Fergie says you can just kiss goodbye all those rumours and speculative stories that said she and her Black Eyed Peas would never reunite after she launched her successful solo career in 2006. The plan all along was to get together again, band members told Sun Media's Jane Stevenson. (Stan Behal, Sun Media)

Many people were surprised when Fergie, a hugely successful solo artist after her 2006 debut CD The Dutchess, returned to the the Black Eyed Peas for their just-released album, The E.N.D.

But the 34-year-old singer said that was always the plan. Don't forget it was will.i.am., leader of the L.A. dance/hip-hop/pop quartet, who was executive producer on The Dutchess.

"We knew we were going to make another record, and there was just no question about it -- it's just natural," said Fergie, nestled into a downtown Toronto hotel bar couch Saturday alongside her three bandmates: Taboo, apl.de.ap and late arriving will.i.am.

"It's other people who talk and fabricate and try to create scandal, as if we're breaking up and doing solo projects, but it was never in our conversation."

Turns out, Fergie and the boys made a good call to crank out a disc of high-energy, electronically based dance and hip-hop tunes inspired by will.i.am's clubbing in Australia while he was filming Wolverine.

The E.N.D., which stands for The Energy Never Dies, debuted this month at No. 1 in both Canada and the U.S. and has spawned two No. 1 singles in both countries: Boom Boom Pow and I Gotta Feeling.

"It feels insane, it feels surreal right now," Fergie said. "The stars are aligning and we're so blessed because we could have put out a record and it could have done nothing, so we're very appreciative of the position that we're in right now."

Said apl.de.ap: "I think people kind of missed us, since we've been gone for a while."

"We missed us," added Fergie. "It's so organic and natural and fun. We have a good time on stage, just laughing. I've got my team up there. That's why it's a different animal being in a solo project and then doing the group project. For my solo stuff I'm used to calling the shots. I can cut songs. I know exactly what I want and it just happens. But in a band, it's more Will who is the captain, and he's the one who makes those calls basically. But really, I'm not a control freak. I don't have to be in control of everything. It's nice to lean on your friends."

The band's previous album, 2005's Monkey Business, brought the group two Grammy Awards. No matter how many awards this one garners, the intention with the music on The E.N.D. is to entertain.

"It's definitely providing an escape to this environment," will.i.am said. "People are losing their jobs, people are losing their homes. But we've, all of us, had our ups and downs with money. We've been in times of our life where we've had no money but we've still had some of the best times of our life. So this album is for that. It's about having good times. Us getting back together. That's all we really wanted to do because we're old friends."

The Peas, who have sold 26 million albums worldwide, all said performing the new tunes from The E.N.D. felt good.

"Because with new songs, you're just kind of getting your feet wet and it's not like it's ingrained in your head, like you've been performing it for a year," said Fergie, who married her longtime sweetheart and actor Josh Duhamel (Transformers, Vegas) earlier this year.

The Black Eyed Peas will embark on their biggest world tour yet, starting in Japan in September -- "The end of tours," will.i.am said, joking.

No Canadian dates have been scheduled yet.

Music is the priority for all four band members right now, although Fergie just shot the film adaptation of the stage musical Nine in London, opposite an all-star cast including Daniel Day Lewis, Nicole Kidman, Judi Dench and Sophia Loren.

"It was a good break from touring," she said. "But I'm not even reading scripts right now because I don't even want to put anything more on my plate, because this is enough. We are living and breathing this album right now."