Fergie on ‘The Dutchess’: My music baby turned 20 today

Mumbai, Sep 14
Singer Fergie has marked the 20th year of her debut solo album ‘The Dutchess’, calling it her “music baby” and reflecting on how the record allowed her to express different facets of herself and fulfil a lifelong dream of releasing a solo album.

Fergie took to Instagram, where she shared a string of images from the making of her album and said that little did she know the Dutchess would go beyond all of her wildest dreams.

She wrote in the caption section: "My music baby turned 20 today. Wow. It was my dream since I was a little girl to have a solo album. Little did I know the Dutchess would go beyond all of my wildest dreams, letting me express myself in ways I never thought possible and allowing me to explore different faces of who I am."

"I’ve been reflecting on this era and wearing my hair as tribute to the special whirlwind moment in time where I got to live out all of my dreams come true. Thank you to everyone who helped create this magical album, and to all of you who keep the nostalgia alive. You always make me smile and feel so good inside..

Happy 20th Anniversary, The Dutchess"

The Dutchess was released on September 13, 2006.The album was recorded between The Black Eyed Peas' tour dates in 2005, and the songs were written in the eight years preceding its release.

Fergie wanted to create an autobiographical album that would be more intimate between her and the listener. The Dutchess peaked at number two on the US Billboard 200 and was praised by music critics for its production and Fergie's vocals, but some criticized its lyrics and felt the material was not strong enough for her voice. It has since been considered an influential pop album of the 2000s.

The Dutchess is one of the best-selling albums of the 2000s, propelled by five of its singles which set a number of records. "Big Girls Don't Cry", "Glamorous", and "London Bridge" topped the Billboard Hot 100, and "Clumsy" and "Fergalicious" appeared within the top five.