Singer Fergie was born Stacy Ferguson on March 27, 1975, in Hacienda Heights, California. She started out appearing in commercials and on the cast of Kids Incorporated in 1984. She joined the hip-hop rock band the Black Eyed Peas and their 2003 album, Elephunk, became a hit, driven by singles like "Where Is The Love?" and "Hey Mama." More recently, the band released popular songs such as "My Humps" and "I Gotta Feeling." Fergie's debut solo album, The Dutchess, released in 2006, was also a hit.

Early Life

Born Stacy Ann Ferguson on March 27, 1975, in Hacienda Heights, California, famed singer-songwriter Fergie would go on to become a member of the popular hip-hop/rock group the Black Eyed Peas as well as a successful solo artist.

Fergie started out as an actress, appearing in commercials and doing voice work before joining the cast of Kids Incorporated in 1984. The show featured the members of fictional musical group called Kids Incorporated and gave Fergie a chance to demonstrate her singing ability. It first ran in syndication, and was later acquired by the Disney Channel. Along with Fergie, the program showcased other upcoming performers, such as Jennifer Love Hewitt and Eric Balfour. She stayed with the show for six seasons.

In the 1990s, Fergie joined forces with Stefanie Ridel and formerKids Incorporated cast member Renee Sands (also known as Renee Sandstrom) to form the pop group Wild Orchid. They released their first self-titled album in 1996, which spawned the modest hits "At Night I Pray," "Talk to Me" and "Supernatural." Their 1998 follow-up album, Oxygen, did not fair as well as their initial effort.

Drug Abuse

With her musical career failing take off, Fergie began partying a lot and eventually developed an addiction to crystal methamphetamine, commonly known as crystal meth. She eventually decided to end her hard-partying ways, kicking her drug habit in 2002. In a later interview with TIME magazine, Fergie said that crystal meth "was the hardest boyfriend I ever had to break up with."

The Black Eyed Peas

As she worked on getting her life back together, Fergie joined the Black Eyed Peas, an emerging hip-hop group with a popular following. Her first album with the group was 2003's Elephunk, which became a huge smash driven by several successful singles, including "Where Is The Love?" (which also featured vocals by Justin Timberlake) and "Hey Mama." The group won a Grammy Award for best rap performance by a duo or group for the song "Let's Get It Started"—another hit from Elephunk.

The band, which also includes apl.de.ap, will.i.am and Taboo, have been on the fast track to international success since that career breakthrough. The 2005 follow-up album, Monkey Business, reached the top of the rap, R&B and hip-hop charts, and made it to No. 2 on the Billboard 200. Showing the diverse nature of their music, the group won the Grammy Award for best rap performance for "Don't Phunk With My Heart" in 2005, and the Grammy for best pop performance for "My Humps" in 2006.

The Black Eyed Peas enjoyed another wave of chart success in 2009 with the release of The E.N.D. The recording reached the top of theBillboard album charts helped by such songs as "I Gotta Feeling" and "Boom Boom Pow."

Solo Success

In 2006, Fergie fulfilled a dream she had since her Wild Orchid days - making her own solo album. With The Dutchess, she reached the top of the charts with such hits as "London Bridge," "Glamorous" and "Big Girls Don't Cry." Fergie shows off her ability to handle diverse styles and moods on the recording, from emotional ballads to hip-hop infused dance tracks to songs with reggae-flavored undertones.

In addition to her music, Fergie has recognized for her good looks. She was selected as one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People in the World" in 2004. In 2007, Fergie was featured in a series of advertisements for Candies, a shoes, clothing and accessories company. A big fan of fashion, Fergie has done more than just model. She also inked a deal to design two handbag collections for Kipling North America.

Returning to acting roots, Fergie took on small roles in such films asPoseidon (2006) and Grindhouse (2007). She also appeared in the 2008 musical Nine with Daniel Day-Lewis, Penelope Cruz and Judi Dench.

2009–11: Continued success with The Black Eyed Peas

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 United States, 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 two behind "Boom Boom Pow" to the top spot on July 11, and staying 14 straight weeks at number one on theBillboard 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 United Kingdom 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 one on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks. "Rock That Body" was then released as the fifth single and reached number nine on the Billboard Hot 100.

She launched her debut fragrance, Outspoken, under Avon in May 2010. With Avon she would later release Outspoken Intense in 2011, Viva in 2012 and Outspoken Fresh in 2013. 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 PepperCherry 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. On September 22, Ferguson visited Madame Tussauds for the unveiling of her wax figure in Las Vegas, Nevada.

2012–present: Second studio album

In December 2012, Ferguson confirmed that she had begun writing her second solo studio album. In April 2013, Ferguson received the "Always Next, Forever Now" award from LOGO TV in honor of her work in the LGBT community. Ferguson has filed a claim at the Los Angeles County Superior Court to legally change her name to Fergie Duhamel, taking the last name of her husband Josh Duhamel. Her lawyer claims that she is doing so to "conform to the first name which she is commonly and professionally known as, and has been for many years."

On January 6, 2014, it was re-confirmed that Ferguson was beginning the process of her second studio album. She stated in an interview with Radio host Ryan Seacrest that will.i.am will be handling the production; the album is solely expected to be released by Interscope Records in late 2014.

Personal Life

In January 2009, Fergie wed actor Josh Duhamel. She announced via Twitter that she and her husband are expecting their first child in February 2013, writing: "Josh & Me & BABY make three!"