Ashley Nicolle Ross-Næss
( Simpson; born October 3, 1984),
also known as Ashlee Simpson, is an American singer, songwriter, actress and television personality. The younger sister of singer and actress
Jessica Simpson
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, aged seventeen. Her debut studio album, '' ...
, she began her career as a back-up dancer for her sister and appeared in television commercials at the age of 15. Simpson later pursued a career as an actress and had a main role on the family drama ''
7th Heaven.'' She appeared on the reality show ''
Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica'', broadcast on
MTV
MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
between 2003 and 2005, which focused on Ashlee's older sister Jessica and Jessica's then-husband
Nick Lachey
Nicholas Scott Lachey ( ; born November 9, 1973) is an American actor, singer-songwriter, producer, TV personality and host. He rose to fame as the lead singer of the multi-platinum-selling boyband 98 Degrees and later starred in the reality ser ...
. While working on her debut studio album, Simpson became the star of a spin-off reality series, ''
The Ashlee Simpson Show'', which was broadcast on MTV between 2004 and 2005. Like her sister before her, Simpson became the center of considerable media attention.
Her breakout came with her debut single, "
Pieces of Me", which was released in 2004, reached the top five on the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100 and topped the
''Billboard'' Mainstream Top 40 chart based on radio airplay. The success of the single and her reality show helped propel her debut album, ''
Autobiography
An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life, providing a personal narrative that reflects on the author's experiences, memories, and insights. This genre allows individuals to share thei ...
,'' also released in 2004, to the top of the US
''Billboard'' 200 albums chart. The project sold over five million copies worldwide, making it her most successful album to date. Simpson had a leading role in the film ''
Undiscovered'' (2005), which was critically and commercially unsuccessful. The failure of the film, along with multiple critically panned performances, led to media scrutiny. Simpson's second studio album, ''
I Am Me'' (2005), debuted atop the ''Billboard'' 200, becoming her second album to do so. The album went on to receive a platinum certification from the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA).
Following her appearance as Roxie Hart in the
West End production of ''
Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
,'' Simpson announced that she had begun working on her third studio album. The album differed from the pop-rock sound of her previous efforts, featuring a dance-pop and 1980s-themed sound. ''
Bittersweet World'' was released in 2008 to positive critical reception. It saw a decline in sales, and reached number 4 on the ''Billboard'' 200. The following year, Simpson joined the main cast of the ''
Melrose Place
''Melrose Place'' is an American prime-time television soap opera that aired on Fox from July 8, 1992, to May 24, 1999, for seven seasons. The show follows the lives of a group of young adults living in an apartment complex in West Hollywood, ...
'' revamp, which was met with harsh critical reception. Later that year, she made her Broadway debut reprising her role as Roxie Hart in ''Chicago'' on Broadway.
Simpson announced a fourth studio album that same year. She independently released the single "Bat for a Heart" (2012), which failed to garner success. Simpson eventually scrapped the album and focused on raising her child. Simpson reprised her role as Roxie Hart for the third time in a 2-dates special production in
Hollywood Bowl
The Hollywood Bowl is an amphitheatre and Urban park, public park in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles, California. It was named one of the 10 best live music venues in the United States by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine in 2018 and was listed on ...
in July 2013 directed by
Brooke Shields
Brooke Christa Shields (born May 31, 1965) is an American actress. A child model starting at the age of 11 months, Shields gained widespread notoriety at age 12 for her leading role in Louis Malle's film ''Pretty Baby (1978 film), Pretty Baby ...
. In October 2018, Simpson and her husband
Evan Ross released their debut
extended play
An extended play (EP) is a Sound recording and reproduction, musical recording that contains more tracks than a Single (music), single but fewer than an album. Contemporary EPs generally contain up to eight tracks and have a playing time of 1 ...
(EP) by
Ashlee + Evan
Ashley is a given name which was originally an English language, Old English Ashley (surname), surname. It is derived from the Old English (Anglo-Saxon) words ''wikt:æsc#Old English, æsċ'' (Fraxinus, ash) and ''wikt:leah, lēah'' (clearing, me ...
through
Access Records, which was supported by a tour in select cities across North America, and their TV reality show
''Ashlee + Evan''.
Life and career
1984–2002: Early life and career beginnings
Born as Ashley Nicolle in
Waco, Texas
Waco ( ) is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas, United States. It is situated along the Brazos River and Interstate 35, I-35, halfway between Dallas and Austin, Texas, Austin. The city had a U.S. census estimated 2024 popul ...
in 1984, Simpson's parents are Tina and Joe Simpson. She has one older sister,
Jessica Simpson
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, aged seventeen. Her debut studio album, '' ...
. Both she and Jessica attended Prairie Creek Elementary and North Junior High, located in
Richardson, Texas
Richardson is a city in Dallas and Collin counties in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 United States census, the city had a total population of 119,469. Richardson is an inner suburb of the city of Dallas.
It is home to the Universit ...
, where the girls were raised. When she was three years old, she began studying classical
ballet
Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form of ...
. She enrolled at the
School of American Ballet
The School of American Ballet (SAB) is the associate school of the New York City Ballet, a ballet company based at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. The school trains students from the age of six, with professional voc ...
in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
when she was eleven, becoming the youngest person ever to be admitted into the school. Though the age requirement for the school was twelve, Simpson's father admitted to lying about her age. During this time, Simpson suffered from an unnamed eating disorder for about six months, eventually receiving treatment from her parents. The Simpson family relocated to
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
,
California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
, in 1999, as Jessica pursued a singing career.
[Janelle Brown, "Ashlee Simpson," '' Seventeen'', November 2004, pages 86–89.] While Jessica launched her career, Ashlee began appearing in television commercials.
Her father, Joe, served as her agent.
Following the commercial success of Jessica's debut album ''
Sweet Kisses'' (1999), Ashlee became one of her back-up dancers on tour.
Hoping to pursue a career in acting, Simpson had a minor guest appearance on an episode of ''
Malcolm in the Middle
''Malcolm in the Middle'' is an American television sitcom created by Linwood Boomer for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series premiered on January 9, 2000, and ended on May 14, 2006, after seven seasons consisting of 151 episodes.
The ...
''. The following year, Simpson had a small role as Monique in the
Rob Schneider
Robert Michael Schneider ( ; born October 31, 1963) is an American actor and comedian. He rose to prominence as a cast member on NBC's ''Saturday Night Live'' (1990–1994), where he earned three Primetime Emmy Award nominations.
Following ...
comedy film ''
The Hot Chick'' (2002).
She joined the seventh season of the family drama ''
7th Heaven'' as Cecilia Smith, a role which she continued to portray in the eighth season. Simpson appeared in a total of forty episodes as Cecilia.
That same year, Ashlee recorded a song titled "Christmas Past, Present, and Future" for the holiday album ''School's Out! Christmas''; the song was later re-released on ''
Radio Disney Jingle Jams'' following Simpson's musical breakthrough. She later recorded the song "Just Let Me Cry" for the
soundtrack
A soundtrack is a recorded audio signal accompanying and synchronised to the images of a book, drama, motion picture, radio program, television show, television program, or video game; colloquially, a commercially released soundtrack album of m ...
to the film ''
Freaky Friday'' (2003).
Simpson later began writing and recording demos, in hopes of finding a record label. It was confirmed a month after the release of the ''Freaky Friday'' soundtrack that Simpson had signed with
Geffen Records
Geffen Records (formerly The David Geffen Company from 1980 to 1992 and Geffen Records Inc. from 1993 to 2004) is an American record label, founded in late 1980 by David Geffen. Originally a music subsidiary of the company known as Geffen Pi ...
to release her debut studio album.
2003–2004: Breakthrough, ''Autobiography'' and ''Saturday Night Live'' incident
It was announced that Jessica Simpson and then-husband
Nick Lachey
Nicholas Scott Lachey ( ; born November 9, 1973) is an American actor, singer-songwriter, producer, TV personality and host. He rose to fame as the lead singer of the multi-platinum-selling boyband 98 Degrees and later starred in the reality ser ...
would star in their own
MTV
MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
reality series, ''
Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica''.
[Levy, Ariel (2004)]
"Queen of the Boob Tube"
Blender.com (Retrieved January 30, 2007) The series, which chronicled Simpson and Lachey's life as a married couple, became a pop culture phenomenon and helped draw attention to the Simpson sisters.
Ashlee was a
VJ on ''
TRL'' on
MTV
MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
in the United States during the summer of 2003. Following the success of the series, it was confirmed that Simpson would receive her own series, ''
The Ashlee Simpson Show''. Hoping to end comparisons between her and her sister, Ashlee wanted the series to focus on the recording of her debut album. During this time, Simpson also dyed her naturally blonde hair brown, a decision that received media attention.
While filming the show, Simpson appeared in the music video for musician
Ryan Cabrera
Ryan Frank Cabrera ( ; born July 18, 1982) is an American musician. He began his career as a lead singer for the Dallas band Rubix Groove before pursuing his solo career. Following the 2001 release of independent album '' Elm St.'', he released ...
's debut single "
On the Way Down" (2004), portraying herself as Cabrera's love interest.
The couple later began a romantic relationship, with Cabrera inspiring multiple songs for Simpson's album.
Simpson wanted her debut album to consist of pop-rock music, as she did not listen to pop music. The project was produced by
John Shanks
John Matthew Shanks (born December 18, 1964) is an American songwriter, record producer and guitarist. He has been a longtime session and touring member of the rock band Bon Jovi.
Early life and education
Shanks was born in New York City and m ...
, while Simpson co-wrote all of the songs on the album. She also worked with songwriter
Kara DioGuardi on the album, with DioGuardi receiving credits on seven of the album's tracks.
[''Autobiography'' liner notes.] The album's lead single, "
Pieces of Me", became a hit in the United States. The song reached the top five on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart and topped the
Mainstream Top 40
Pop Airplay (also called Mainstream Top 40, Pop Songs, and Top 40/contemporary hit radio, CHR) is a 40-song music chart published weekly by Billboard (magazine), ''Billboard'' Magazine that ranks the most popular songs of pop music being played o ...
chart based on pop radio airplay. "Pieces of Me" earned a gold certification from the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA), denoting 500,000 copies of the single being sold. Her debut album, ''
Autobiography
An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life, providing a personal narrative that reflects on the author's experiences, memories, and insights. This genre allows individuals to share thei ...
'', was released on July 20, 2004, to a generally mixed critical reception. The album debuted at the top of the ''Billboard'' 200 albums chart in the United States, selling an estimated 398,000 copies in its first week of release. It was the highest-selling debut album by a female artist that year, going on to sell over 2.5 million copies in the United States by January 2005. The success of the album and its lead single was attributed to the exposure from her reality television series.
The album sold over five million copies worldwide.
On October 23, 2004, Simpson appeared as a musical guest on an episode of ''
Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...
'' to promote the album. After suffering from what Simpson said was vocal cord inflammation caused by acid reflux on the day of the live broadcast, she lost her voice and was unable to complete the final rehearsals. She decided to use a pre-recorded vocal track as support in the two scheduled performances for the evening.
Her first performance, "
Pieces of Me," went smoothly. However, when the band prepared to play the second song, the title track "
Autobiography
An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life, providing a personal narrative that reflects on the author's experiences, memories, and insights. This genre allows individuals to share thei ...
", an incorrectly played vocal track from the previously performed song was mistakenly triggered before Simpson reached the microphone. The vocal track was promptly lowered, but in the meantime, the band also synchronized with the notes of "
Pieces of Me" to mitigate the error, causing even more confusion. Simpson initially reacted with a brief
jig, but after about 30 seconds she left the stage. Her band continued playing, prompting the production to initiate a commercial break. Later, Simpson reappeared during the closing credits with the evening's host,
Jude Law
David Jude Heyworth Law (born 29 December 1972) is an English actor. He began his career in theatre before landing small roles in various British television productions and feature films. Law gained international recognition for his role in An ...
, saying: "My band started playing the wrong song, and I didn't know what to do, so I thought I'd do a hoedown. I'm sorry. This is live TV. These things happen!"
The incident triggered a strong backlash from the audience and media, and Simpson was accused of lip-syncing.
Days later, Simpson called music video series
Total Request Live
''Total Request Live'' (commonly abbreviated as ''TRL'') is an American television program that premiered on MTV on September 14, 1998. The early version of ''TRL'' featured popular music videos played during its countdown and was also used as ...
and said that she had almost completely lost her voice. Her drummer had accidentally pressed the wrong button, playing the incorrect track and causing the technical error.
A ''
60 Minutes
''60 Minutes'' is an American television news magazine broadcast on the CBS television network. Debuting in 1968, the program was created by Don Hewitt and Bill Leonard, who distinguished it from other news programs by using a unique style o ...
'' segment on ''Saturday Night Live'', recorded behind the scenes on the same night as the incident and broadcast the following week, supported Simpson's account, showing her suffering voice loss during the dress rehearsals, and eventually leaving the studio in tears. However, Simpson continued to face criticism. ''SNL's'' producer
Lorne Michaels
Lorne Michaels (born Lorne David Lipowitz; November 17, 1944) is a Canadian and American television writer and film producer. He created and produced ''Saturday Night Live'' (1975–1980, 1985–present) and produced the ''Late Night (franchise) ...
stated that he was unaware of the plans of using lip-synching and that if he had known, he would never have allowed it. He also said that Simpson was the only musical guest ever to have walked off stage during a live performance. Simpson said of the incident, "I made a complete fool of myself."
Despite the negative media attention surrounding the incident, Simpson released "
Shadow
A shadow is a dark area on a surface where light from a light source is blocked by an object. In contrast, shade occupies the three-dimensional volume behind an object with light in front of it. The cross-section of a shadow is a two-dimensio ...
" as the second single from ''Autobiography'' in the United States. The song did not receive a release in European territories. It failed to have the success of its predecessor, though it did reach the top twenty of the Mainstream Top 40 chart, becoming her second hit on the chart.
[ Billboard chart history for Ashlee Simpson/ref> The song lyrically spoke of her views towards her older sister's success. The song received a positive critical reception, with some praising it as a highlight for the album. " La La" was released as the album's third and final single in January 2005, and again failed to match the success of "Pieces of Me". Despite a low peak on the Hot 100 chart, the song received a gold certification from the RIAA. The song served as only the second single in European territories.] Simpson and Cabrera ended their relationship, though the two remained friends. At the ''Teen Choice Awards
The Teen Choice Awards were an annual awards show that aired on the Fox television network between 1999 and 2019. The awards, based on a popularity vote that could be overridden by the producerswho reserved the right to choose the winnerscovered ...
'' on August 8, 2004, Simpson received the "Song of the Summer" Teen Choice Award for "Pieces of Me", as well as the "Fresh Face" Award. She also won the Billboard Award for New Female Artist of the Year in December, and in the same month, ''Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'' named her one of its Breakout Stars of 2004.
2005–2007: ''I Am Me'', media scrutiny, and Broadway
In January 2005, gossip news outlets began speculating that Simpson and actor Wilmer Valderrama
Wilmer Eduardo Valderrama ( ; born January 30, 1980) is an American actor. He is known for his role as Fez in the sitcom '' That '70s Show'' (1998–2006), his current role as Special Agent Nick Torres in '' NCIS'' (2016–present), and Agu ...
were romantically involved, leading to rumors of a "love triangle" between the pair and Valderrama's ex-girlfriend Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Dee Lohan ( ; born July 2, 1986) is an American actress, singer, producer, and businesswoman. Born in New York City and raised on Long Island, Lohan was signed to Ford Models at age three. She appeared as a regular on the soap opera ' ...
. Despite this, representatives for Simpson claimed that the two had been friends for years, and there was no romantic interest. Simpson appeared as a musical guest during halftime at the 2005 Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida
Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
. Her performance of "La La" garnered a negative reception from the crowd, leading to boos. In February 2005, Simpson embarked on her Autobiography Tour throughout North America. Featuring a total of thirty-seven shows, the tour saw Simpson performing songs from her debut album, as well as covers and a previously unreleased song. While on tour, Simpson wrote material for her second studio album. Simpson had a supporting role in the film '' Undiscovered'', portraying an aspiring actress named Clea, but the film was a critical and commercial failure, and it earned Simpson a nomination for Worst Supporting Actress at the 2005 Golden Raspberry Awards.
Simpson released her second studio album, '' I Am Me'', in October 2005. The album featured similar pop-rock themes as found on her debut effort, though Simpson hoped to incorporate the feel of music from the 1980s into her sound. Much like her previous release, Simpson co-wrote all of the songs on the album. It became her second album to debut at the top of the ''Billboard'' 200 chart, with first-week sales of 220,000 copies in the United States. The album failed to match the success of ''Autobiography,'' though it went on to sell over three million copies worldwide. The album's lead single, "Boyfriend
A boyfriend is a man who is a friend or acquaintance to the speaker, often specifying a regular male companion with whom a person is platonically, romantically or sexually involved.
A boyfriend can also be called an admirer, beau, suito ...
", was written and composed about the rumors between Simpson and Valderama, and it became her second top-twenty hit in the United States.[ Artist chart history for Ashlee Simpson Billboard.com.] For the release of the album, Simpson went back to her blonde hair. The album's second and final single, " L.O.V.E.", entered the top forty in the United States. Simpson appeared for a second time as a musical performer on ''Saturday Night Live,'' performing the song "Catch Me When I Fall", which was inspired by her previous appearance on the series, as well as "Boyfriend". This time, both songs were performed without any adverse incident. In mid-December, Simpson collapsed after performing in Japan and was briefly hospitalized, consequently canceling an appearance at the Radio Music Awards. The collapse and her subsequent hospitalization were attributed to exhaustion as a result of her busy work schedule.
Simpson embarked on her I Am Me Tour in the final months of 2005 and began dating her drummer Braxton Olita. In March 2006, Simpson won an MTV celebrity surfing invitational competition, which also featured celebrities such as Meagan Good
Meagan Monique Good (born August 8, 1981) is an American actress and model. She first gained critical attention for her role in the film '' Eve's Bayou'' (1997) prior to landing the role of Nina in the Nickelodeon sitcom '' Cousin Skeeter'' (199 ...
, Jack Osbourne
Jack Joseph Osbourne (born 8 November 1985) is a British-American media personality. He is the son of heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne and Sharon Osbourne. He starred on MTV's reality series '' The Osbournes'' (2002–2005), along with his ...
, Ashley Parker Angel, and Tony Hawk
Anthony Frank Hawk (born May 12, 1968), nicknamed Birdman, is an American professional skateboarder, entrepreneur, and the owner of the skateboard company Birdhouse. A pioneer of modern vertical skateboarding, Hawk completed the first docume ...
. On April 12, 2006, she hosted and performed at the MTV Australia Video Music Awards, where she won "Best Female Artist" and "Best Pop Video" for the single "Boyfriend". Simpson had a nose job in April 2006. In the May 2007 issue of ''Harper's Bazaar
''Harper's Bazaar'' (stylized as ''Harper's BAZAAR'') is an American monthly women's fashion magazine. Bazaar has been published in New York City since November 2, 1867, originally as a weekly publication entitled ''Harper's Bazar''."Corporat ...
'', she said that she was neither insecure about her appearance nor had been so beforehand. She said that plastic surgery was a "personal choice" that one should only decide to do for oneself and not for others. In a September 2007 interview, her father, Joe Simpson, explained of the surgery Ashlee had undergone: "There was a real problem with her breathing and that was cured." In the middle of 2006, Simpson gave an interview to ''Marie Claire
''Marie Claire'' (stylized in all lowercase; ) is a French international monthly magazine first published in France in 1937. Since then various editions are published in many countries and languages.
The feature editions focus on women aro ...
'' magazine, in which she was said to have "had it with Hollywood's twisted view of feminine beauty" and was photographed painting a pro-female mural with a group of underprivileged girls from Los Angeles' Green Dot Public School. By the time the magazine hit newsstands, Simpson had already had her nose job, and some ''Marie Claire'' readers complained that this was hypocritical. The magazine received over 1,000 letters of complaint and the magazine's new editor expanded the letters section of the September issue of the magazine to give readers a chance to vent their frustrations.
Simpson embarked on her third North American tour, the L.O.V.E. Tour, to further promote her sophomore album. It was announced that ''I Am Me'' would be re-released in the following months featuring a new single "Invisible
Invisibility is the state of an object that cannot be seen. An object in this state is said to be ''invisible'' (literally, "not visible"). The phenomenon is studied by physics and perceptual psychology.
Since objects can be seen by light fr ...
", a cover of a Jaded Era song. The single was released in June 2006 and went on to peak at number 21 on the Hot 100. It became her second single to enter the top ten of the Mainstream Top 40 chart based on pop radio airplay. Eventually, it was confirmed that a re-release of ''I Am Me'' had been scrapped. In 2006, Simpson was cast as Roxie Hart
Roxanne "Roxie" Hart is a fictional character. She is the main character of the 1926 play ''Chicago'' and its various remakes and derivatives.
Development
The playwright, reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins, was inspired by the trials, both of which ...
in the West End musical production of ''Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
'' from September 25 to October 28, 2006. She received mostly positive reviews. Her performance in the show was described as "dazzling and near flawless". Following her split with Olita, it was confirmed that Simpson was in a relationship with Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Wilmette, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Patrick Stump, bassist Pete Wentz, lead guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer A ...
band member Pete Wentz
Peter Lewis Kingston Wentz III (born June 5, 1979) is an American musician who is the bassist and lyricist for the rock band Fall Out Boy. Before the band's formation in 2001, Wentz was a fixture of the Chicago hardcore scene and was the lead si ...
.
2007–2011: ''Bittersweet World'', motherhood, marriage and return to Broadway
Following her appearance as Roxie Hart, Simpson confirmed that she had begun working on her third studio album, initially slated for release in late 2007. Geffen Records chairman Ron Fair
Ronald Fair is an American record producer, record executive, musical arranger, recording engineer and conductor. A traditional record producer since 1970, Fair has been credited with orchestral production work on several commercially success ...
said in December 2006 that working on Simpson's next album would be "very tricky" because of press scrutiny and "prejudices", but that Geffen would work with her to overcome that, "because she deserves to be heard and she deserves a shot." Hoping to transition to a new sound, Simpson enlisted producers Timbaland
Timothy Zachery Mosley (born March 10, 1972), known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer and rapper. Born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia, he is widely acclaimed for his distinctive production work and "stuttering" rhythm ...
and The Neptunes
The Neptunes were an American record production duo composed of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, formed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1992. Williams often provided backing vocals and music video appearances on the duo's productions, while H ...
to provide "beat-oriented" songs for the project. Simpson released the album's lead single, " Outta My Head (Ay Ya Ya)", in December 2007. The song featured elements of synthpop
Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a music genre that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s ...
and was heavily influenced by the pop-music scene of the 1980s.[Joey Guerra]
''Bittersweet World'' review
''Houston Chronicle'', April 21, 2008. The single failed to chart on the Hot 100 chart in the United States, though it had moderate success in international territories. '' Bittersweet World'', Simpson's third studio album, was released on April 19, 2008. The album saw a decline for Simpson, debuting at number 4 on the ''Billboard'' 200 with first-week sales of 47,000 copies.[Katie Hasty]
"Mariah Carey Remains Atop Billboard 200"
Billboard.com, April 30, 2008. Simpson launched a collection of tops
Total Operations Processing System (TOPS) is a computer system for managing railway locomotives and rolling stock, known for many years of use in the United Kingdom.
TOPS was originally developed between the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP), ...
in partnership with the clothing retailer Wet Seal
Wet Seal (Also Styled As wet'' seal'') was an American fast fashion retailer, headquartered in Los Angeles, California. The retailer specialized in selling clothing and accessories. The company was founded in Newport Beach, California, by Lorne ...
on April 22, 2008, the same day ''Bittersweet World'' was released in the United States. The album went on to sell 126,000 copies within the first year of its release, making it her lowest-selling album to date. The release served as Simpson's final album through Geffen Records.
In February 2008, Simpson began wearing a diamond ring. She later explained that it was a promise ring from Wentz. In April 2008, Simpson and Wentz confirmed their engagement,["Ashlee and Pete Fall into Engagement"]
E! Online, April 9, 2008. and they wed on May 17, 2008, at Simpson's parents' residence in Encino, California
Encino is a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California.
History Etymology
The name Encino is the misspelling in masculine of Encina, the Spanish language, Spanish word for "holm oak” (Quercus ilex). The Spanis ...
, with her father officiating the ceremony. She changed her surname from Simpson to Wentz, and during the marriage was known professionally as Ashlee Simpson-Wentz. It was during this time that Simpson released the song " Little Miss Obsessive" as the second single from ''Bittersweet World''.[""Little Miss Obsessive" Single Out Today!"](_blank)
, AshleeSimpsonMusic.com, March 11, 2008. Retrieved April 23, 2008. The song did not receive a European release and hit a peak of 96 on the Hot 100 chart in the United States. She also began appearing in commercials for Canadian retailer Zellers
Zellers was a Canadian discount store chain founded by Walter P. Zeller in 1931. It was acquired by the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) in 1978, and after a series of acquisitions and expansions, peaked with 350 locations in 1999. However, fierce ...
to promote their independent clothing line, ''Request'', in mid-2008. Two weeks after her wedding, Simpson announced her pregnancy, thus ending promotion of "Little Miss Obsessive" and the parent album. Simpson gave birth to a son on November 20, 2008.
In 2009, Simpson returned full-time to television episodes by playing the role of Violet Foster in ''Melrose Place
''Melrose Place'' is an American prime-time television soap opera that aired on Fox from July 8, 1992, to May 24, 1999, for seven seasons. The show follows the lives of a group of young adults living in an apartment complex in West Hollywood, ...
'', The CW
The CW Network, LLC (commonly referred to as The CW or simply CW) is an American commercial broadcast television network which is controlled by Nexstar Media Group through a 75% ownership interest. The network's name is derived from the firs ...
's revamp of the 1990s series ''Melrose Place
''Melrose Place'' is an American prime-time television soap opera that aired on Fox from July 8, 1992, to May 24, 1999, for seven seasons. The show follows the lives of a group of young adults living in an apartment complex in West Hollywood, ...
''. She was originally signed to the show as a regular, but producers and CW executives decided to write out her character. Simpson left the show after twelve episodes and stated that she had known all along that her character would leave the show once the murder mystery storyline had concluded. Despite this, Ashlee's sister has spoken out against the series, claiming that Simpson brought the show free press. After her departure from ''Melrose Place'', Simpson reprised her role in the Broadway musical production of ''Chicago''. She began her Broadway run on November 30, 2009, and performed in New York for eight shows a week until February 7, 2010. On February 9, 2011, Simpson filed for divorce from Wentz, citing irreconcilable differences
The concept of irreconcilable differences provides possible grounds for divorce in the United States of America and Australia, among other jurisdictions.
Australia
Australian family law uses a no-fault divorce approach, and irreconcilable differe ...
, and asked that her maiden name be restored. The divorce was finalized on November 22, 2011. The former couple released a joint statement following the announcement, stating "We remain friends and deeply committed and loving parents to our son Bronx, whose happiness and well-being remains our number one priority." Simpson appeared on the second episode of The CW's '' America's Next Top Model, Cycle 17'' as a guest judge. She created a fashion line aimed at girls aged seven to sixteen in collaboration with her sister's successful brand. Simpson is the co-creative director of the line, which was released in the winter of 2011.
2012–present: second marriage and television projects
Shortly after her separation from Wentz, it was confirmed that Simpson was in a relationship with actor Vincent Piazza, though the two ended their relationship nearly a year and a half after they started dating. Simpson confirmed during an interview in 2011 that she had begun working on her fourth studio album, which she described as having a "folk feel". In 2012, Simpson independently released the single "Bat for a Heart". Though the single featured explicit lyrics and a racy music video, it failed to have any success. The track was written and composed by songwriter Linda Perry. The song received a mixed reception upon its release. Simpson later claimed that the album was developing more of an electronic sound. However, "Bat for a Heart" served as Simpson's final musical release for several years afterward, with no future musical plans announced and her music website being shut down. In June 2012, it was announced that Simpson was filming '' Pawn Shop Chronicles'' in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge ( ; , ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It had a population of 227,470 at the 2020 United States census, making it List of municipalities in Louisiana, Louisiana's second-m ...
, a comedy movie released in 2013.
Simpson portrayed the character of Roxie Hart for a third time in the musical ''Chicago'', this time in the Hollywood Bowl production of the show. Simpson's performance received mixed reviews, though she was described as an "audience favorite". In July 2013, it was reported that Simpson had begun dating actor Evan Ross, son of singer Diana Ross
Diana Ross (born Diane Ernestine Earle Ross March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. Known as the "Queen of Motown Records", she was the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown#Major divisions, Motown's most suc ...
. Simpson and Ross became engaged in January 2014, and married on August 30, 2014, at Diana Ross's estate in Connecticut
Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...
. The couple welcomed a daughter on July 30, 2015. The same month, Simpson and her husband filed requests to change their surname to Ross-Næss. Næss was her husband's original legal surname (from his father, businessman Arne Næss Jr.), while Ross was his mother's surname.
In May 2016, Simpson said she was eschewing a possible return to acting in order to focus on making a new album: "I've been writing music with my husband and that's been so much fun, we've just been rying tofind our sound, we've written like 10 songs but we're going to write a whole bunch more." But in early 2005, her music website went offline—with an error—for months and, as of early September 2018, it remained offline despite her claims to return to music. In 2018, Simpson and Evan Ross teamed up with French brand Zadig & Voltaire and designed a unisex clothing collection titled "Jagger Snow".
That same year, Simpson voiced Strelka in the animated movie '' Space Dogs Adventure to the Moon'', alongside Alicia Silverstone
Alicia Silverstone ( ; born October 4, 1976) is an American actress. She made her film debut in the thriller ''The Crush (1993 film), The Crush'' (1993), earning the 1994 MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance, and gained further pro ...
. Simpson also confirmed to ''Us Weekly'' that new music would be released in 2019, which appeared to suggest she was working on her upcoming fourth studio album after an eleven-year hiatus.
On September 9, 2018, she was slated to return to the world of TV-reality shows with '' Ashlee+Evan'', on E! Entertainment Television
E! Entertainment Television is an American basic cable television network. It is owned by the NBCUniversal Media Group division of Comcast's NBCUniversal. The channel focuses primarily on pop culture, celebrity based reality shows and movie ...
. Simpson and Ross released their debut duet single, "I Do", on September 7, 2018. The couple was expected to release a full-length album later that year, but instead released an extended play record, ''Ashlee + Evan
Ashley is a given name which was originally an English language, Old English Ashley (surname), surname. It is derived from the Old English (Anglo-Saxon) words ''wikt:æsc#Old English, æsċ'' (Fraxinus, ash) and ''wikt:leah, lēah'' (clearing, me ...
''.
In April 2020, Simpson announced she was pregnant with her third child, a son. She gave birth on October 29, 2020.
She played Kate in the Christmas film ''The Recipe Files'', aired on QVC+ on November 24, 2023.
On June 3, 2025, it was announced that Simpson would perform a Labor Day
Labor Day is a Federal holidays in the United States, federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday of September to honor and recognize the Labor history of the United States, American labor movement and the works and con ...
weekend residency at the Voltaire at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
, Nevada. The show would be called ''I Am Me'' after her 2005 album.
Public image
Simpson has appeared on the covers of numerous magazines, including the USA's ''Women's Health
Women's health is an example of population health, where health is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity". Often treated ...
'', '' Jane, CosmoGirl'', ''Shape
A shape is a graphics, graphical representation of an object's form or its external boundary, outline, or external Surface (mathematics), surface. It is distinct from other object properties, such as color, Surface texture, texture, or material ...
'', '' Allure'', '' YM'', ''Marie Claire
''Marie Claire'' (stylized in all lowercase; ) is a French international monthly magazine first published in France in 1937. Since then various editions are published in many countries and languages.
The feature editions focus on women aro ...
'', ''Redbook
''Redbook'' is an American women's magazine that is published by the Hearst Communications, Hearst magazine division. It is one of the "Seven Sisters (magazines), Seven Sisters", a group of women's service magazines. It ceased print publicatio ...
'' and '' Seventeen''; Germany's '' Glamour''; Japan's ''Blenda'' and ''Elle
Elle may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* Elle (magazine), ''Elle'' (magazine), a fashion publication
** Elle Style Awards
* Elle (India), ''Elle'' (India), the Indian edition
* Elle (film), ''Elle'' (film), a 2016 French film
* ''Elle: ...
''; and Russia's ''Elle Girl
''Elle Girl'' was the largest older-teen fashion and beauty magazine brand in the world with twelve editions. Launched in August 2001, it was the younger sister version of ''Elle'' magazine, and similarly focused on beauty, health, entertainm ...
''. She has appeared on several international editions of ''Cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan may refer to:
Internationalism
* World citizen, one who eschews traditional geopolitical divisions derived from national citizenship
* Cosmopolitanism, the idea that all of humanity belongs to a single moral community
* Cosmopolitan ...
'', such as Georgia, Serbia, Russia, Italy, Greece, Ukraine, Slovenia, Netherlands, US and Australia. She has appeared in television commercials for Liquid Ice, HP, Zellers
Zellers was a Canadian discount store chain founded by Walter P. Zeller in 1931. It was acquired by the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) in 1978, and after a series of acquisitions and expansions, peaked with 350 locations in 1999. However, fierce ...
and Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut, LLC is an American multinational pizza restaurant chain and international franchise founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas, by brothers Dan and Frank Carney. The chain, headquartered in Plano, Texas, operates 19,866 restaurants worldw ...
. She appeared in print ads for Skechers and ThermaSilk.
''Forbes
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine founded by B. C. Forbes in 1917. It has been owned by the Hong Kong–based investment group Integrated Whale Media Investments since 2014. Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes. The co ...
'' listed Simpson as one of the "Richest Young Celebrities", it is reported she earned $8.3 million in 2005. ''Forbes'' placed Simpson and her then-husband Pete Wentz at No. 20 on their list of "Top 20 Celebrity Cash Couples" with their $9.5 million combined income.
With the release of ''Autobiography'', Simpson instantaneously became marketed as an "anti- Britney", drawing comparisons to artists such as Avril Lavigne
Avril Ramona Lavigne ( ; ; born September 27, 1984) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. She is a key musician in popularizing pop-punk music, as she paved the way for female-driven, punk-influenced pop music in the early 2000s. List of awa ...
and Fefe Dobson. The media noted her "punk-rock" image and style as a contrast to her sister Jessica. With the success of Jessica's reality television series ''Newlyweds'', the sisters became household names in the media and became the focus of much attention. She cites her childhood as being the time when she began to sing and admits that she dreamed of being on Broadway and did not expect to break into the pop music scene.
Vocally, Simpson is an alto
The musical term alto, meaning "high" in Italian (Latin: '' altus''), historically refers to the contrapuntal part higher than the tenor and its associated vocal range. In four-part voice leading alto is the second-highest part, sung in ch ...
with a two-octave vocal range
Vocal range is the range of pitches that a human voice can phonate. A common application is within the context of singing, where it is used as a defining characteristic for classifying singing voices into voice types. It is also a topic of stud ...
. She trains with a vocal coach, and studies Etta James
Jamesetta Hawkins (January 25, 1938 – January 20, 2012), known professionally as Etta James, was an American singer and songwriter. Starting her career in 1954, James frequently performed in Nashville's R&B clubs, collectively known as the Ch ...
and Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Honored as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Soul", she was twice named by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine as the Roll ...
albums for vocal inspiration. She has cited Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985 as a merger of local bands L.A. Guns and Hollywood Rose. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band's "classic" line-up consisted of vocalist Axl R ...
, Gwen Stefani
Gwen Renée Stefani Shelton ( ; born October 3, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter and fashion designer.
Stefani rose to fame as a member and lead vocalist of the band No Doubt, whose hit singles include " Just a Girl", " Spiderwebs", an ...
, No Doubt
No Doubt is an American rock band formed in Anaheim, California in 1986. For most of its career, the band has consisted of vocalist and founding member Gwen Stefani, guitarist Tom Dumont, bassist Tony Kanal and drummer Adrian Young. Keyboar ...
, Joan Jett
Joan Jett (born Joan Marie Larkin; September 22, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and actress. Often referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music#J, Godmother of Punk", she is regarded as a Pop icon, rock icon and ...
, The Runaways
The Runaways were an American rock band who recorded and performed from 1975 to 1979. Formed in 1975 in Los Angeles, the band released four studio albums and one live album during its run. Among their best-known songs are " Cherry Bomb", " Holl ...
, Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, ...
, Pat Benatar
Patricia Mae Giraldo (née Andrzejewski; formerly and still professionally Benatar ; born January 10, 1953) is an American singer and songwriter. In the United States, she has two multi-platinum albums, five platinum albums, and 15 US ''Billboa ...
, Green Day
Green Day is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Rodeo, California, in 1987 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong and bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, with drummer Tré Cool joining in 1990. In 1994, their majo ...
, Alanis Morissette
Alanis Nadine Morissette ( ; born June 1, 1974) is a Canadian and American singer, songwriter, musician, and actress. Known for her emotive mezzo-soprano voice and confessional songwriting, she became a cultural phenomenon during the mid 199 ...
, Fiona Apple
Fiona Apple McAfee-Maggart (born September 13, 1977) is an American singer-songwriter. She released five albums from 1996 to 2020, all of which reached the top 20 on the U.S. Billboard 200, ''Billboard'' 200 chart. As of 2021, she has sold over ...
, Chrissie Hynde, and Debbie Harry
Deborah Ann Harry (born Angela Trimble, July 1, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter and actress, best known as the lead vocalist of the band Blondie (band), Blondie. Four of her songs with the band reached on the US charts between 1979 and 1 ...
from Blondie as her musical influences.
Legacy
In March 2025, Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
named Simpson the 78th biggest female artist of the 21st century.
Filmography
Film
Television
Stage
Concert tours
* Autobiography Tour (2004)
* L.O.V.E. Tour (2005–2006)
* Club Tour (2008)
Discography
* ''Autobiography
An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life, providing a personal narrative that reflects on the author's experiences, memories, and insights. This genre allows individuals to share thei ...
'' (2004)
* '' I Am Me'' (2005)
* '' Bittersweet World'' (2008)
Awards and nominations
* List of awards and nominations received by Ashlee Simpson
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Ashlee
1984 births
21st-century American actresses
21st-century American singer-songwriters
21st-century American women singers
Actresses from Texas
American contraltos
American dance musicians
American female dancers
American film actresses
American pop rock singers
American television actresses
American women pop singers
American women singer-songwriters
Dancers from Texas
American feminist musicians
Living people
Participants in American reality television series
Singer-songwriters from Texas
Singers from Dallas
Southern Baptists