Curiosities

In the late '90s, the music industry was keen on fabricating bubblegum pop stars to appeal to a teen audience. There was Britney, Christina, and the Spice Girls, which were a trend all their own. Coming from the Christian music scene, Jessica Simpson was catapulted into the midst of this battle.

She was marketed as a similar manufactured performer, but the fans who had been following her since she was 12 years old knew that she was unfairly represented. Simpson's music is an infusion of pop, R&B and soul, and it's far from being generic.

Jessica Simpson is the kind of wholesome person who sticks to her guns. A few years ago, she sold her music on the basis of abstinence, which she did practice. Unlike that famous virgin-who-wasn't, it was undeniably a way of life for Jessica.

To summarize what she is to us, let us borrow the expression she uses for every occasion: baaaby!

Raised by loving parents including a father who was a youth minister, Jessica's a simple girl at heart. She's insecure, sensitive and feels the need to please those around her. And yet, she doesn't mind poking fun at herself. This is actually quite fortunate because anyone who's seen her show knows that she can be quite ditzy.

While the way she looks undoubtedly helped her career, it's her phenomenal voice and stage presence that have made her so popular and admired. This Mariah Carey worshiper has drive and she even got to work with Louis Biancaniello, a frequent Mariah contributor. She may act strangely on Newlyweds at times, but she wouldn't be in the spotlight if she didn't have talent in the first place.

The older Jessica gets, the sexier she becomes. Her early mainstream career in pop music -- when she had to compete against Britney and Christina -- has allowed her to develop provocative moves of which we have fond fantasies. Now that she's married, we want her even more. Must be the forbidden fruit syndrome...

Her professional music career began on the Christian Youth Concert circuit, where she sang and sold her home-recorded album after shows. Still a teenager, she signed with Columbia Records and her first album, Sweet Kisses, was released in 1999. The singles "I Wanna Love You Forever" and "I Think I'm In Love With You" proved to be pop hits.

After touring with 98 Degrees, her second album, Irresistible, was released in June 2001 and it was an even bigger seller and crossover hit, with the title single reaching as high as #3 on the Top 40 mainstream chart.

Since then, Jessica has tried her hand at acting. She has appeared in UPN's The Twilight Zone as well as three episodes of That '70s Show. In August 2003, her third record, In This Skin, was released.

The release of her album coincided with the debut of a new MTV reality show called Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica. Modeled on The Osbournes, the hit show follows her daily life with husband Nick Lachey.

We don't know if it's good genes, healthy food, a wholesome upbringing, or a skillful surgeon, but Jessica Simpson turned out really hot. She's got an angelic face that can only be enhanced when she flashes that luminous smile. This 5'3" blonde beauty makes us regain an interest in reality TV and female pop stars.

Whether she's lounging around in a sweatsuit or slips on a gown for an awards ceremony, she has the body to make whatever she's wearing look like it was designed for her. For celebrities, the real fashion test is showcasing them in their natural habitat, sometimes even without makeup or designer clothes. However, even in those moments, Jessica remains very desirable. Just so you know where you can meet her, her favorite shopping destinations are bebe, Guess? and Abercrombie and Fitch.