Ashlee Nicole Wentz, (née Simpson; born October 3, 1984[2]), is an American recording artist and actress. Simpson, who is the younger sister of pop singer Jessica Simpson, rose to prominence in mid-2004 through the success of her number-one debut album Autobiography and the accompanying reality series The Ashlee Simpson Show. Simpson received widespread notoriety when she attempted to lip-sync with a pre-recorded vocal track on Saturday Night Live in October 2004.
Following a North American concert tour and a film appearance, Simpson released a second number-one album, I Am Me, in October 2005. Her third album, Bittersweet World, was released in April 2008. The following month, she married musician Pete Wentz and announced that they were expecting a child. On November 20, 2008, Simpson gave birth to their son, Bronx Mowgli Wentz. Simpson filed for divorce on February 8, 2011, citing "irreconcilable differences."
Simpson was born in Waco, Texas,[1] and raised in Richardson, Texas. She is the second daughter of Tina Ann (née Drew), a homemaker, and Joe Truett Simpson, a former Baptist youth minister who is now her manager. She attended Prairie Creek Elementary. Simpson began studying classical ballet at the age of three. She eventually became an accomplished dancer and was admitted to the School of American Ballet in New York City at the age of 11, a year in advance.[5] Around that time, she suffered from an eating disorder; the condition lasted about six months, but her parents then stepped in and got her the help she needed to overcome the issue.[6] After her sister Jessica Simpson landed a record deal, the Simpson family decided to move to Los Angeles, California, where Ashlee began appearing in television commercials.[7]
When her older sister Jessica became a star after releasing her first album, Ashlee became one of her backup dancers. Later, Ashlee began appearing in films and television series, including an episode of the sitcom Malcolm in the Middle in 2001, a minor role in the 2002 film The Hot Chick and a recurring role, 39 episodes from 2002–2004, on the family drama series 7th Heaven.[8]
Simpson recorded a song called "Christmas Past, Present and Future" in 2002 for the holiday album School's Out! Christmas, later to be re-released on Radio Disney Jingle Jams in 2004 and 2005.
2003–2005: Reality television, Autobiography, film debut and I Am Me
In the summer of 2003, Simpson released a song titled "Just Let Me Cry" for the soundtrack of the film Freaky Friday. Eventually, she signed a record deal with Geffen Records.
Simpson occasionally appeared on Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, a reality show about the married life of Jessica and her then-husband Nick Lachey. To accompany and build interest in the beginning of her own music career, Simpson filmed and appeared on her reality television series, The Ashlee Simpson Show, which aired in a subsequent time slot to Newlyweds, and whose theme was the title song from her debut album, Autobiography. It ran in the U.S. for eight weekly episodes over the summer of 2004 (a second season of 10 episodes aired from January to March 2005). The show dealt with the process of writing, recording and performing Simpson-Wentz's music, as well as aspects of her personal life.
Simpson's first album, Autobiography, debuted at number one in the U.S. in July 2004, with first-week sales numbering around 398,000 copies. The album was certified triple-platinum in September 2004. Simpson co-wrote all of the album's tracks and described it as "very true to my emotions" in one interview,[9] but critical reviews were mixed.[10] Rolling Stone magazine's Peter Relic characterised Autobiography as a "mundane melange of Avril-ish brat pop and Sheryl Crow cod rock."[11] E! Online wrote, "Even if it doesn't wow you, Autobiography may surprise you."[12] The single that preceded the album, "Pieces of Me," was one of the biggest hits of the summer in the U.S. and sold well elsewhere. However, the follow-up singles, "Shadow" and "La La," were less successful.
When appearing for live performances, Simpson performs with a backing band. During the period from 2004 to 2006, the band consisted of Ray Brady (guitar), Braxton Olita (guitar), Joey Kaimana (bass guitar—from 2004 to 2005 Zach Kennedy filled this role), Chris Megert (keyboards and vocals—from late 2004 to 2005 Lucy Walsh filled this role) and Chris Fox (drums).
In addition to her own first album, Simpson sang a duet of the Christmas song "Little Drummer Boy" with her sister Jessica for the album Rejoyce, which they had sung together during the ABC variety hour special Nick & Jessica's Family Christmas.[13][14]
At the Teen Choice Awards on August 8, 2004, Simpson received the "Song of the Summer" Teen Choice Award for "Pieces of Me," as well as the "Fresh Face" award.[15] In addition, she won a Billboard Award for New Female Artist of the Year in December,[16] and in the same month, Entertainment Weekly Magazine named her one of its Breakout Stars of 2004.[17] Simpson also co-hosted Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve along with Regis Philbin (in Dick Clark's absence) at the end of the year, hosting the west coast portion of the show and performing three songs.
Simpson appeared as a musical guest on Episode 568 of Saturday Night Live (October 23–24, 2004), and, as is customary for the show's format, she was scheduled to perform two songs. Her first song, "Pieces of Me," was performed without problems. However, when she began her second song, "Autobiography," the vocals for the song "Pieces of Me" were heard again—before she had even raised the microphone to her mouth. Simpson began to do an impromptu jig when she realized the embarrassing error, but then left the stage. During the closing of the show, Simpson appeared with the guest host, Jude Law, and said, "I'm so sorry. My band started playing the wrong song, and I didn't know what to do, so I thought I'd do a hoedown."[18]
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