Background and career
Jessica Ann Johnson (née Simpson; born July 10, 1980) is an American singer, actress, and fashion designer. After performing in church choirs as a child, Simpson signed with Columbia Records in 1997 at age seventeen. Her debut studio album, Sweet Kisses (1999), sold two million copies in the United States and produced the Billboard Hot 100 top-three single "I Wanna Love You Forever." She adopted a more mature image for her second studio album, Irresistible (2001), whose title track reached the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100. Her third studio album, In This Skin (2003), sold three million copies in the United States.
Simpson gained wider public recognition through her marriage to Nick Lachey and their MTV reality television series Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica (2003–2005). Following the release of her first Christmas album, ReJoyce: The Christmas Album (2004), Simpson made her film debut as Daisy Duke in The Dukes of Hazzard (2005) and recorded a cover of "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" for its soundtrack.
Simpson released her fifth studio album, A Public Affair, and appeared in the comedy film Employee of the Month in 2006. With her sixth studio album, Do You Know (2008), she ventured into country music. Her second Christmas album, Happy Christmas, followed in 2010. Simpson has sold over 30 million albums worldwide.
Outside of music, Simpson launched The Jessica Simpson Collection in 2005, which grew into a fashion and lifestyle brand with $1 billion in annual retail sales. After selling a majority stake in the company in 2015, Simpson and her mother regained full ownership in 2021. She also starred in the reality television series The Price of Beauty in 2010 and served as a mentor on Fashion Star from 2012 to 2013.
Simpson published her memoir, Open Book, in 2020, which topped The New York Times Best Seller list. After an extended hiatus from recording, she returned to music in 2025 with the extended plays Nashville Canyon, Part 1 and Nashville Canyon, Part 2.
How Jessica Simpson makes money
Her debut studio album, Sweet Kisses (1999), sold two million copies in the United States and produced the Billboard Hot 100 top-three single "I Wanna Love You Forever." She adopted a more mature image for her second studio album, Irresistible (2001), whose title track reached the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100. Her third studio album, In This Skin (2003), sold three million copies in the United States.
