jessica simpson
Jessica Simpson is bright, beautiful and blessed. She possesses
a voice that is capable of expressing the heartache of first
love and the wondrous possibilities of an everlasting tomorrow.
Her live shows have been marked by a youthful exuberance coupled
with a seasoned professionalism that belies her 19 years. In
an era of pre-fabricated wind-up divas, she is refreshingly
honest, remarkably focused and positive, and true to her self,
her beliefs and her heart. She is Jessica Simpson and Sweet
Kisses, her Columbia Records debut, is an appealing and satisfying
blend of pop, R&B and gospel-infused music that heralds
the emergence of a bright new star.
"Recording Sweet Kisses is the culmination of a dream,"
Jessica offers, "not only because people will get the opportunity
to hear my music but also because I'm hoping that my fans will
also see that you can be a good person and lead a good life
and still have fun!" The first single is "I Wanna
Love You Forever," a soaring, passionate ballad written
and produced by Sam Watters (of Color me Badd) and Louis Biancanella
(Mariah Carey)."The song is so beautiful," exclaims
Jessica. "It's so romantic and that's the kind of singer
I am. I love passion and I love love because I am such a sucker
for that sort of thing. It's a song about having a love for
someone for the rest of your life. That can apply to family,
a guy, a friend, whomever. That universal emotion really appeals
to me."
Another track that touches Jessica's heart is "Where You
Are," which pairs Jessica up with 98 Degree's Nick Lachey.
"I toured with 98 Degrees this past spring. It was my first
tour ever and it was just an incredible experience! Watching
98 Degrees perform every night, I had this idea that I should
record something with Nick and when this song came along it
was perfect!" "Where You Are," another emotional
ballad, also speaks to universal feelings. "It's a song,
quite honestly, about death but it examines it from a positive,
spiritual way," Jessica explains. "I think anyone
who's gone through the sadness of that sort of loss will be
able to draw peace and comfort from this song." Jessica
co-wrote "Heart Of Innocence," which she dedicates
to her future husband, no matter who he might be. "I believe
in one true love," Jessica declares, "so I really
wanted this song not to be cheesy or preachy but rather just
truthful, because I do believe in abstinence and commitment.
The lyrics come straight from a dream I had and are so personal
and real to me, because I know that innocence can be sexy and
that you can be confident and at ease with your sexuality and
your womanliness without having sex. I am." It's not just
on powerful ballads that Jessica shines: she also rocks the
house on tracks like "Woman In Me," which features
labelmates Destiny's Child. "'Woman In Me' is a very inspirational
song because it address issues of self-esteem and self-worth.
It's so important to me that people love themselves for who
they are and that they appreciate all of the beauty that's in
their souls."
It's the desire to make her music more than just cute radio
fodder that drives Jessica, who has viewed singing and performing
as her life's work since she was a young child growing up in
Texas. A native of Dallas, Jessica first developed her singing
skills in the local Baptist church where her father, a psychologist,
also served as a youth minister. When Jessica was 12 she auditioned
for the Mickey Mouse Club. Jessica's talents and presence took
her all the way to the finals, where she admittedly freaked
out during her last audition. "I froze, she laughs, "but
the experience made me even stronger and more convinced that
I was on the right path." The following year while attending
church camp, Jessica, who had always loved to sing along with
the radio, delivered an a cappella version of "Amazing
Grace" for one of the camp's guest speakers, who was in
the process of launching a gospel music label. Jessica signed
to the label and worked on an album for three years during which
time the small label folded. The setback didn't deter Jessica
one bit and she took the material she had worked on and began
to hit the Christian Youth Conference circuit, singing her inspirational
and upbeat odes to audiences of upwards of 20,000. With her
grandmother paying to press and release her ill-fated record,
Jessica and her father hit the road, with her father speaking
and Jessica singing to delighted crowds throughout the country.
After the show Jessica's homemade album would be sold and very
quickly this tiny project took on a life of its own. News of
the teenage Texan with the grown-up voice soon began to filter
out of the religious world and into the pop music realm and
it was only a matter of time before the major labels expressed
interest.
"I was determined that I be able to stay who I am if I
signed to a non-Christian music label," Jessica says firmly,
"and when I met with Tommy Mottola (Chairman and CEO, Sony
Music Entertainment) he was genuinely impressed with my beliefs
and was completely supportive. I remember singing for him and
he told me, "you are going to change the world with the
power of your heart and your music. When he said that, I knew
that I had a home with Sony." Already an established star
in the Christian music world, where she often appeared on bills
with Kirk Franklin, God's Property and Ce Ce Winans, Jessica's
next challenge came in taking her faith and spectacular voice
to a wider audience. "I knew that in pop music I had more
of a chance to reach more people," Jessica offers, "I
knew that somehow, it was all in God's plan for me to make the
music I make and to touch the people."
As one might expect from an artist so focused, this is one
young woman who refuses to be content with the flash and burn
of teen sensation status. "I feel like I can bring a freshness,
no matter what age the person listening to my music is. And
I think that freshness and that innocence is something that
is missing from a lot of female singers. I'm certainly not denying
that I'm young, but I'm not fluff." Filled with undeniable
spirit and bolstered by a soaring sumptuous voice that defies
comparisons, Jessica Simpson is a young woman who can not be
denied. "I know it sounds crazy, but I just love this record
so much! And the thing that I'm most proud of is that when you
listen to it, it's like you're on an emotional ride. My music
takes you somewhere and, at the end of the day, that's what's
so awesome about making music. That it has power and it's something
I'm so proud to share."
Every once in a while when you start to feel jaded about the
party-hard image of rock and pop stars, someone comes onto the
scene to remind us that there are alternatives for people interested
in something different. Jessica Simpson is that person for many
fans of pop music with her strong convictions and unshakable
faith....and that doesn't even say anything about the beauty
of her voice and music. After touring with Ricky Martin and
98 Degrees, her album Sweet Kisses is a strong first entry in
what is sure to be a long and storied career for this talented
lady.
Fun Facts about Jessica Simpson:
- Jessica got her start performing by singing gospel music at
her church
- She tried out for The Mickey Mouse Club at the age of 12 and
was turned down
- She worked on a gospel album for two years only to have the
record company fold just before it was released - If she could
sing with any one female artist, it would be "Celine Dion,
for sure"
more artists...
