The album includes collaborations with Nicki Minaj, YG, Rick Ross, and Fergie's son Axl Jack.

(2009) and The Beginning (2010) from 2009 to 2011, Fergie decided to take a break from the group to concentrate on her solo career,[5] mentioning that she had begun writing on her own for her second studio album – a follow-up to The Dutchess (2006) – although she didn't want to "rush anything out.

"[6] She made her comeback as a solo artist in June 2013 with the song "A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (All We Got)", which was included on the soundtrack of Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby (2013).

This was followed by an announcement that the singer was in the beginning stages of recording her sophomore solo set in January 2014, scheduled for an early 2015 release.

She stated in an interview with radio host Ryan Seacrest that the Black Eyed Peas bandmate and longtime collaborator will.i.am would be handling the production.

Amid moderate success and mixed reactions to the single, work on the album continued, with Mike Will Made It, RoccStar and Philip "Hardwork" Constable all expected to be involved.

In the meantime, Fergie's husband Josh Duhamel slipped in an interview that the album would be titled Double Dutchess and most likely be out in March of that same year.

[19] Fergie revealed she had gotten off to Paris and London to shoot art for the album and had shot several videos to coincide with the launch.

One of the directors for these videos was Ben Mor, who had worked with the singer previously on the visuals for "I Gotta Feeling" and "Don't Stop the Party".

In announcing the signing, the label's executive vice president Jon Cohen stated: “What Fergie has put together with Double Dutchess is so inventive it redefines her as an artist.

When putting the record together, Fergie was influenced by Amy Winehouse, Jhené Aiko, Ed Sheeran, Robert Plant, Guns N' Roses and old-school rap artists.

"[35] After giving birth to first son Axl Jack in August 2013, Fergie felt very motherly and casual, far from the tomboy-ish persona the public had come to know with the Black Eyed Peas and her first solo record.

Lyrically, the album touches on a variety of empowering, emotional and fun themes, such as motherhood, inner strength, relationships and her former meth addiction.

Fergie immediately started to follow him around with her phone secretly on recorder until she got a take that was decent and usable, and it ended up on the final version of the track.

[39][40] In one of the lyrics for "A Little Work", the album's most powerful song as described by Fergie,[36] she sings "I'm gonna rip it open and show the world what's there," as she explains: “It's not all pretty all the time.

[45] On October 24, 2017, Fergie performed "A Little Work" on The Talk, later on, the song was announced as the album's fifth North American single on Beats 1.

[54] Allan Raible from ABC News stated in his review: "She's a shape shifter with a fun new album", adding: "On her own, Fergie remains a versatile, exciting performer, further establishing her growing clout as an entertainer.

"[55] Alexa Camp of Slant Magazine stated in her review: "Lyrically, the songs on the album rely heavily on braggadocious hip-hop tropes.

$' is an aggro party track that finds Fergie splitting rapid-fire verses about the size of her bank account and her supposed ability to run the club.

Conversely, tracks like 'Just Like You' and 'A Little Work' find a happy medium between hard and soft, with heavy beats, melodic pop hooks, and lyrics that aim to empower rather than boast.

A handful of Caribbean-flavored songs, including the trap-house-infused 'Enchanté (Carine)' and the breezy 'Love Is Blind', further elevate Double Dutchess, lending a fresh, modern twist to what too often feels like an old game.

"[58] In The Guardian's review, Tara Joshi stated: "Double Dutchess is fun and gloriously confident, cementing Fergie's place in pop royalty.