Jessica Simpson hit the stage to perform for the first time in 15 years.
The singer, 44, belted out her biggest hits – as well as some of her upcoming songs from her new EP Nashville Canyon Part 1 EP – on Wednesday night at South By Southwest festival in Austin, Texas.
Her performance, which took place at the Recording Academy’s Austin Chapter Block Party, comes just two months after she announced she was splitting from husband Eric Johnson after ten years of marriage and three children together.
Jessica has hinted in her upcoming music that her estranged husband may have cheated on her during their marriage – however she has not confirmed or denied the rumors.
The mom of three sang her new song Breadcrumbs, which includes the puzzling lyric ‘Remember who you are, forget who they told you to be.’
The star also sang Nancy Sinatra’s These Boots Were Made For Walking – a nod to her role in Dukes of Hazzard as well as her own cover version of it she released for the film in 2005.

Jessica Simpson hit the stage to perform for the first time in 15 years

The singer, 44, belted out her biggest hits – as well as some of her upcoming songs from her new EP Nashville Canyon Part 1 EP – on Wednesday night at South By Southwest festival in Austin, Texas
‘Hey everybody it’s Jessica Simpson. I’m here at South By Southwest and I’m about to take the stage for the first time in 15 years,’ she said in a video she shared to her Instagram stories before hitting the stage.
‘I’m very excited. I’m blessed to be here. I think it’s going to go good. I hope,’ Jessica said.
She re-shared snippets of her performance – which also included her version of Dusty Springfield’s Son of a Preacher Man.
The artist also shared a heartfelt message to the audience in between sets, telling them: ‘I was just kind of I don’t know – a byproduct of pop stars. But this time I needed to remember who I was and why I wanted to sing in the first place.’
For her performance Jessica showed off her slim figure in a low-cut brown shirt and a matching skirt, adding a fringe cream-hued suede jacket.ย
The performance comes just one week before her EP Nashville Canyon Part 1 is set to be released on March 21.
Jessica dropped her last album 15 years ago – her Christmas album called Happy Christmas, which was released on November 22, 2010.
Her other albums include: Sweet Kisses (1999), Irresistible (2001), In This Skin (2003), ReJoyce: The Christmas Album (2004), A Public Affair (2006) and Do You Know (2008).ย

Her performance, which took place at the Recording Academy’s Austin Chapter Block Party, comes just two months after she announced she was splitting from husband Eric Johnson after ten years of marriage and three children together

‘Hey everybody it’s Jessica Simpson. I’m here at South By Southwest and I’m about to take the stage for the first time in 15 years,’ she said in a video she shared to her Instagram stories before hitting the stage

Eric and Jessica married in July 2014 after dating for four years; they met through a mutual friend in 2010. They welcomed three children together: daughter Maxwell Drew, 12, son Ace Knute, 11, and daughter Birdie Mae, five; the family pictured September 24, 2022 in LA
Her track Leave from Nashville Canyon Part 1 was released this month, insinuating that Eric stepped out on her – although neither have opened up publicly about the reasons behind ending their decade long marriage.
The lyrics include: ‘What we had was magic/Now you’ve made it tragic/giving her what you gave me/Now the well that you drank is empty.’
In mid-January, Jessica said in a statement to People that her and husband Eric split.
‘Eric and I have been living separately navigating a painful situation in our marriage. 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,’ she said to the outlet.
Jessica hinted at their split for months – and Eric was spotted in November 2024 without his ring.
‘Interviews in my Nashville music room where I unearthed my singular magic. This comeback is personal. It’s an apology to myself for putting up with everything that I did not deserve,’ she wrote as a caption on her Instagram post along with a snap of her in a recording studio.
Eric and Jessica married in July 2014 after dating for four years; they met through a mutual friend in 2010.
They welcomed three children together: daughter Maxwell Drew, 12, son Ace Knute, 11, and daughter Birdie Mae, five.ย
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