top 5 hit from The Dutchess after "Clumsy" reached a peak position of number five on the Billboard Hot 100.

Ferguson before a Black Eyed Peas concert at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania in 2004.

In addition to promoting her albums and singles, Ferguson appeared at Wembley Stadium on July 1, 2007, performing "Glamorous" and "Big Girls Don't Cry" in a concert for the late Princess Diana put on by her two sons Prince William and Prince Harry; the DVD of the concert was released November 5, 2007.

On November 18, 2007, Ferguson won the Pop or Rock "Favorite Female Artist" at the American Music Awards.^[16] In addition, her song "Big Girls Don't Cry" also earned Ferguson a Grammy nomination for "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance", which she lost to Amy Winehouse. In December 2007, Blender picked Ferguson as their woman of the year.^[17]

During the 2008 broadcast of Idol Gives Back, Ferguson also performed with Ann Wilson of Heart. The two (with Nancy Wilson on guitar) performed "Barracuda".^[18]

The song "Labels or Love" was recorded for the Sex and the City movie soundtrack. In an Entertainment Weekly interview, director and writer Michael Patrick King stated that "it’s an entirely new song with lyrics, but it has the Sex and the City theme as the DNA — on steroids.”

Ferguson has also appeared on Nickelodeon's show Dance on Sunset. Ferguson has recently released an EP for download on iTunes featuring unreleased singles. The CD version was released on May 27, 2008.

Ferguson collaborated with Japanese singer Kumi Koda on the song "That Ain't Cool". "That Ain't Cool" was featured on Kumi's single "Moon", released on June 11, 2008. The single debuted at number two on the Oricon Weekly Single Charts.^[19] She also performed a "duet" with Michael Jackson (her vocals mixed with Jackson's 1982 recordings), "Beat It 2008" on Thriller 25, the 25th anniversary release of Jackson's iconic album Thriller.^[20] She also headlined the New Year's Eve party held at The Venetian and The Palazzo casinos in Las Vegas, Nevada on December 31, 2008.^[21]

Ferguson will sing on Slash's solo album Slash & Friends to be released in February 2010.^[22] She also sings a version of "Paradise City" as a bonus track on Slash's first single Sahara to be released on November 11, 2009 in Japan.^[23]

According to an interview by Ahlan! Live.com, Ferguson is currently making a movie, Nine in London, directed by Rob Marshall and also starring Judi Dench, Nicole Kidman, Kate Hudson, and Daniel Day Lewis. She also stated in the interview that her only present music project is one with the Black Eyed Peas; the band joined her in London to record. After London she is due to give a concert in Dubai.^[24]

Personal life

She was involved with Justin Timberlake prior to 2001. ^[25] Ferguson and actor Josh Duhamel met and began dating in September 2004^[26] when she and her band appeared on Duhamel's show Las Vegas (in an episode titled "Montecito Lancers", which aired on November 1, 2004). The two married on January 10, 2009.^[27] Ferguson and Duhamel live in Brentwood, California.^[28]

In April 2007, she gave an interview in which she admitted that she went on a sex and drugs spree when she turned eighteen, saying: "I have had lesbian experiences in the past. I won't say how many men I've had sex with — but I am a very sexual person."^[29] In December 2007, when asked "Bisexuality and homosexuality are often either frowned or mocked upon in certain circles. Does that bother you?", she replied "No, it doesn’t bother me. I'm just me."^[30] In May 2009, Ferguson stated that she is bisexual.^[31]

Ferguson has stated in several interviews that she is an avid user of hypnotherapy, which she uses to stave off drug cravings and to relax.^[32]

Selected filmography

Discography

Awards and nominations

Ferguson at the 2007 MuchMusic Video Awards.

**There were not any 2007 Billboard Music Awards, therefore top awards were mentioned via year-end charts.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Fergie

• Official website
• Stacy Ferguson at the Internet Movie Database