The Dutchess is the debut studio album by American singer Fergie. It was released on September 13, 2006, by A&M Records and the will.i.am Music Group as her first solo album since the break from her band The Black Eyed Peas. The album was recorded between The Black Eyed Peas' tour in 2005, and the songs were written throughout the last 8 years that preceded its release. While developing the album, Fergie wanted to create an autobiographical album that would be more intimate between her and the listener. By doing so, the album experiments with different music genres, including hip-hop, reggae, punk-rock, pop, and soul. Lyrically, The Dutchess has themes about love and critics, while also dealing with her drug abuse and addiction.