Jessica Simpson

Jessica Ann Simpson (born July 10, 1980) is an American recording artist, actress, television personality and fashion designer who made her debut in 1999. Since that time, Simpson has made many recordings, 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 2009. Simpson rose to fame with the release of her debut single, "I Wanna Love You Forever", which peaked inside the Top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100. Subsequently, her debut album Sweet Kisses went on to be certified 2x Platinum in the United States, and sold over four million copies worldwide. Her 2001 single "Irresistible" became her second Top 20 hit, while the album of the same name became her first to enter the Top 10 of the Billboard 200, and went on to receive a Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Her third studio album,In This Skin, went on to become her best selling album worldwide, receiving a 3x Platinum certification from the RIAA and peaking at number 2 on the Billboard 200, her highest charting album to date. Following the release of a Christmas album, Simpson released A Public Affair in 2006, and the album became her third Top 10 hit on the Billboard 200. She ventured into the country music market in 2008 and released Do You Know. 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 eleveneleven and Primary Wave Records (owned by EMI) . She has achieved seven Billboard Top 40 hits, three gold and two multi-platinum RIAA certified studio albums, four of which have reached the top 10 on the US Billboard 200. Simpson has sold over 40 million records worldwide. In 2013 VH1 ranked Simpson #32 on their 100 Sexiest Artists of All Time list. Starting in 2003, Simpson starred with her then-husband Nick Lachey in the MTV reality show Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica. The show aired from 2003 to 2005. After her divorce from Lachey, Simpson appeared in films including The Dukes of Hazzard (2005), Employee of the Month (2006), and Private Valentine: Blonde & Dangerous (2008). Simpson was featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The View, The Price of Beauty, and The Early Show. Her appearances on The Price of Beauty gained generally positive reception, pulling in 1 million viewers on its premiere. The show was also nominated for a Teen Choice Award. She also recorded the show's theme song, "Who We Are". --- Jessica 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. She has a younger sister, Ashlee, who is also a singer. Simpson's father gave her a purity ring at the age of 12, and Simpson has often stated she remained a virgin until marriage. Her parents were married in 1978 and filed for divorce in 2012. Their divorce was finalized in 2013. Simpson has stated that she grew up in Dallas, but her parents now live in McGregor, Texas. 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. Simpson has stated that they were put in groups and had acting and vocal coaches to help them. According to Jessica, Justin Timberlake was in a group with her. She explained that she had frozen after getting on stage to sing, and later commented that she had felt "intimidated" by the other performers. 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". 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. 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. Simpson's debut single, "I Wanna Love You Forever", was released on September 28, 1999. The single entered the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at number 3. "I Wanna Love You Forever" went on to be certified Platinum by the RIAA less than three months after its release. Outside of the United States, the single was successful, as it peaked within the top ten in most European nations and Australia, which reached the Top-ten in Norway, Sweden, UK, Switzerland, Belgium, Canada and Australia. --- In 1999, during the recording of her debut album, Simpson became involved with Nick Lachey. They separated in March 2001, feeling the need to concentrate on her career. Despite the pair splitting up when Jessica began recording Irresistible, she later began dating Nick Lachey once again. Simpson married Nick Lachey on October 26, 2002. She famously announced she had remained a virgin until her marriage. Following the announcement of their wedding, it was confirmed Simpson and Lachey would star in the reality show Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, which began airing on MTV. In November 2005, Simpson and Lachey announced they were separating. Simpson filed for divorce on December 16, 2005, citing "irreconcilable differences." Their divorce was finalized on June 30, 2006. In November 2010, Simpson became engaged to Eric Johnson, a retired NFL tight end, whom she had been dating since May.  On May 1, 2012, Simpson gave birth to her first child, daughter Maxwell Drew Johnson. During the pregnancy, Simpson signed a multimillion dollar endorsement deal with Weight Watchers, in which she agreed to use the Weight Watchers diet plan after giving birth to lose the approximately 70 pounds she gained during her pregnancy. Simpson's second child, son Ace Knute Johnson, was born on June 30, 2013.