From contemporary Christian starlet to mainstream MTV darling, singer-turned-actress Jessica Simpson has seen her popularity spread like a firestorm following the success of her 1999 major-label debut, Sweet Kisses. In the years that followed, Simpson's fledgling career would continue to gain momentum with a series of television appearances including a recurring role in the popular sitcom That '70s Show. After starring alongside husband Nick Lachey in the popular MTV reality series Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, it seemed that the stage diva might finally be setting her sights on Hollywood when it was announced that Simpson beat out teen-idol rival Britney Spears to land the coveted role of Daisy Duke in the eagerly anticipated feature-film version of The Dukes of Hazzard.
Born and raised in Dallas, TX, the future superstar realized her calling early on in life, and after making a strong impression on her church choir, Simpson soon gathered the courage to audition for a featured role on The Mickey Mouse Club revival show MMC. Though Simpson was turned down for the role that was eventually filled by Spears and later Christina Aguilera, the determined songstress was discovered the following summer by the head of a Contemporary Christian music label and spent the next three years crafting her debut album. When the small label folded before Simpson's freshman effort was released, the young singer's grandmother showed faith in her granddaughter's talent by putting up the funding needed for a small pressing, and Simpson's popularity on the CCM scene boomed. Signing to Sony shortly thereafter, Simpson found strong crossover appeal with the release of her major label debut, Sweet Kisses in 1999. Released the same year as both Spears' and Aguilera's wildly successful debut albums, Sweet Kisses allowed Simpson to finally achieved pop superstardom alongside two of the biggest rising stars on the pop music scene.
After Simpson married 98° singer Nick Lachey in the fall of 2002, her star continued to rise when the couple appeared in MTV's Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica the following year. Coming on the heels of a series of successful television guest appearances, Simpson's lovably ditzy onscreen persona and conventional beauty in Newlyweds showed remarkable potential for a successful career in film and television in addition to her already established role as a pop superstar. By the time Simpson was signed to appear in the big-screen adaptation of the popular 1980s television series The Dukes of Hazzard, audiences were already familiar with her likeable onscreen presence, and her winning combination of blonde beauty and playful innocence made her the perfect choice to fill the Daisy Dukes of the character whose name has since become synonymous with the popular cutoff jean shorts of that era. Subsequently cast as a bombshell cashier whose habit of only dating employees bestowed with the titular honor spraks a bitter competition between two male rivals in the 2006 comedy Employee of the Month.
Simpson next returned to reality TV, but this time as a host. She would find success with her 2010 series Jessica Simpson: The Price of Beauty, in which she traveled the globe interviewing peope from various cultures and backgrounds about various perceptions of beauty and attractiveness.
Simpson publicly dated Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo in 2007. She later began seeing former NFL player Eric Johnson in 2010. The couple announced they were expecting their first child in 2012. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Born on July 10, 1980, in Richardson, TX; daughter of Joe (a psychologist/youth minister) and Tina Simpson; married Nick Lachey (a singer), 2002.
Began singing as a child in church, 1985; auditioned for The Disney Channel's New Mickey Mouse Club, 1992; signed to Proclaim Records, 1995; label folds, Jessica is self-released, 1995; gained popularity on Christian music circuit, sharing bills with Kirk Franklin, CeCe Winans, and God's Property; 1995-97; signed to Sony Music, 1997; toured with 98 Degrees, 1999; released Sweet Kisses, 1999; released Irresistible, 2001; married Nick Lachey, singer in 98 Degrees, 2002; with Lachey, starred in reality television show Newlyweds on MTV, 2003-04; released In This Skin, 2004.
Addresses:Record company—Sony/Columbia Records, 550 Madison Ave., New York, NY, 10022-3211. Website—Jessica Simpson Official Website: http://www.jessicasimpson.com.
Singer
Jessica Simpson is an accomplished singer whose impressive vocal ability, commitment to faith, and accessible image have transformed her from talented religious teen to certifiable pop star and actress within a few short years. Armed with three favorable records, a successful reality television show and a solid following, the young songstress has blossomed into a respected woman who upon adulthood has taken her career into all new heights, adding acting, writing, and business ventures to her resume. Additionally, her strong moral convictions and positive attitude have made her a notable role model to teen girls. Boasting a reported five-octave range and vocally likened to Mariah Carey, Simpson has made a niche for herself in popular music and pop culture.
Simpson was born on July 10, 1980, in Richardson Texas, an affluent suburb north of Dallas. Her father was both a psychologist and a youth minister, and from an early age, the young Southerner was instilled with a strong sense of faith. Simpson's first singing experiences were in church, participating in musicals and singing in the choir. By the age of eleven, she had already begun performing publicly on the gospel circuit. "I did dance classes, went on to dance competitions—that's what I did as a little kid. I was definitely into the whole performance thing." Despite her obvious abilities, the budding singer suffered a large disappointment at the beginning of her career that could have threatened it but instead reinforced her direction.
In 1992, The Disney Channel's New Mickey Mouse Club was holding open-call nationwide auditions, seeking just the right "mouseketeers." Simpson appeared at a regional audition in Dallas and was selected out of more than 30,000 other contestants as a finalist for a cast position. Ultimately, however, she was denied access into this exclusive club. Simpson was admittedly intimidated by her competition, which included more seasoned youngsters such as Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and young heartthrob Justin Timberlake, who went on to become a member of boy band 'N Sync. The Texas preteen failed to display the confidence she needed to be on television. "They said I couldn't work in front of a camera. But that's when I knew that I had the potential and really wanted it," she explained to Tiger Beat in 1999.
Although disappointed, Simpson was encouraged by her close-knit religious family to diligently pursue her dream to become a singer and not to give up. According to the teen crooner, "I would have definitely quit after The Mickey Mouse Club if it wasn't for my family, because I was so depressed and it hurt," she explained to the Dallas Texas Weekly. "You know as a 12 year old, it really hurts to be that close to something and not get it."
Simpson's persistence soon paid off. In 1993 at age 13, Simpson was discovered while singing at church camp and was quickly thereafter signed to fledgling gospel label Proclaim Records. She had been spotted belting out an a capella version of "Amazing Grace" by the camp's guest speaker who was in the process of launching the label. The youngster invested a great deal of effort working on the record, acquiring songs and developing her voice. Unfortunately, by the time her first album Jessica was completed, the label folded, leaving Simpson with an unreleased record and yet another disappointment.
The teenager's grandmother bankrolled Jessica, and Simpson and her minister father hit the Christian music circuit. Joe Simpson would speak to the kids and Jessica would be the featured musical performer. Afterward, Jessica would sell her self-released album to moved listeners. Simpson became popular on the circuit and proceeded to open for such well-known spiritual performers as CeCe Winans, Kirk Franklin, and God's Property.
Despite the fact that she was successful on the faith-based circuit, Simpson, who holds strong religious and moral convictions, longed for a larger audience. "I trust that every step I take is under God's control," she explained in the Dallas Texas Weekly. "I knew that I would get a bigger audience by doing the secular, and I have more of an opportunity to be a positive role model." In order to help their daughter make this transition, the Simpson family hired entertainment attorney Tim Medlebaum, who proceeded to set up nine record label meetings for the budding singer. Simpson did the nine showcases in two days. Her magic star-launching moment, however, occurred after meeting legendary Sony Music executive Tommy Motolla (who is the ex-husband of Mariah Carey). Simpson sang for Motolla and was signed on the spot. The music business legend, who was aware of Jessica's background, was surprisingly accepting. "I was determined that I be able to stay who I am if I signed to a non-Christian music label," Simpson explained to Billboard magazine, "and when I met with Tommy Mottola, he was genuinely impressed with my beliefs and was completely supportive."
Sweet Kisses, Simpson's major-label debut, arrived in stores in 1999. The album contained catchy ballads and pop tunes all emphasized by the singer's expressive vocal ability. According to Billboard, "the lovely Simpson … has the soulful pipes to go the platinum distance." Sweet Kisses lended the song "Did You Ever Love Somebody" to the soundtrack for the popular teen television show Dawson's Creek. It was also promoted heavily by Columbia Records. The album climbed up the charts to eventually reach platinum status. Simpson, well on her way to becoming a major star, toured both before and after the record's release, opening for well-known artists such as Latin pop star Ricky Martin and boy band 98 Degrees. She eventually developed a romantic relationship with 98 Degrees singer Nick Lachey.
Simpson shortly found herself a major player in the teen pop arena, sharing chart space and magazine covers with other female hit makers including Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Mandy Moore. The Texas-born vocalist was able to distinguish herself by both exercising her talent and presenting a sexy, though wholesome image. Simpson maintains a very public stance on abstinence and works hard to be a role model for teen girls. This was evidenced when she turned down the lead in the film Coyote Ugly in 2000 after finding out a particular sex-inclusive scene conflicted with her values. As she explained in the January 2001 issue of YM magazine, "I talk about how I am going to stay a virgin until I'm married, and then my fans would see this movie and be like, 'She's totally contradicting herself.'"
In 2001, Simpson released her sophomore effort entitled Irresistible, a more sophisticated record which showcased the singer's vocal ability as well as a solid group of songs contributed by notable outside writers. The June 16, 2001, edition of Billboard described Irresistible as "a great step forward for youth pop and sure footing for this glamorous talent." Undoubtedly her audience felt the same way. Irresistible landed in the Billboard top ten within a month of its release.
In 2003, Simpson recorded her third album, In This Skin. By this time, her relationship with 98 Degrees' vocalist Nick Lachey had evolved into a marriage, which sparked a more mature Simpson. That real life experience resulted in a collection of songs wholeheartedly sung by a young woman instead of an inexperienced teenager. It also marked her first foray into songwriting. After a short cameo on the television sitcom That '70s Show, MTV approached Simpson and her husband to create a documentary show that followed the couple around through their first years of marriage. When Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica hit the air in August of 2003, few beyond the age of 14 knew of the pair's musical careers. Half way through the first season however, millions of viewers not only began to know who Simpson was, but began quoting the flighty phrases for which she has since become famous for. Smartly so, Simpson's record company wanted to capitalize on the newfound success of the TV show and subsequently re-released In This Skin in 2004 with additional bonus tracks, including a cover of "Take My Breath Away," originally done by 1980s group Berlin for the Top Gun film soundtrack.
Simpson's penchant to confuse everyday objects and her naivete to ponder them out loud—one of her most famous queries included when she asked Lachey if her Chicken of the Sea tuna was either chicken or tuna—solidified Simpson as a sweetheart bimbo that American couldn't help but love. She even made fun of her ignorant manner in the video for In This Skin 's "With You." It was this somewhat ditzy personality that made Simpson a mega star in 2004. Simpson knows what she's doing and the singer has always been confident of her intelligence. "I think there's a difference between ditzy and dumb. Dumb is just not knowing. Ditzy is having the courage to ask!" Simpson told Seventeen.
Simpson's stardom didn't stop with a number of chart topping singles, including "Sweetest Sin," an openly sensual ballad penned by Diane Warren with an equally sexual video. Simpson, like many pop stars today, expanded her empire to include business ventures such as Dessert, an edible perfume and cosmetic line. She will also make her feature film debut playing Daisy Duke in the big-screen version of The Dukes of Hazzard.
Selected discography Sweet Kisses, Sony, 1999. Irresistible, Sony, 2001. In This Skin, Sony, 2003. Rejoyce: The Christmas Album, Sony, 2004.
Sources
Periodicals Billboard, December 4, 1999. CosmoGirl, December 1999/January 2000; March 2001. Dallas Texas Weekly, September 9, 1999. Entertainment Weekly, September 24, 1999. Fort Worth Star Telegram, August 22, 1999. Jump, October 1999. Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service, September 15, 2004. Lansing State Journal (Lansing, MI), April 15,1999. McGregor Mirror and Crawford Sun, August 26,1999. News Journal (Daytona Beach, FL), September 8, 1999. Popstar!, September/October 1999. Post Star (Glen Falls, NY), October 16, 1999. Redbook, March 2004. Request, December 1999. Rolling Stone, August 31, 2000. 16 Magazine, December 1999. Teen, July 2000. Teen People, October 2000. Teen Vogue, Fall 2000. TigerBeat, December 1999; June 2001. TV Guide, May 13, 2000. Twist, June 2000. Wichita Eagle (Wichita, KS), May 30, 1999. WWD, August 12, 1999. YM, January 2001.
Online "Jessica Simpson," Seventeen.com,http://www.seventeen.com/ (November 1, 2004). Jessica Simpson Official Website, http://www.jessicasimpson.com (November 2, 2004). Additional information was provided by Columbia Records publicity materials, 2001.
Although Jessica Simpson dabbled in film, reality TV, and eventually contemporary country music during the 2000s, she is best known as a dance-pop vocalist who rose to fame in the late '90s alongside such teenaged acts as 98°. Simpson was born and raised in Dallas, TX, where she began her performing career as a member of her church choir; at 12, she also auditioned unsuccessfully for The Mickey Mouse Club. While attending church camp the following summer, Simpson was discovered by the head of a tiny contemporary Christian music label and spent the next three years recording her debut album. However, the label folded before Simpson's record could be released, although a small pressing was eventually funded by her grandmother. Nevertheless, the teen became a hit on the Christian Youth Conference circuit, where she shared bills with Kirk Franklin, God's Property, and CeCe Winans.
Seeking to expand her popularity in the secular market, Simpson later signed to Sony and toured in support of the boy band sensation 98°. Teen pop was in full swing, and Simpson released her well-timed debut album, Sweet Kisses, in 1999. The album enjoyed smash singles with "I Wanna Love You Forever" and "I Think I'm in Love with You," the latter of which sampled the chord progression from John Mellencamp's "Jack and Diane." A second studio effort, Irresistible, appeared in spring 2001. Despite MTV's coverage of the album's title track, Simpson's sophomore effort didn't fare as well as her debut, which reached multi-platinum status. In 2002, Simpson married her longtime boyfriend, 98° crooner Nick Lachey, and went on to appear in several episodes of That '70s Show. However, she didn't become a bona fide celebrity until the summer of 2003, when the MTV-produced reality show Newlyweds began documenting the first year of Simpson's marriage to Lachey.
Simpson's third album, a mature effort titled In This Skin, received a July 2003 release that smartly coincided with her hit TV show. The leadoff single "Sweetest Sin" was only a moderate chart hit, but thanks to the success of Newlyweds, Simpson's teetering career refused to topple. A second single, "With You," became a favorite among the MTV crowd, and by spring 2004, In This Skin had been re-released with reworked versions of Berlin's "Take My Breath Away" and Robbie Williams' "Angels," as well as additional footage from the first season of Newlyweds. Simpson spent the rest of 2004 and early 2005 working on the second season of Newlyweds; she also expanded her onscreen presence by portraying Daisy Duke in the Dukes of Hazzard movie. Late that year, she and Lachey separated amidst a flurry of rumors, with Simpson eventually filing for divorce in December 2005.
Soon after, she set to work on her fourth album and starred in the Dane Cook vehicle Employee of the Month. A Public Affair arrived in summer 2006, featuring influences that ranged from '80s new wave to contemporary country. The album went gold, a modest achievement given Simpson's platinum-selling past, and the singer opted to refashion herself as a country artist for 2008's Do You Know. The album debuted at the top of Billboard's country charts but spawned no big hit singles and she left Sony Nashville seven months after its release. During the first part of 2010, Simpson devoted herself to hosting the VH1 show The Price of Beauty. In the fall, Sony issued Playlist, the first Simpson hits compilation, and the singer released her second Christmas album, Happy Christmas, on Primary Wave Records. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi
Jessica Ann Simpson (born July 10, 1980) is an American recording artist,[2] actress, television personality and fashion designer whose rise to fame began in 1999. Since that time, Simpson has achieved many recording milestones, starred in several television shows, movies and commercials, launched a line of hair and beauty products and designed fragrances, shoes and handbags for women. She has devoted time to philanthropic efforts including Operation Smile and a USO-hosted tour for troops stationed overseas. She started the Jessica Simpson Collection in 2005.
During the first part of 2010, Simpson released her second reality show on VH1 "The Price of Beauty." In October 2010 she released her first compilation album and last album under the label of Epic Records , with the name Playlist: The Very Best of Jessica Simpson. A month later she released her second Christmas album Happy Christmas under the label Primary Wave Records, owned by EMI.
Jessica Ann Simpson was born in Abilene, Texas. She is the daughter of Tina Ann (née Drew), a homemaker, and Joseph Truett "Joe" Simpson, a minister and psychologist.[5] She has a younger sister, Ashlee, who is also a singer. She is of Scottish, English, and Native American ancestry.[6]
Simpson began singing at a local Baptist church, where her father also worked as the congregation's youth minister. At age twelve, she unsuccessfully auditioned for The Mickey Mouse Club.[7] The following year, Simpson attended a church camp, where she sang Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" and an arrangement of "Amazing Grace".[8] At camp, she was introduced to the founder of Proclaim Records, a minor Gospel music record label. She recorded an album, Jessica, but she was dismissed from the label when it went bankrupt. Jessica was never officially released except for a small pressing funded by her grandmother.[9][10]
When Simpson was sixteen years old, Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola heard Jessica. Mottola was impressed with Simpson’s musical talent and skill. Simpson was immediately signed to the label. She dropped out of J. J. Pearce High School but later earned her GED.[11][12]
1999–2001: Sweet Kisses and Irresistible
Simpson at the 54th Presidential Inaugural Opening Celebration
Meanwhile, Simpson's album Sweet Kisses had gone double platinum, helped by the follow-up singles "Where You Are" and "I Think I'm In Love With You", which were both released in 2000. The latter became Simpson's biggest radio hit at that point, and was her first release of an uptempo single. Her debut album sold 2 million copies in US. Columbia Records officials reportedly decided Simpson needed a change for her second album. The following year, when Simpson came to record her second album, executives pressured her to have a much more sexy image.[citation needed]
In 2000, Simpson started recording the follow-up to Sweet Kisses, with what Columbia considered more radio-friendly, up-tempo tracks. The sophomore album, titled Irresistible, was released in mid-2001 on the heels of the title-track single. The song "Irresistible" became one of the biggest hits of her career; it peaked at number fifteen on the Hot 100 and stayed in the chart for twenty weeks.[15] It managed to reach the top forty in some other countries it charted.[citation needed] In addition, it led to the attention of record producer Jermaine Dupri of So So Def Recordings to remix the song within a Hip-Hop—tinged genre style which featured rap artist Lil Bow Wow.[16]
Irresistible debuted at number 6 in June 2001 on the Billboard 200 chart,[17] with 127,000[18] copies sold in its first week. It was later certified Gold[19] by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling or shipments of 500,000 copies or more. Irresistible has sold 850,000 copies in the US, to date.[citation needed] In order to support the album, Simpson went on her first headlining tour, called the DreamChaser Tour, in mid-August, but due to the September 11, 2001 attacks could not complete the planned dates.[20]
2002–2005: Newlyweds, In this Skin and film career
Simpson married Nick Lachey on October 26, 2002.[21] She famously announced she had remained a virgin until her marriage.[22] During the summer of 2003, the reality show, Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, starring Simpson and Lachey began airing on MTV. Simpson's third album, In This Skin, was released in August 2003 to coincide with the series premiere of Newlyweds.
Newlyweds quickly became a pop culture phenomenon and is credited with making her a household name, even among those who did not follow pop music or MTV. "I never knew that just doing the show would give me that pedestal to step on," Simpson told Blender magazine.[23]
In This Skin, debuted at number ten on the Billboard 200, with sales of 64,000 in its first week. But, it rebounded after a special collectors' edition was released in April 2004, and subsequently reached a peak of number 2.[17] It contained the song "Sweetest Sin", which barely even made an impact on the Bubbling Under Hot 100. However, the album did contain the hit singles "With You" (No. 14, 2004) and a cover of the Berlin song "Take My Breath Away" (No. 20, 2004), and a lesser hit, a cover of the Robbie Williams song "Angels", which charted just outside the Billboard Hot 100.[13] In December 2004, the album was certified three times multi-Platinum by the RIAA.[24] According to Simpson's biography, the album has sold 4 million copies in US, to date.[25]
Simpson and Lachey starred in the television special The Nick and Jessica Variety Hour which aired in 2004 and was compared to The Sonny & Cher Show.[26] In 2005, Newlyweds won a People's Choice Award for Favorite Reality Show before wrapping shortly after.[27] In late 2004, Simpson released her first Christmas album, Rejoyce: The Christmas Album . It peaked at number fourteen on the Billboard 200 chart and was later certified gold by the RIAA.[28]
In the summer of 2005, Simpson made her first appearance in a motion picture as Daisy Duke in the movie version of the television series The Dukes of Hazzard.[29] The film was No. 1 at the box office its opening weekend, and grossed $30.7 million on 3,785 screens. It also had an adjusted-dollar rank of No. 14 all-time for August releases. The film eventually collected $110.5 million worldwide, although it was much less financially successful outside the U.S.[30] Simpson appeared on The Dukes of Hazzardsoundtrack, releasing "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'", a cover of the 1966 Nancy Sinatra. The song peaked at number fourteen on the Billboard Hot 100 and won a People's Choice Award for Favorite Song from a Movie, in 2006.[13][31] The song's video featured Simpson as Daisy Duke. It contains scenes of her flirting and singing in a bar and then later washing the General Lee car, wearing a skin-tight, revealing pink bikini. In some countries the video was banned for its overtly sexual content. Simpson received criticism from a Christian group calling itself "The Resistance", for the sexualized image she used in the music video for "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'".[32] In response, Simpson stated, "It didn't really surprise me because I grew up with a lot of that backlash. That's why I didn't end up going into the Christian music industry. I think that if they're really good Christians the judgment wouldn't be there."[33]
In November 2005, Simpson and Lachey announced they were separating. Simpson filed for divorce on December 16, 2005, citing "irreconcilable differences."[34][35] Their divorce was finalized on June 30, 2006.[36]
2006–2007: A Public Affair and Employee of the Month
In 2006, Simpson parted from Columbia. On 29 August 2006, she released her fifth studio album A Public Affair under Epic Records. A Public Affair debuted as fifth on the Billboard 200. 101,000 copies sold in its first week and 500,000 copies in the US overall, a low figure compared to Simpson's previous albums. The first single from the album, bearing the same name "A Public Affair", debuted at number thirty-nine, her highest debut after "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'", and reached a peak of number fourteen on the Hot 100. It also hit number 1 on the Hot Dance Club Play, becoming Simpson's first number one single on the chart. Internationally, it reached the top ten in Canada and Ireland. The video featured appearances by actresses Eva Longoria and Christina Applegate, singer Christina Milian, Maria Menounos, Andy Dick, and Ryan Seacrest.
Simpson in August 2006
Simpson's second film, Employee of the Month, was released October 6, 2006. With poor reviews, the film took in $11.8 million in its opening weekend, debuting at number 4 just behind Open Season.[37] In December 2006, while performing a tribute to Dolly Parton at the Kennedy Center Awards, she botched the lyrics, getting flustered in front of a crowd that included prominent persons such as Steven Spielberg, Shania Twain, and President Bush. Though Simpson was given the chance to redo the song for cameras, her portion was edited out of the CBS broadcast.[38][39]
In November 2007, Simpson began dating Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. The relationship was controversial among some Dallas Cowboys fans and she was blamed by them when Romo had poor football performances. Some of the Cowboys' fans gave her the nickname "Yoko Romo" in comparison to Yoko Ono, who many Beatles fans blame for "ruining" John Lennon.[40] Even then-President George W Bush jokingly endorsed the "Jessica jinx" after the Giants went on to win the Super Bowl in 2008. During the traditional White House reception for the winning team, President Bush quipped, "We're going to send Jessica Simpson to the Democrat National Convention".[41] On July 13, 2009, People reported that Romo and Simpson had ended their relationship.[42]
In December 2007, Simpson co-starred with Luke Wilson in her third film, Blonde Ambition. The film opened in eight theaters in Texas (the home state of both Simpson and Wilson), and earned US $6,422. It was released on DVD in January 2008.[43]Blonde Ambition fared better overseas, where it grossed $253,008 in Ukraine its opening weekend.[44]
2008–2009: Move to country and Do You Know
Simpson on her promo tour, in 2008.
In September 2007, Simpson's father Joe Simpson stated to People magazine that Simpson was considering doing a country album. Joe Simpson told People that she is "talking about doing a country record and going back to her roots, being from Texas."[45]
"Come On Over", first leaked onto the internet on May 27, 2008. Shortly after country radio stations around the country began giving the single radio play. In the United States, "Come on Over" became the most-added song to country radio for the week of June 6, 2008, debuting at number forty-one on the BillboardHot Country Songs chart. It broke a record held by Miranda Lambert ("Me and Charlie Talking") and Brad Cotter ("I Meant To") for highest-debuting first chart entry by a solo artist; both artists debuted at number forty-two on that same chart.[46] The video for the first single, "Come On Over", premiered on Simpson's official website in July 2008.[47] The single peaked at number eighteen on the Billboard Hot Country Songs. Prior to the album release, Simpson performed at select state fairs and visited various country music radio stations in order to promote the album. On July 19, 2008, Simpson performed at the Country Thunder Festival in Wisconsin. She was booed by the crowd and received a poor reception from country music critics.[48] She responded by saying, "I don't know what your perception is of Jessica Simpson or what tabloid you buy, but I just want you to know that I'm just a girl from Texas; I’m just like you. I'm doing what I love and dating a boy."[49] The country album, entitled Do You Know, was released on September 9, 2008.[50] It debuted at number 1 on the BillboardTop Country Albums chart in both the US and Canada, giving Simpson her first number 1 album of her career. She opened for Rascal Flatts on their "Bob That Head Tour" from January 17 through March 14, 2009.
Simpson's next movie, Major Movie Star (later renamed Private Valentine: Blonde and Dangerous) was released to DVD on February 3, 2009.[51]
2010–present: Return to Reality TV, motherhood and eighth studio album
Simpson's VH1 documentary series, The Price of Beauty, began airing in March 2010. The series followed Simpson around the world, introducing viewers to the different perceptions of beauty in different cultures.[52][53][54] The premiere episode attracted one million viewers,[55][56] but Simpson revealed that the series would return in 2011 with a format change.[57] Initially, Simpson planned to release a new studio album that would end her contract with her label, Epic Records.[58] However, a greatest hits compilation, Playlist: The Very Best of Jessica Simpson, was released in late October instead.[59] Simpson's second holiday album, Happy Christmas, released under Primary Wave in November, 2011.[60]
In June 2011, it was announced that Simpson participated as a mentor in NBC's new reality show Fashion Star with Elle McPherson.[61] In July 2011, she appeared on Fashion Star alongside Nicole Richie.[62]
On November 14, 2010, Simpson announced her engagement to Eric Johnson.[63] On May 1, 2012, Simpson gave birth to their first child, a daughter named Maxwell Drew Johnson.[64][65]
Other projects
Cosmetics and clothing
"Jessica Simpson Dessert by Jessica Simpson" was launched in April, 2004 after co-founders Randi Shinder and Simpson designed a line of edible perfume, lip gloss and other beauty products under the Dessert Beauty brand. A parallel line named Dessert Treats was launched the following year in February, 2005. The new line was marketed at a much younger audience.[66]
Simpson and stylist Ken Pavés launched a line of hair and beauty products on the Home Shopping Network.[67] Simpson also created the Jessica Simpson Collection (JSC) in which she designs and markets a line of handbags and (primarily high-heeled) shoes and boots.[68] JSC is projected to become the first celebrity brand to break $1 billion in annual sales,[69] and will launch an e-commerce beauty site with celebrity aesthetician Nerida Joy, BeautyMint, on October 31, 2011.[70] The Jessica Simpson's Intimates began selling in major department stores and online shopping sites in spring 2009.[71]
Simpson has launched a fragrance line. Her fragrance was made by Parlux Fragrances. Her debut perfume, Fancy, was launched in 2008. The success of Fancy spawned three more fragrances, Fancy Love, Fancy Nights and I Fancy You.[72]
Commercials
Simpson has made commercials for Pizza Hut, Proactiv Solution and a commercial for Ice Breakers with her sister Ashlee. In 2005, she started advertising Proactiv Solution, an over-the-counter acne medicine. In 2006, she premiered in another Pizza Hut commercial for the Super Bowl XL broadcast. She sang "These Bites Are Made For Poppin'," in reference to the song "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'," to advertise the new Cheesy Bites Pizza.[73] In 2007, the Super Bowl featured her third Pizza Hut commercial, which again promoted the Cheesy Bites Pizza.[74] She has also advertised DirecTV in character as Daisy Duke.[75]
Jessica Simpson is a Republican.[79] Simpson endorsed George W. Bush for president in 2004,[80] but was later said to have "snubbed" him by canceling an appearance at a 2006 Republican fundraiser in Washington, D.C.. The singer's father, Joe Simpson, explained that he and Jessica are "big supporters" of the president, who invited them. They felt it was inappropriate to attend a political fundraiser.[81]
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