This is the story of a little girl from Texas who chased a very big dream, regardless of the many obstacles that stood in her way. Finding motivation from the Christian roots instilled by her parents, Jessica Simpson went from local church choir standout to national singing sensation…All the while staying true to the religious values that she held close to her heart – even in the glaring spotlight of the pop world.
For years Jessica’s young talent was on display in and around the Christian community of Richardson, Texas. Aware of their daughters talent, parents Tina and Joe considered ways to get Jessica heard outside of the Texas churches that got her started. When she turned 12, the family decides to have Jessica audition for the Mickey Mouse Club in Orlando, Florida. There’s no doubt that becoming a Mouseketeer would be the perfect springboard to maximize Jessica’s talent.
At preliminary auditions, Jessica shines. She delivers the same heart stopping performances those at her Texas church were used to. Call back after call back, eventually leads Jessica to the final round where she competes with Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera. This is to be the moment that Jessica and her family have dreamed of. Just before the schedule leads to her final effort, Jessica watches Christina Aguilera perform a perfect audition, one that would be very hard to follow. A nervous Jessica stands before the judges, and she freezes. Failing to get the part, Jessica is extremely devastated and quickly decides that she will quit singing.
But her family urges her to utilize the faith she learned from her Christian upbringing and continue on. Her father, Joe, decides to take it up a notch and become more involved with his daughter’s development as a singer. First, he installs himself as her manager. Immediately, he employs a voice coach for his daughter and later sends Jessica to church camp (paying for all the mounting expenses with his credit card).
When Jessica turns 14, The Simpson’s seem to cash in on their investment. While attending church camp Jessica performs an a-cappella version of “Amazing Grace” for one of the camp’s guest speakers, Buster Soaries (who worked with Whitney Houston when she was a little girl). At the time, Buster was in the process of launching a gospel music label and he was on the lookout for prospective talent. Buster is floored by Jessica’s performance and wants to sign her to his new label, Proclaim Records, on the spot. Jessica and her dad proudly sign on the dotted line with hopes of having her voice heard by a broader audience.
While planning her record with Proclaim Records, Jessica attends Pearce High School in Richardson, TX. She is part of the “in” crowd but her popularity is not for the usual adolescent reasons. Jessica and her friends never drank, smoked or had sex as a result of their mutual Christian path in life. Jessica is elected homecoming queen two years in a row and stars in a school production of A Chorus Line. She looks like a star in the making.
But classmate jealousies seem to get the best of Jessica and to make matters worse the production of Jessica’s debut album takes more time than expected. A painstaking three years of creative speed bumps test her patience and determination. Finally, in January of 1996, Jessica’s album is a week away from release but she suddenly suffers her 2nd career blow. Proclaim Records folds due to bankruptcy.
However, this time around Jessica refuses to accept defeat. Her grandmother pays 10 thousand dollars to press, mix and release Jessica’s homemade CD.and the quest begins to get on a major label. Jessica records a demo tape that lands on the desk of Teresa LaBarbera Whites, a Columbia Records A&R rep in Dallas. Teresa immediately falls in love with Jessica’s voice and rushes to meet her in San Antonio (where dad was doing some ministry work) the next day. In a private meeting in Jessica’s hotel room, Teresa hears Jessica’s voice in person for the first time and is blown away.
Teresa Whites decides to accompany Jessica to NYC and introduced her to Tommy Mottola, President of Sony Music. He is so impressed with Jessica’s voice that a contract is quickly offered, it will pay Jessica a $100,000 advance. But before she signs with Columbia she insists that her career follows her loyal Christian standards. Tommy Mottola and Columbia are completely supportive of Jessica’s beliefs and Jessica signs the contract she’s been waiting for. With the advance money, Jessica frees her father from debt for the first time in years. Jessica quits high school, dad resigns from the church in Richardson, Texas and the Simpson family moves to Los Angeles so Jessica could work on her Columbia debut.
But despite a promise from Columbia to release her album in 6 months, the creative process is agonizingly slow at the label. During her wait, debut albums from the Mouseketeer competitors of her past (Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera) have already surfaced.
In 1999, after two years of planning, writing and recording, a 19 year old Jessica finally introduces herself to the world with her debut album, Sweet Kisses. The record sets her apart from other pop starlets with her big voice, gospel influence and sweet ballads.
In support of Sweet Kisses, Jessica tours as an opening act for teen heart throbs, 98 degrees. There, she meets 98 degrees member Nick Lachey and a romance develops. Jessica makes a public pledge to remain a virgin until she’s married. She says her boyfriend Nick respects and embraces what she stands for.
During the tour Sweet Kisses, goes platinum with the success of “I Wanna Love You Forever” and “Where You Are” a duet with boyfriend Nick. She is now a major player in the pop world with a frantic schedule.
In April 2001, Nick and Jessica break up due to their busy professional lives. Jessica takes the breakup in stride, but feelings for Nick are lyrically apparent on Jessica’s follow up album, Irresistible, released later that year.
Though there are still apparent feelings for her ex-boyfriend, Nick Lachey, all over her 2nd album, Irresistible, Jessica pushes on with her career in an attempt to build on the success of her debut. Irresistible is a smash out of the gate, debuting at #6 on the charts. Despite the whirlwind attention, she is still apart from Nick.
Irresistible, portrays a more adult version of the now 21 year old Jessica, an image that would trouble Jessica and fuel already existing body issues.
Later in 2001, Jessica and Nick find a way to mix their busy schedules with romantic involvement and decide to get back together for good. They are married in Austin, Texas a year later at Riverbend Church.
In August of 2003, MTV launches reality show surrounding Jessica and Nick’s lives as Newlyweds and later that month they both release new albums on the same day. Jessica’s album In This Skin reflects a new found confidence with her past body issues.
In the end, despite the obstacles that both she and her family faced through the years, Jessica Simpson received everything she ever dreamed of as a little girl in Richardson, Texas. The opportunity to share her voice with millions, the ability to maintain her own image through her Christian faith, and the man of her dreams, were all eventually realized.
KEY SPEAKERS:- Joe Simpson, Father
- Tina Simpson, Mother
- Ashlee Simpson, Sister
- Nick Lachey, Husband
- Dorothy Drew, Grandmother
- Debbie Hering, Aunt
- Connie Smith, Aunt
- Connie Bodie, Family friend
- Jessica Melker, Childhood friend
- Stephanie McGuire, Childhood friend
- Matt Cassella, Mickey Mouse Club casting agent
- Zeb Hering, Cousin
- Linda Septien, Voice coach
- Buster Soaries, Proclaim Records
- Lynn Zednik, High school drama teacher
- Beth Plilier, Dance teacher, family friend
- Teresa LaBarbera Whites, A&R, Columbia Records
- Sally Lee, Aunt
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