Jessica Simpson Reflects on Music Hiatus After Label Fallout: “I Was Mad at Music for a While”

After being dropped despite a No. 1 country album, Jessica Simpson shares her emotional journey back to music and the moment she realized it was time to sing again.

Jessica Simpson is getting candid about the heartbreak and healing behind her long absence from the music industry.

In a heartfelt interview with singer Fancy Hagood for an upcoming episode of Trailblazers Radio, Simpson revealed she became disillusioned with music after a surprising and painful setback — her record label dropped her after her debut country album, Do You Know, topped the charts.

“I took a long break,” Simpson shared, according to a PEOPLE exclusive first listen. “I was mad at music a bit. After being dropped with a number-one country album — I was dropped, and I just never understood it. They just said I would never recoup if I didn’t give them part of the brand, but my brand was already successful.”

Released in 2008 through Sony Nashville, Do You Know marked Simpson’s foray into country music after finding early success as a pop star with hits like “With You” and “Irresistible.” The album debuted at No. 1 on Billboard‘s Top Country Albums chart and peaked at No. 4 in Top Album Sales — an impressive achievement that made her departure from the label even more baffling.

Following her country venture, Simpson released a holiday album, Happy Christmas, in 2010 before stepping away from the spotlight musically for more than a decade. In the interview, Simpson admitted that many had warned her against pursuing a music career early on, much like they cautioned against her reality TV endeavors. “They told me not to do it,” she recalled. “They thought it would ruin my career, just like they thought reality TV would ruin my career — and it didn’t.”

While the idea of returning to music lingered for years, Simpson said, “It just never felt like the right time,” adding that she has always trusted her intuition.

The turning point came during a special moment with her eldest daughter in Nashville. Simpson recounted how her daughter requested Hank Williams’ “I Saw the Light” instead of the usual “Happy Birthday” song during her birthday celebration. “I woke her up with that song and it just hit me,” Simpson said. “The light. It was like, ‘The light’s here.'”

Feeling inspired, Simpson embraced her Nashville roots — a place where she had felt creatively safe since recording a gospel album at 14. “This is where I’m born free,” she said. “I did a gospel record at 14 here. I got to write my first songs here. I wrote my whole country record here. And I was always so safe.”

Simpson recently made her long-awaited return to music with Nashville Canyon, Pt. 1, a new country EP released through Nashville Canyon Records. Her surprise set at the Luck Reunion 2025 in Texas marked her first live performance in 15 years.

Now, after weathering industry setbacks and personal evolution, Jessica Simpson stands ready to reclaim her voice, driven not by industry expectations, but by her own inner light.

Fans can hear her full emotional journey when her Trailblazers Radio interview airs on Saturday, April 26.