Fergie

It has been three years since a girl named Stacy Ferguson walked into the studio to record the track Shut Up with hip-hop group The Black Eyed Peas, and her life has since changed forever. Though she already had peeped fame as the voice of Sally and Lucy in the cartoon series Charlie Brown, a cast member of Kids Incorporated during her teen years, and a member of the all-female pop trio Wild Orchid, nothing could compare to the slamming success of being recruited by BEP.

Fergie first joined The Black Eyed Peas in 2002, and was on hand when the release of their first disc together, Elephunk, went triple platinum, thrusting the group into the spotlight. The mega-single Let’s Get It Started, earned The Peas their first Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. Two years later the follow-up Monkey Business yielded five Top 40 hits including Don’t Phunk With My Heart and My Humps and has sold over four million copies. Once again, The Black Eyed Peas won the Best Rap Performance for Don’t Phunk My Heart. A few months later, at the 2006 MTV Awards, they won a moon man for best Hip-Hop Video.

Yet, even after selling millions of discs, racking in the awards and touring constantly, Fergie is still not ready to slow down. On her stellar debut The Dutchess, the California native has constructed the perfect pop for musically diverse people. “I listen to everything from pop to reggae, old school hip-hop to soul ballads,” Fergie states. “Even now I can remember how happy I’d be as a kid whenever my parents played Temptations or Smokey Robinson songs on the stereo.” She continues, “This record is the realization of a dream I’ve had since I was seven, it’s almost hard to believe that the time has finally come.” A jamming master-mix of styles, Fergie and her producers (including will.i.am, Polow Da Don and John Legend) have created an album to suit even the most eclectic of tastes.

As the first release off his newly formed will.i.am music group label, BEP’s leader and producer will.i.am is ready to kick start a new music revolution. Indeed, Fergie has nothing but love for the man that helped make her a star. “will is a walking musical encyclopedia. He is not only a wonderful musician, but he can take samples others never even thought about and make them into wonderful songs.”

Case in point would be the vintage Little Richard song (The Girl Can’t Help It) that will flipped into a mid-tempo love song Clumsy that is irresistibly sweet and addictive. “Me and will sat in the studio for two hours just listening to old songs,” Fergie explains. “When I heard the Little Richard beat, I knew we had found the right one. The vibe just worked for us.”

The Dutchess opens with the second single Fergalicious, a quirky rump shaker that introduces the sexy hit maker to folks who have seemingly been sleeping in caves. A blissful romp that utilizes heavy bass and back in the day 808s to create a track that would sound perfect bumping from a custom ride. Fergie says, “When I was younger, I used to go to a club called Studio K and dance for hours to JJ Fad and MC Lyte. Fergalicious is the song I wanted to make, because it has that throwback appeal that reminds me of being in junior high school.”

Leading listeners to the dance floor with groovalistic savvy, is Fergie’s first single London Bridge. The song made history as it bulleted its way up the Billboard Hot 100 chart, reaching the #1 spot in 3 short weeks, the second highest jump ever recorded by Billboard. London Bridge also made its presence known in the digital realm as it topped the iTunes Top 100 songs chart as well.

Teaming with Atlanta beat-master Polow Da Don, the duo created a masterful track that bumps wildly over rowdy rhythms, blaring sirens and catchy hooks. “We had so much fun recording London Bridge, Fergie recalls. “Polow is unafraid to have his music all up in your face. He makes tracks that are aggressive, but also very danceable.” In addition, showing his more chilled out side, Polow also produced the sleek song Glamorous, a track of upper mobility that features Ludacris. “It kills me how clever Ludacris is,” Fergie observes. “All you have to do is listen to him to see that he is fun and deep at the same time.”

Going deep herself, Fergie reveals a rather dark side of her life on the ska influenced “Voodoo Doll.” Over blaring horns and precise percussion, Fergie poetically deals with her former demons. Touching on the subject of drugs, the rock-out of Losing My Ground, produced by Ron Fair and Rob Bolot, is powerful. “Being on crystal meth is like having devils and angels fighting in your head, and the devils usually win.”

Journeying into West Indian riddims is the equally compelling Mary Jane Shoes, which features a rare appearance from reggae queen Rita Marley and the I-Three’s. “When Rita walked into the studio, I just knew that I was blessed,” Fergie remembers of the fateful day the two collaborated. Like a cool island wind, Mary Jane Shoes is as laidback as it is beautiful. “I had read Rita’s autobiography and thought she was an amazing woman. Rita does not work with many artists, so having her on my record was special.”

The Dutchess closes with love song that Fergie recorded with R&B soul man John Legend. Like the theme song to a flick yet to be made, Finally is a sweeping ballad that has a genuine sweetness to it. Featuring Legend’s beautiful piano throughout the piece, Fergie says, “Me and John have been trying to get together for years. This was the last song we recorded, and to me it has the makings of a classic.”

With perfect balance between darkness and light, Fergie delivers a stunning disc that leaves one yearning for more. All hail The Dutchess.