Having left Wild Orchid in 2001, Ferguson joined The Black Eyed Peas. With The Black Eyed Peas, she enjoyed a series of hits and albums before releasing her debut album The Dutchess, in September 2006 to success. The Black Eyed Peas enjoyed further success with the release of their third album with Ferguson, The E.N.D.; they attained their first string of Billboard Hot 100 number one songs.She began touring in 2009/2010 with her group and she launched her debut fragrance, Outspoken, under Avon in May 2010.
She continued success with The Black Eyed Peas and they released the album The Beginning in November 2010, which featured three singles, including two number one songs.As Ferguson's five solo singles and six singles with the Black Eyed Peas have reached two million downloads in the United States, Ferguson was the artist with most two-million sellers in the beginning of 2011.On September 22, Fergie visited Madame Tussauds for unveiling her wax figure in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Ferguson married actor Josh Duhamel in early 2009 after a five year relationship.
Life and career
1975–1991: Early life and career beginnings
Ferguson was born in Hacienda Heights, California, the daughter of devout Roman Catholic school teachers Theresa Ann (née Gore) and Jon Patrick Ferguson. She is of Irish, Scottish, Mexican (from a great-grandmother), and Native American descent. She was raised Roman Catholic and attended Mesa Robles Middle School and Glen A. Wilson High School. She studied dance and began to do voiceover 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. From 1984 to 1989, she starred on the TV show Kids Incorporated. All that time, she was a cheerleader, straight-A student, and spelling bee champion, as well as a Girl Scout.
1992–2001: Beginnings with 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. By 1992, the girls began meeting with record labels, but they still could not get a recording contract. They eventually signed a music publishing deal with Sony Publishing before signing a record contract with RCA Records in 1994. 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."
Their first single, "At Night I Pray", debuted on the Billboard charts in Fall 1996. In March 1997, Wild Orchid released their self-titled debut album. In September 1998, they released their second album, Oxygen. From June 16 to August 28, 1999, they opened for Cher's Do You Believe? Tour alongside Cyndi Lauper, which took them to 52 cities across the USA and Canada. After completing a third album, their record label declined to release it and Ferguson left the group in September 2001. In a 2006 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Ferguson revealed that both frustrations with the band's image and personal drug problems led her to leave Wild Orchid.
While performing with Wild Orchid, Ferguson developed an addiction to crystal methamphetamine which followed her after she left the group in 2001. In September 2006, Ferguson talked with TIME magazine about quitting her crystal meth addiction. "It was the hardest boyfriend I ever had to break up with," she says. "It's the drug that's addicting. But it's why you start doing it in the first place that's interesting. A lot of it was being a child actor; I learned to suppress feelings." Ferguson has stated in several interviews that she is an avid user of hypnotherapy, which she used to overcome her crystal meth addiction and to relax. At some point prior to 2001, Ferguson dated pop star Justin Timberlake.
2002–2006: Success with The Black Eyed Peas
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| Black Eyed Peas in November 2004 |
The Black Eyed Peas were recording their third album, 2003's Elephunk, when 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.
From Elephunk came "Where is the Love?", which became The Black Eyed Peas' first major hit, peaking at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100, but topping the charts in several other countries. The album subsequently spawned "Shut Up", which topped the charts in many markets. The third single from the album, "Hey Mama" hit top 10 in many European countries and later reached number twenty-three in the US. In 2004, The Black Eyed Peas embarked on the worldwide Elephunk Tour.
Their next album, Monkey Business, was released in June 2005. Monkey Business debuted at number two on the Billboard 200. The album's first single, "Don't Phunk with My Heart", reached number three in the US and earned them a Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. "Don't Lie", the second single from the album, saw success on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching number fourteen. "My Humps", another song from the album, immediately achieved commercial success in the US, reaching number three on the Hot 100 and number one in Australia. In autumn 2005, The Black Eyed Peas set off to tour with Gwen Stefani, as supporting act. In December 2005, they embarked on the "European Tour". In March 2006, The Black Eyed Peas hit the road again as the featured headliner for the Honda Civic Tour.
2006–2008: Solo success and continued acting career
Ferguson's debut solo album, The Dutchess, was released in September 2006. The Dutchess spawned six hits for Ferguson, beginning with "London Bridge", "Fergalicious", "Glamorous", "Big Girls Don't Cry", "Clumsy", and "Finally". 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. On November 18, 2007, Ferguson won the Pop or Rock "Favorite Female Artist" at the American Music Awards. In addition, her song "Big Girls Don't Cry" also earned Ferguson a Grammy nomination for "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance". In December 2007, Blender picked Ferguson as their woman of the year. In 2007, The Black Eyed Peas embarked on the Black Blue & You World Tour, visiting more than 20 countries.
Ferguson returned to acting in 2006, appearing as a lounge singer in the Poseidon remake and later had supporting roles in 2007's Grindhouse and the 2009 musical film Nine filmed in 2008.
2009–present: Marriage, and continued success with The Black Eyed Peas
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| The Black Eyed Peas in February 2009. |
Fergie performing.
Ferguson and Josh Duhamel married in a Catholic ceremony on January 10, 2009, after five years of dating. Ferguson and Duhamel met and began dating in September 2004 when she and the band appeared on Duhamel's show Las Vegas.
The Black Eyed Peas released "Boom Boom Pow" from the album The E.N.D. in late March 2009, it went to number one in the US, making it the group's first chart topper. 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, and staying 14 straight weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, 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 consecutive weeks, from April 18 through October 16. "Meet Me Halfway" was released as the third single from the album in September 2009. The single reached number one in the UK and Australia. It also peaked at seven on the Billboard Hot 100. In October 2009, Ferguson became a part owner of the National Football League's Miami Dolphins. "Imma Be" was released as the fourth single, reaching number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks. "Rock That Body" was then released as the fifth single, and has reached number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100.
She launched her debut fragrance, Outspoken, under Avon in May 2010. The Black Eyed Peas' sixth album, The Beginning, was released on November 30, 2010 and is their fourth studio album to feature her as a member. The first single from the album, "The Time (Dirty Bit)", topped the charts in various countries. In January 2011, she began appearing in Dr Pepper Cherry commercials. The second single from The Beginning was "Just Can't Get Enough", which also topped the chart in various countries and also on the UK Dance Chart. "Don't Stop the Party" was the third single from the album. On September 3, 2011, the group performed a concert in Minot, North Dakota to benefit the victims of the 2011 Souris River flood that damaged over 4,000 homes and displaced over 12,000 people in Minot and along the Souris River.
Filmography
1986 Monster in the Closet Lucy
1998 Outside Ozona Girl
2000 The Gentleman Bandit Zeke's Girlfriend
2005 Be Cool Herself Appeared along with The Black Eyed Peas
2006 Poseidon Gloria
2007 Planet Terror Tammy Visan Robert Rodriguez' half of Grindhouse
2008 Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa Hippo Girlfriend Voice role
2009 Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard Replay Voice role
Nine Saraghina
2010 Marmaduke Jezebel Voice role
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1984–1989 Kids Incorporated Stacy Holds the record for longest running cast member
1984 It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown Sally Brown Voice role
1985 Snoopy's Getting Married, Charlie Brown Sally Brown Voice role
The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show Sally Brown/Patty Voice role
1986 Mr. Belvedere Beth Episode: "Valentine's Day"
1994 Married... with Children Ann Episode: "Nooner or Nothing"
1995 California Dreams Christy Episode: "Tiffani's Gold"
1998–2001 Great Pretenders Herself Hosted with her band Wild Orchid
2003 Rocket Power Shaffika Voice role
2009–2010 The Cleveland Show Jill/Holt's Mother Two characters, season one, episodes 1 and 13
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