11 November 2014
Newsdesk
It's been eight years since Fergie's last solo album, The Dutchess, and the now-wife of actor Josh Duhamel and mother of 14-month-old Axl is back on the Hot 100 with "L.A. Love (La La)," the first single off her upcoming sophomore solo album, due out in early 2015.
The singer recently talked to Billboard about returning to the charts, the many different influences on the new album and how working with Will.i.Am on her solo stuff differs from collaborating in the Black Eyed Peas.
On whether being a parent influences her songwriting:
I have a couple of song ideas for Axl, but as far as when songs aren't about Axl it doesn't really change much. I'm pretty much the same crazy girl who has listened to NWA all her life. So I don't have any real new boundaries in that way, except the ones I've always had because I'm sassy, but not a slut. I never slept around, but I do like to play with my sexuality.
On who she is working with on the record so far and how those influences are emerging:
What I've divulged so far is that I've been working with Mike Will [Made-It], he's great, he's got a really fresh new urban sound. Then I have Will.i.am, which we do all around the board. He and I can finish each other's sentences. So we've got like seven songs and they are completely all different. Then working with some musicians, which I can't disclose yet, and a few new people...
On working with Will.i.am as a solo artist:
What's great is Will doesn't have the pressure of feeling like he's got to be the captain of the ship, like he does with the Peas. So it's more about my ideas and making those come into fruition as opposed to trying to fit my ideas into this box of the group...Because it's my album it's about him helping me to bring my ideas to life.
