Jessica Simpson jumped back into music with the support of her family — including her estranged husband, Eric Johnson.
“It is a gift. Eric supported that gift. My kids supported that gift,” Jessica, 44, shared in an interview with her sister, Ashlee Simpson, for The Cut published on Thursday, February 20.
Rather than record her latest musical project in Los Angeles, Jessica said she was inspired to go to Nashville after traveling to Music City for her daughter Maxwell’s 11th birthday. (Jessica shares Maxwell, now 12, with Johnson, 45, along with Ace, 11, and Birdie, 5.)
“Instead of singing ‘Happy Birthday,’ she wanted me to play Hank Williams’ ‘I Saw the Light’ when she woke up,” Jessica shared. “I was having all these flashbacks of making my first record at 14, which was a gospel record, there. I was having flashbacks of writing In This Skin, writing ‘With You,’ some of my songs that reflect me more than other stuff.”
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While playing her daughter’s birthday song of choice, Jessica said she “saw the light” to record her upcoming EP, Nashville Canyon, Part 1, in Tennessee. “I started looking at real estate that day,” she stated.
Jessica previously teased her new music in November 2024 amid speculation about the status of her marriage. “This comeback is personal, it’s an apology to myself for putting up with everything I did not deserve,” she captioned Instagram pics of herself in her “Nashville music room.”
That same month, sources confirmed to Us Weekly that Jessica and Johnson were “living separately” while “trying to figure out a separation.” Insiders added at the time that the pair planned to spend the holidays together with their children.
Jessica officially announced in January that she and Johnson had called it quits after 10 years of marriage. “Eric and I have been living separately navigating a painful situation in our marriage,” she said in a statement to Us. “Our children come first, and we are focusing on what is best for them. We are grateful for all of the love and support that has been coming our way, and appreciate privacy right now as we work through this as a family.”
Another source later told Us that “trust issues caused by the breakdown of their marriage,” adding that while Jessica is “sad” about the split, she “knows she had to make a tough decision.”
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Earlier this month, Jessica revealed that the first song off her new EP, “Use My Heart Against Me,” will drop on Friday, February 21. “’Secretly anticipatin’ That you’re takin’ me with you,’” she captioned her Instagram announcement. “Y’all head on over to JessicaSimpson.com/music to pre-save my first new tune, sneak a peek into my eyes’ mind and get a first look at what these soul vibes are feelin’ like 
.”
Jessica has also spoken out about where she and Johnson stand amid their ongoing separation. “I’ve grown up so much. I can handle so much. Maybe I’m just meant to love a lot of people in my life,” she told People in an interview published on Wednesday, February 19. “I don’t know why my heart gets tossed around but I’m one of the lucky ones. At least I have my children and I still have Eric. He’s still very much a part of my life and will always be.”
