Fergie (singer)
Fergie | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Whittier, California USA |
| Years active | 1988 – present |
Stacy Ann "Fergie" Ferguson (born March 27, 1975 in Whittier, California, USA), is the female vocalist for the Black Eyed Peas. Ferguson is a two-time Grammy Award winner. She joined the Black Eyed Peas in 2003, replacing Kim Hill.
Career
Early life and career
Ferguson began her career in 1983 as the voice of Sally Brown in the Peanuts special It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown. Shortly afterwards, at the age of eight, she made her first appearance on the variety television program Kids Incorporated. During the following five years, Ferguson appeared on over 100 episodes of Kids Incorporated, some of which alongside Renee Sands, with whom she would later reunite in the band Wild Orchid.
In 1993, Ferguson graduated from Glen A. Wilson High School in Hacienda Heights, California.
Wild Orchid and drugs
In 1990 Ferguson became a member of the all-female band Wild Orchid. The group released two albums, but after completing their third album the record label declined to release it. During Wild Orchid, she was a Bongo model, and Guess model and had her own show called "The Great Pretenders", on Fox Family. She left the group shortly thereafter and, according to interviews, sought therapy. She told a Glasgow newspaper: "I started doing Ecstasy. Then I got addicted to crystal methamphetamine. My weight dropped to 90 lb (41 kg). I lied to my friends and said I was bulimic. Finally I started going crazy. In that moment I talked to God and He said: 'I've given you all these gifts, so what are you doing?' I decided to get clean. I told everybody what was wrong." [1]
Black Eyed Peas
Ferguson was a dance floor regular and backup singer at various Los Angeles venues. She met will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas at one of those venues. Ferguson and will.i.am had a number of meetings after shows and, before long, she was invited to join the band in the recording studio. Ferguson replaced background singer Kim Hill, who left the group in 2000. Ferguson recorded five songs with the group before she was invited to join them permanently. She took the stage name "Fergie" and is featured prominently in the group's songs "Don't Phunk With My Heart", "Don't Lie", "Hey Mama" "Shut Up" and "My Humps".
Solo career
Ferguson is embarking on a solo career, but she has said she considers it only a side project and will still continue to record and tour with the band. She has recorded the remake of the song "True" with fellow bandmate will.i.am for the soundtrack to 50 First Dates.
The latest rumor indicates that Fergie's solo album will be titled "Ferglicious" (as said by will.i.am in a recent interview).
Film and television roles
In July 2003, she had a guest role on the Rocket Power special, Reggie's Big Beach Break, on Nickelodeon, voicing a fictitious pop music star named Shaffika.
Ferguson also has a role in the upcoming 2006 film Poseidon, a remake of the 1972 adventure movie, playing a ship entertainer named Gloria. Fergie will sing "I Won't Let You Fall," which she describes as a dramatic power ballad. She wrote the song with will.i.am and other band members.
She will also play an undercover stripper in the sixth season of the HBO drama The Sopranos.
Awards & nominations
| Year | Award |
|---|---|
| 1997 | Billboard Video Music Award nomination for Best Dance Clip of the Year for "Talk To Me" shared with Wild Orchid |
| 1997 | Billboard Video Music Award nomination for Best Dance Clip of the Year by a new artist for "Talk To Me" shared with Wild Orchid |
Trivia
- She is currently dating actor Josh Duhamel, whom she met on the set of television show Las Vegas, but denies rumors of their recent engagement.
- Justin Timberlake dated her before dating Britney Spears.