Jessica Simpson reveals jitters before taking stage after 15-year hiatus

Jessica Simpson admitted to feeling nervous before stepping back into the spotlight with her first TV appearance in 15 years.

The singer and actress made her long-awaited return during the American Idol 2025 finale, where she performed a duet with former contestant Josh King.

After the pair wowed the audience with a rendition of Simpson’s 2005 hit These Boots Are Made for Walkin’, initially recorded for the Dukes of Hazzard soundtrack, she revealed battling and combating intense nerves behind the scenes.

"Oh, my God, I was dying. I can't even tell you how long it's been since I've been that nervous," the Take My Breath Away singer told Extra on Sunday, May 18. "Like, I had to put hairspray on my feet to stand still, like, not that it actually keeps me put, but, like, my feet were sweating. I'm like, my feet don't sweat."

To keep it together, she turned to a mix of self-talk and calming techniques, "I just kept telling myself, 'Do not cry. Do not cry. I know this is a big moment … do not cry.'"

The There You Were songstress continued, "And then I see my dad, like, up in the corner, and I'm like, 'Ah, I'm going to cry. I'm going to cry. Do not cry. Just sing your songs. Just sing your songs.'"

She relied on mindfulness and self-assurance to cope with the overwhelming emotions both before and during her performance.

Her return isn’t just limited to TV appearances; Simpson, 44, is also back with new music. She released a new EP, Nashville Canyon, Pt. 1, with Part 2 set to arrive this summer.