Stacy "Fergie" Ferguson
Stacy Ann Ferguson (born March 27, 1975 in Whittier, California, best known by her stage name Fergie, is an American pop and R&B singer, songwriter, and actress.
She is a former member of the kids' TV series Kids Incorporated, and the girl group Wild Orchid. She also used to be a co-host of the TV show Great Pretenders. Ferguson is currently a vocalist for the hip hop group The Black Eyed Peas, and also a multi-platinum Solo artist; releasing her first solo album, The Dutchess, in 2006.
Biography
Early life
was born on March 27, 1975, in Whittier, California. She was raised near Hacienda Heights. Her parents, Patrick Ferguson and Terri Gore, encouraged her and younger sister Dana to pursue careers in entertainment.
Fergie began her career in 1983 as the voice of Sally Brown the Peanuts cartoon The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show, as well as on two specials: It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown (1984) and Snoopy's Getting Married, Charlie Brown (1985).
By 1984, at the age of eight, she made her first appearance on the variety television program Kids Incorporated. During the following five years, Fergie appeared on over 100 episodes of Kids Incorporated, along with Jennifer Love Hewitt, Martika, and Renee Sandstrom, with whom she would later reunite in the band Wild Orchid. She also appeared in the horror comedy movie Monster in the Closet in 1983.[1]
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 was a co-host of the tv show Great Pretenders, with Wild Orchid 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." [2]
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
Fergie always wanted to be a solo singer. After two hit Black Eyed Peas albums, she decided to embark on a solo career. However, she has said she considers it only a side project and will still continue to record and tour with the band.
Her first album was released on September 19, 2006, entitled The Dutchess. It was named (although mispelled) after Sarah "Fergie" Ferguson, the Duchess of York, with whom she shares a surname and popular nickname.
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.
In March 2005, Fergie was cast as Stevie Wayne (the role originated by sex symbol Adrienne Barbeau) in the update of John Carpenter's The Fog. She would later back out due to creative differences. Luckily for her, the movie was a flop.
Ferguson also had a role in the 2006 film Poseidon, a remake of The Poseidon Adventure, playing a ship entertainer named Gloria. Fergie sang "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.
In an episode of The Sopranos she played an undercover stripper.
Ferguson is also due to appear in the feature film Grind House.
Trivia
- She is currently dating actor Josh Duhamel, whom she met on the set of television show Las Vegas. She made an appearance in the episode titled "Montecito Lancers."
- She is featured as No. 36 on Maxim's Hot 100 list for 2006.
- Justin Timberlake dated her before dating Britney Spears.