By the time she turned 27, Stacy Ann Ferguson had spent two years as the voice of Sally in animated "Peanuts" features, six years belting out perky, inspirational covers on the children's TV show "Kids Incorporated," 10 years chasing fame as a bottle blonde in the R&B girl group Wild Orchid (think a disco Wilson Phillips) and a year or so conversing with inanimate objects and getting mistaken for a homeless person, the byproducts of a raging addiction to crystal meth.

So when Ferguson--now 35 and better-known as the Black Eyed Peas starlet Fergie--gushes that she's "humbled to accept the Billboard Woman of the Year Award," only the most hardened of critics wouldn't take her at her word.

Video: Highlights from the Dec. 2, 2010 Women In Music event.

Fergie, Jazmine Sullivan, Lea Michele

Honored at Billboard's Women in Music Event

Since Ferguson joined the Black Eyed Peas in 2003, the group - Ferguson, leader Will.i.am, Apl.de.ap and Taboo - has grown into one of the biggest pop acts in the world, a sui generis mash-up of old-school hippie utopianism, new-model global capitalism and avant-bubblegum dancefloor escapism.

Fergie does more than bring her humps to the Peas' world party: Beyond her obvious sex appeal, she grounds the group's far-flung exoticism, broadens its appeal to fellow lady-lump owners and belts out vocal runs with the windblown gusto of a vintage '70s rock god.

On first single "The Time," from the band's new Interscope album "The Beginning," she sings the kitschified Jennifer Warnes line "I've had the time of my life" with wet-eyed sincerity.

"The Beginning" is the Peas' sixth album and the follow-up to "The E.N.D.," which has sold 2.8 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. "The E.N.D." was the first album in two decades by a group to yield five top 10 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, highlighted by "I Gotta Feeling," the best-selling digital song in SoundScan history.

As a solo artist, Fergie's "The Dutchess," released in 2006, became the first debut collection by a female artist since 1990 to generate five top 10 singles.

Beyond music, Fergie has successfully branched out with her Avon fragrance line Outspoken, multiple fashion lines under Fergalicious and an acting career that includes a star turn alongside Kate Hudson and Penelope Cruz in the Academy Award-nominated musical "Nine." She's also been devoted to the cause of breast cancer awareness, taking part in Avon Walk for Breast Cancer events, recording public service videos and more.

"Fergie took the music industry by storm the moment she came onto the scene, and we're thrilled to celebrate her career achievements and incredible successes over the past year by honoring her with the Billboard Woman of the Year Award," Billboard editorial director Bill Werde says. "Fergie is a unique artist with great business savvy, style and an unbelievable dedication to philanthropic efforts, making her an inspiration to aspiring female artists everywhere."

We caught up with Fergie when she was still between shows on the latest globe-crossing Black Eyed Peas tour.

First off, congratulations on being named Billboard's Woman of the Year.

Thank you. It's such an honor for me, I'm humbled.

You're in Brazil right now, correct?

Yes, the Peas are on tour in Brazil. We're doing nine dates here, which I think is the most any American artist has done. My husband [actor Josh Duhamel] is actually here with me. He came out for a week. We had a big Halloween party last night.

What'd you dress up as?

I didn't dress up. I dress up every night in costume, so last night I just threw on a skeleton mask.

Did Josh dress up?

Josh dressed as Taboo. Josh actually won the costume contest. I'm not kidding you, he was Taboo. It was hilarious.

Was Taboo OK with that?

Taboo dressed him. He gave him the costume!

How do the Peas get around Brazil?

This tour is all flights. But I have a tour bus when we're in the U.S.

You have your own bus?

I have my team on one bus, because I don't go out as much as the boys. When I first joined the group I tried to keep up, but I'm a girl and I try to be a lady. I just can't go out as much as the boys do. So I leave at a different time and go to the gym and am responsible. Touring with the Peas is like touring with a big fraternity. I'm lucky, I get to be the little mascot and once in a while go out with the boys and do it up. But I'm all about balance.

Let's talk about the new record. When did you start work on it, and when did you know you were going to put out a record this year?

It just kind of occurred. We have a few DJs who travel with us as well-DJ Ammo and DJ Poet; we've accumulated quite the entourage-and every hotel we're at either Will or Apl is DJ'ing in his room. So now with technology we're able to have recording studios in the hotel room and you can just go from room to room. It's wonderful. We basically did it on the fly. The guys go out-I'm not kidding you-every night, and so we're very much engrossed in what's going on in the club scene. We're always getting ideas because we're constantly around music.

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