Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Jessica Simpson
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Jessica Simpson made an impact.
Jessica Simpson is an American singer, actress, and fashion designer who began her career at 17 after signing with Columbia Records in 1997. Her debut album, "Sweet Kisses" (1999), achieved double-platinum status, propelled by her hit single, "I Wanna Love You Forever." Simpson transitioned to a more mature image with her second album, "Irresistible" (2001), which earned gold certification. Her third album, "In This Skin" (2003), sold three million copies in the U.S.
2 days ago : Jessica Simpson Celebrates 45th Birthday with Sheer Dress and Hair Transformation Reveal
Jessica Simpson celebrated her 45th birthday in a see-through dress. She showed off a dark hair transformation and cheekily enjoyed a cherry, announcing something new within her life.
1973: Performing "I Will Always Love You" at Audition
Jessica Simpson was discovered by the head of a Christian music label after performing "I Will Always Love You" by Dolly Parton (released in 1973).
1990: Auditioning for The Mickey Mouse Club
In 1990, at the age of twelve, Jessica Simpson auditioned for "The Mickey Mouse Club", performing "Amazing Grace" and dancing to "Ice Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice.
1997: Dropping Out of High School
In 1997, Jessica Simpson had to drop out of J. J. Pearce High School in Richardson as her career began to take off.
1997: Signing with Columbia Records
In 1997, after Jessica Simpson signed her contract with Columbia Records, record executive Tommy Mottola told her to "lose fifteen pounds" and attempted to control her image.
1998: Beginning Work on Debut Album
In 1998, Jessica Simpson began working on her debut studio album.
September 28, 1999: Release of "I Wanna Love You Forever"
On September 28, 1999, Jessica Simpson's debut single, "I Wanna Love You Forever", was released and became a success, reaching number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
November 23, 1999: Release of "Sweet Kisses"
On November 23, 1999, Jessica Simpson's debut studio album, "Sweet Kisses", was released. It sold 65,000 copies in its first week.
1999: Release of Sweet Kisses
In 1999, Jessica Simpson released her debut album, Sweet Kisses, which mainly explored themes of love. She also announced that she would remain abstinent until marriage.
1999: Release of "I Wanna Love You Forever"
In 1999, Jessica Simpson released the power ballad "I Wanna Love You Forever" as part of her debut album. The work drew comparisons to Mariah Carey.
August 2000: "Sweet Kisses" Album Peak
In August 2000, with the success of the album's third single, "Sweet Kisses" rose to a new peak of number twenty-five on the Billboard 200.
2000: Beginning Work on Second Album
In 2000, Jessica Simpson began working on her second album and adopted a more mature public image.
April 2001: Release of "Irresistible" Single
In April 2001, Jessica Simpson released the title track, "Irresistible", as the lead single from her second album. The single became her second top twenty hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
May 25, 2001: Release of "Irresistible" Album
On May 25, 2001, Jessica Simpson released her second studio album, "Irresistible", which debuted at number six on the Billboard 200 chart.
July 2001: Simpson Talks About Maturing Image
In July 2001, Jessica Simpson explained that she recorded "Sweet Kisses" when she was seventeen years old and at 21 that month, there are four years of growth involved in the new work.
2001: Release of "Irresistible"
In 2001, Jessica Simpson adopted a more mature image for her second studio album, "Irresistible". The title track peaked within the top 20 of the Billboard chart, and the album received gold certification by the RIAA.
2001: Carefully Orchestrated Sexy Makeover
In 2001, Jessica Simpson went through a "carefully orchestrated sexy makeover" while she promoted her second album, Irresistible.
2001: Recording of More Upbeat Songs
In 2001, with the release of Irresistible, Jessica Simpson recorded more upbeat songs, likening herself to artists such as Britney Spears. Songs such as "Irresistible" and "A Little Bit" had more provocative lyrics.
2002: Beginning Work on Third Studio Album
In 2002, Jessica Simpson began working on her third studio album, initially planning for rapper Missy Elliott to serve as the primary producer.
July 14, 2003: Release of "Sweetest Sin"
On July 14, 2003, Jessica Simpson released "Sweetest Sin", the lead single from her third album, but it failed to achieve commercial success.
August 19, 2003: Premiere of "Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica"
On August 19, 2003, "Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica", a show focused on the couple's marriage and the recording of Jessica Simpson's third studio album, premiered on MTV.
December 2003: Album Sales of "In This Skin"
By December 2003, Jessica Simpson's album "In This Skin" had sold over 565,000 copies in the United States.
2003: Appearance on "Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica"
In 2003, Jessica Simpson appeared with her then-husband Nick Lachey on the MTV reality television series "Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica".
2003: Release of 'In This Skin'
In 2003, Jessica Simpson released In This Skin, which AllMusic described as staying within the contemporary dance-pop realm.
2003: Rise to Stardom with 'Newlyweds'
In 2003, Jessica Simpson rose to stardom with the success of Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, leading to media and public perception of her as a "ditzy blonde."
March 2004: Re-release of "In This Skin"
In March 2004, Jessica Simpson released new material for a re-release of "In This Skin", which dramatically aided in album sales.
April 2004: Performance in VH1's Divas Live 2004
In April 2004, Jessica Simpson performed in VH1's benefit concert Divas Live 2004 to support the Save the Music Foundation.
May 2004: Benefit Concert for Skin Care Foundation
In May 2004, Jessica Simpson performed in a benefit concert to aid the Skin Care Foundation.
November 23, 2004: Release of "ReJoyce: The Christmas Album"
On November 23, 2004, Jessica Simpson's fourth studio album, a collection of Christmas-themed songs titled "ReJoyce: The Christmas Album", was released.
2004: Release of Christmas-themed Album
In 2004, Jessica Simpson released a Christmas-themed album.
2004: Release of "ReJoyce: The Christmas Album"
In 2004, Jessica Simpson released her first Christmas album, "ReJoyce: The Christmas Album", which was certified gold.
February 2005: Launch of Dessert Treats Edible Cosmetics Line
In February 2005, Jessica Simpson and Randi Shinder launched the Dessert Treats edible cosmetics line, targeting a younger audience. It was similar to their prior line but was later discontinued following lawsuits.
2005: End of "Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica"
From 2003 to 2005, Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey starred in MTV's Newlyweds, which documented their marriage. The show ran for three seasons before it ended in 2005.
2005: Launch of The Jessica Simpson Collection
In 2005, Jessica Simpson launched "The Jessica Simpson Collection", a fashion-focused line with 34 product categories.
2005: Film Debut in "The Dukes of Hazzard"
In 2005, Jessica Simpson made her film debut as Daisy Duke in "The Dukes of Hazzard". She also recorded a cover of "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" for the film's soundtrack.
2005: Recording 'These Boots Are Made For Walkin''
In 2005, Jessica Simpson recorded "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" for her film debut, The Dukes of Hazzard.
March 28, 2006: Signing with Epic Records
On March 28, 2006, Jessica Simpson announced that she had signed a new record agreement with Epic Records, leaving Columbia Records after seven years.
June 29, 2006: Release of "A Public Affair"
On June 29, 2006, Jessica Simpson released the single "A Public Affair." The song peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and received a gold certification. The release occurred the day before her divorce from Nick Lachey was finalized.
August 26, 2006: Release of "A Public Affair" Album
On August 26, 2006, Jessica Simpson released her fifth studio album, A Public Affair, which debuted at number five on the Billboard 200.
2006: Experimenting with Country Music
In 2006, Jessica Simpson continued to experiment with country music on the song "Push Your Tush".
2006: Release of "A Public Affair" and Appearance in "Employee of the Month"
In 2006, Jessica Simpson released her fifth studio album, "A Public Affair", and appeared in the romantic comedy film "Employee of the Month".
2006: Television Commercials for Pizza Hut Airing During the Super Bowl
Jessica Simpson appeared as Daisy Duke in several television commercials for Pizza Hut that aired during the Super Bowl in 2006. Simpson's portrayal of Daisy Duke furthered her sex symbol image.
March 2007: Donation to Elim Orphanage
In March 2007, Jessica Simpson donated a new Chrysler minivan to the Elim orphanage in Nuevo Laredo.
2007: Television Commercials for Pizza Hut Airing During the Super Bowl
Jessica Simpson appeared as Daisy Duke in several television commercials for Pizza Hut that aired during the Super Bowl in 2007. Simpson's portrayal of Daisy Duke furthered her sex symbol image.
June 20, 2008: Release of "Come On Over"
On June 20, 2008, Jessica Simpson released "Come On Over" as the lead single for her upcoming country music album. The song debuted at number forty-one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
September 9, 2008: Release of "Do You Know" Album
On September 9, 2008, Jessica Simpson released her country music album, Do You Know. The album sold 65,000 copies in its first week and debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 chart.
2008: Release of "Pray Out Loud"
In 2008, Jessica Simpson recorded songs with Christian themes, including "Pray Out Loud".
2008: Recording Country Album
In 2008, inspired by artists such as Faith Hill, Shania Twain, and Martina McBride, Jessica Simpson recorded a country music album titled Do You Know.
March 2009: End of Bob That Head Tour
In March 2009, Jessica Simpson finished opening for Rascal Flatts on their Bob That Head Tour, which started in January.
March 2010: Premiere of 'The Price of Beauty'
In March 2010, Jessica Simpson's VH1 documentary series, The Price of Beauty, began airing. The premiere episode attracted one million viewers.
October 12, 2010: Release of 'Playlist: The Very Best of Jessica Simpson'
On October 12, 2010, Epic Records released the compilation Playlist: The Very Best of Jessica Simpson, marking the final release of her three-album contract with the label.
2010: Release of Christmas-themed Album
In 2010, Jessica Simpson released a Christmas-themed album.
2010: Release of "Happy Christmas"
In 2010, Jessica Simpson released a second Christmas album titled "Happy Christmas".
2010: Starring in "The Price of Beauty"
In 2010, Jessica Simpson starred in the reality television series "The Price of Beauty".
August 2012: Release of Perfume 'Vintage Bloom'
In August 2012, Jessica Simpson released the perfume Vintage Bloom.
2012: Judging on "Fashion Star"
From 2012 to 2013, Jessica Simpson judged clothing designs on two seasons of "Fashion Star".
2013: Judging on "Fashion Star"
From 2012 to 2013, Jessica Simpson judged clothing designs on two seasons of "Fashion Star".
August 2014: Release of Signature Fragrance
In August 2014, Jessica Simpson released a signature fragrance named after her.
2014: Reported Sales of The Jessica Simpson Collection
In 2014, it was reported that The Jessica Simpson Collection earned $1 billion in annual sales.
August 2015: Hosting on HSN and Launch of Workout Clothing
In August 2015, Jessica Simpson hosted on the HSN channel to promote her products, and also launched her Warm Up brand of workout clothing at retailers in the United States.
August 2016: Expansion of Warm Up Brand
In August 2016, Jessica Simpson expanded her Warm Up brand to include trainers.
February 2, 2020: Release of Memoir 'Open Book'
On February 2, 2020, Jessica Simpson released her memoir, Open Book, which became a New York Times Best Seller. The book discussed her marriage to Nick Lachey, her relationship with John Mayer, and personal struggles. Six new songs were also released with the book.
2020: Reflection on Reality TV Experience in 'Open Book'
In 2020, Jessica Simpson reflected on her time in the show Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica in her memoir Open Book, expressing her feelings of being a guinea pig for performing identities on social media.
February 2025: Return to Music with "Use My Heart Against Me"
In February 2025, Jessica Simpson made her return to music with the release of "Use My Heart Against Me".
March 21, 2025: Release of Nashville Canyon, Part 1
On March 21, 2025, Jessica Simpson released her debut extended play, Nashville Canyon, Part 1.
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