Meet Talent Show Judge, Black Eyed Peas Star Will.I.Am
C Flanigan/FilmMagic Reading Time: 3 minutes
I’m sure you recognized this member of The Black Eyed Peas during the first season of Alter Ego on FOX. If you knew the song “Boom Boom Pow” you know the group I’m talking about. Let’s see how much more you already know about Will.I.Am.
Even though Alter Ego was new to FOX, it is not this celebrity’s first time judging a competition show. He has been seen on The Voice Australia and currently judges on The Voice UK and The Voice Kids. He’s a great judge for these contestants because not only has he been in a band of his own, he’s also a music producer. He’s worked for a bunch of big names in music including Britney Spears, Justin Bieber, and Miley Cyrus.
Will.I.Am’s Music History
Will.I.Am is known for being the founding and lead member of The Black Eyed Peas, but has released four albums on his own. He began his career in 1988 as an eighth grader and even had his first record deal in 1992. He created The Black Eyed Peas in the same year, but at that time they were known as Black Eyed Pods. This group wasn’t always the pop group we now know today, they were originally a hip-hop group and rebranded later in their career.
In 2002, Nicole Scherzinger auditioned to be in Black Eyed Peas, but they instead chose Fergie to add to their group. The “Fergie” era of The Black Eyed Peas is really where they found their pop sound. Their music was described as futuristic and they became one of only 11 artists to have simultaneously held the number-one and number-two spots on the Billboard Hot 100. They earned this honor with songs “Boom Boom Pow” and “I Gotta Feeling.” Their fame earned them a spot as the halftime performer at the Super Bowl in 2011.
Will.I.Am, Taboo and apl.de.ap still remain in The Black Eyed Peas and have recently released a new song. On August 13, 2021 they released “HIT IT,” which features Lele Pons & Saweetie. Even without Fergie, they’ve made sure to keep the futuristic sound to their music. Throughout 2022, the band released various singles including “DOUBLE D’Z,” “FILIPINA QUEEN,” and “GET DOWN.”
