Jessica Simpson reflected on the pressures of her early career on Sunday, revealing that she often felt "not good enough" despite her success in the music industry. Speaking to the audience at her concert in Connecticut, the 45-year-old singer said her younger self was her harshest critic.
"My whole music career, you know I had a job, and it was to be a pop star and I tried, but I will say when you're younger you just never feel good enough and it's OK to not feel good enough," Simpson told the crowd, according to People.
At the age of 19, Simpson became widely known with her first single, "I Wanna Love You Forever," and the album Sweet Kisses. She continued with various hit albums, such as In This Skin (2003) and Public Affair (2006), eventually making her the icon of the pop music scene of that time.
Even at the height of her career, however, she admitted the pressures of fame weighed heavily on her. "You just never feel good enough," she said, recalling the intensity of her early years.
Finding Solace in Music and Nashville
In recent years, Simpson has shifted her focus to country music and personal growth.
Her two-part EP, Nashville Canyon, was inspired by her divorce from former NFL player Eric Johnson and her time living in Tennessee's capital.
"I do love Nashville. It brought me home. To myself, it brought me inside of my heart, in a really hard time of my life. I just kind of had to surrender myself to my intuition, to the light that was in front of me, and just focus on that," Simpson shared.
The emotional project, her first new music in 15 years since 2010's Happy Christmas, includes songs such as "Leave," which hints at infidelity during her marriage. "What we had was magic / Now you made it tragic / Giving her what you gave to me," she sings, turning her personal struggles into art.
A source previously told Page Six that Simpson has been working on music for some time and sees this moment as the right opportunity to fully pursue it.
"She's always journaling, and a few entries have evolved into songs about heartbreak and resilience. It's been a very creative, albeit heartbreaking, time for her," the insider said.
Family First Amid Personal Struggles
Despite the difficult period in her personal life, Simpson emphasized the importance of family. She and Johnson, 46, have been spotted together since announcing their split and recently reunited for Thanksgiving.
"We were all together yesterday, over at my mom's," she told TMZ. When asked if Johnson was present, she replied, "Of course! That's my kids' father. Family first." The couple shares three children: Maxwell, 13; Ace, 12; and Mae, 6.
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