ONCE upon a time there was a little girl named Stacey Ferguson.

 

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the duchess of music - fergie faces the music ... alone

 

She dreamt of being a pop star who would one day release an album that’ll take her on a whirlwind tour of the world.

 

She saw herself playing to sell-out stadiums while fans screamed her name, with a team of make-up artistes and the funkiest clothes constantly at her disposal, plus a team of assistants tending to her every whim.

 

Instead, she landed herself in the now defunct all-girl pop group, Wild Orchids.

 

Once Stacey realised that she had strayed from her initial dream’s path, she pulled all her talent together, found a bunch of hip hopping boys who shared the same goal – and shortened her name to the much cooler Fergie.

 

The year was 2002, and Black Eyed Peas was about to hit the big time.

 

Fast forward to two hugely successful albums (2003’s Elephunk and 2005’s Monkey Business), and Fergie has finally found her groove.

 

And at last, with the recent release of her debut solo album, Dutchess, Stacey ‘Fergie’ Ferguson’s dream has come true.

 

“I’ve been with Black Eyed Peas for a long time now, and we’ve been in concert for four years straight,†Fergie told Buzz during her recent press junket in Tokyo.

 

“Then Will (Black Eyed Peas’ Will.

 

I.

 

Am) wanted to produce my solo album, and that was a dream come true for me.

 

All the bands I’ve been in have made me the artiste I am today.

 

They’re all (Black Eyed Peas members) very proud of me.â€

 

But why fix what ain’t broken? Did the chick in Black Eyed Peas finally get tired of touring with such a high level of testosterone? duchess duchess “That’s funny.

 

Going solo was always the big plan,†she explained, “I’ve always been in bands and now, all the stars have aligned to this point where I could achieve what I’ve always wanted to.

 

It’s been my dream to go solo since I was a little girl.â€

 

She admits that though she’s a seasoned stage star, being on stage now is a bit more scarier without her fellow Peas around her.

 

“I can’t believe I still get nervous now, even more nervous than when I’m with the boys!†she said.

 

“I guess it’s because I know that all eyes are on me now.

 

But I just have to throw myself out there, just jump and go.

 

I try my best to overcome my fears.

 

I have a mini nervous breakdown backstage, breathe, and then go.

 

“I’ve also had to learn how to breathe properly when I sing now because I’m not just singing one part of a song, I’m singing the whole thing.

 

But in order to breathe properly, I have to learn to stand still every now and then on stage … which I’m still working on!†she added.

 

From funky tomboy to glowing duchess, Fergie claims she’s always still searching for her balance in life.

 

“I’ve been a tomboy, a beach girl, I’ve been the sexy girl, and I’m still looking for a way to balance all those things! I’ve even done the punk rocker thing.

 

I’ve gone through many phases.

 

Now I think I’m a little of both – a tomboy duchess.

 

During a photo shoot I might dress up, but if I’m catching a flight somewhere, I’ll wear my tracksuit still.â€

 

As with most females gone solo, Fergie has already started working on a line of skinny jeans, Blend She Jeans featuring Fergie, which are currently only available in Denmark.

 

“I add little things to the jeans that represent me, like I put an LA logo on the pockets and on some hoodies (hooded jackets),†she explained.

 

“We started working on the line about six months ago, and I want to keep it a small thing right now because I have other priorities I need to focus on.

 

Black Eyed Peas are still on our headlining tour.

 

I’ve got my solo album now too, so the jeans line will remain a small thing right now, because whatever I do, I want to be completely focussed on it.â€

 

This self-confessed control freak says she’s so busy nowadays that she hardly has time to keep that sweet body of hers in mint condition.

 

“Right now I’m doing my eight-pound arm weights and I bring those with me wherever I go,†she said, “but generally, hotel gyms across the world are my regime! I’m so busy though that if I get to just do my arm weights, then it’s a good week.

 

I’m not a fitness fanatic.

 

If I’m forced to do anything, I always rebel against it.

 

So I don’t have a personal trainer.

 

I try to do my own push-ups, sit-ups and lunges when I can.â€

 

Fresh from her small role in the hit movie Poseidon, where she played the doomed cruise ship’s in-house singer, she’s about to take on an equally deep and gloomy role in the upcoming Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez combo film, Grindhouse.

 

“I’ve always loved movies with dry and dark humour, and Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez films are fantastic,†she gushed.

 

“And both of them are very hands-on when it comes to working, which is great for a beginner like me.

 

It’s only a small role, but I think that’s appropriate now.

 

“I don’t want to get starring roles just because I’m the ‘chick from Black Eyed Peas’, I want to learn and earn my place in the business.â€

 

One thing she doesn’t have to earn is some time-off, which she’ll soon be getting, but just two days of blissful freedom.

 

“I’ve told everyone not to call me! I’m defi- nitely turning my phones off,†she sighed.

 

“I’m going to do what normal people do: go see a movie, chill at home, go out for dinner, go for a walk, see my boyfriend.

 

I know that’s not what normal people do in two days, but I don’t have much time, so I’m going to overload on normalcy!†After which, any form of a normal life gets thrown out the window as she heads back on tour with the Black Eyed Peas, this time bound for South America.

 

“I’m excited because I get to sing two of my songs during that show, Fergalicious and London Bridge.

 

It’s the Black Eyed Peas tour and I get to perform my own songs, I never thought that was possible, I’m so excited!†Dutchess, with its current hits Fergalicious and London Bridge, is all about her not so smooth rise to the top of the charts.

 

“I didn’t do a lot of collaborations on my debut album because I wanted it to be an album that featured my flavour first.

 

I wanted to introduce myself to the world.â€

 

Ladies and Gentlemen, the duchess has arrived.

Edited April 17, 200718 yr by Dino

Battle of the female fronts

 

Female solo artistes seem to be all the rage – but who’s the hottest among the hot? Here’s our shortlist of favourites:

 

Gwen stefani

 

This ultra cool fashionista first caught our eye with her ska-punk band No Doubt.

 

After a successful slew of hit albums, she decided to get married, go solo, become a mummy and start her own fashion brand, L.A.M.B.

 

With her marriage to fellow rocker Gavin Rossdale, her uber cool bag and clothing line, and a kick-**s solo album that rivals the success of her No Doubt career, Gwen Stefani rocks our world.

 

nicole scherzinger (right) So she found fame as leader of the Pussycat Dolls.

 

But this ex-cabaret singer is not letting her group fame slow her down.

 

Fine, she’s been the dream fantasy girl of every red-blooded man around the world brought to life, and been cursed by too many women to mention for her hot body and sex appeal.

 

Knowing she was on to something good, she’s recently release her debut solo album, His Aphrodisiac’.

 

Who cares what it sounds like if that’s the title, right? fergie Touring for four years straight with the Black Eyed Peas has made Fergie a household name.

 

But she gets our vote for being able to sing the theme to the Malaysia Trully Asia ad campaign to a bunch of Malaysian reporters in a hotel room at the Four Seasons Hotel, Tokyo, Japan.

 

You go, girl, with your hot PR skills!

 

 

fergie’s fun facts

 

Fergie spills the beans on her loves and hates: • I hate it when maids come in when the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign is hanging on the door.

 

It’s there for a reason! After four years of touring and living in hotels, it kind of gets to you.

 

• I always have Crystalite in my fridge, it’s this kind of Cool Aid powder that you put in your drink of water. I trick myself into drinking more water that way because it looks like punch.

 

• The one thing I always have with me when I’m touring is my Blackberry. I call it my sidekick.

 

• The thing that really gets me hot is too scandalous to say! But some colognes really do it for me. Since 7th Grade I’ve been into Drakkar Noir. It was during my junior high days, which goes to show how old I am, but if a guy wore that, I’d go crazy.