‘Oh, my God’: Jessica Simpson drops bombshell that she was ‘dying’ during ‘American Idol’ moment that divided fans

Jessica Simpson’s return to the public eye after being away from television for 15 years was a big moment, filled with drama. Her performance on the American Idol season 23 finale caused a lot of strong reactions.

She sang Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made for Walking” with former Idol contestant Josh King and also performed her new song, “Blame Me,” from her 2025 EP Nashville Canyon, Part 1. Viewers were split in their opinions—some loved it, while others did not.

Simpson told Extra she was extremely nervous before the performance. She said she was so anxious that she even used hairspray on her feet to stop them from sweating due to the pressure. This comeback was especially meaningful because she hadn’t performed on TV in 15 years—her last appearance was reportedly singing a Christmas song back then.

She said, “Oh, my God, I was dying. I can’t even tell you how long it’s been since I’ve been that nervous. 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.”

Jessica Simpson’s divisive performance on American Idol was filled with nerves

The public’s reaction was mixed. Some fans were excited to see her back, praising her singing and welcoming her return. But many others were critical, calling her performance a “train wreck” and saying she seemed to be “struggling and fighting for her life.” Some questioned whether she still belonged in the music industry and even suggested she should retire.

One comment on YouTube referenced former Idol judge Randy Jackson’s famous phrase, making it clear they didn’t support her comeback. Photos of judge Luke Bryan’s facial expressions during the performance spread online, showing just how divided the audience was.

Despite the criticism, Simpson’s return to music is tied to her recent personal struggles. Her EP Nashville Canyon, Part 1 came out around the same time as her very public separation from her husband, Eric Johnson, after ten years of marriage. Simpson has talked about how writing songs helped her cope during this hard time, saying the creative process helped her deal with the emotions of the breakup. The EP became a way for her to process everything she was feeling.

Adding to the ups and downs of her life lately, Simpson recently celebrated her daughter Maxwell’s 13th birthday with a trip to Paris, along with her mother, Tina. The trip shows how important family is to Simpson, even as she focuses on her career comeback. Maxwell is already very interested in perfume and knows more about Paris than her mom does, which highlights their close bond and how much family means to Simpson. She’s also gotten out of a “stale” marriage after saying she was “tired of putting up with everything.”

In another part of her comeback, Simpson also got a guest role in Ryan Murphy’s new series, All’s Fair. The show has a star-studded cast, including Glenn Close, Teyana Taylor, Kim Kardashian, Niecy Nash-Betts, Naomi Watts, and Sarah Paulson, and follows a group of female divorce lawyers. Simpson got the part through a connection with Kim Kardashian and had to spend eight hours in prosthetics for the role.

Simpson also made a big change in her music by performing live with a band while recording Nashville Canyon, Part 1, instead of using pre-recorded tracks like she usually does. She said this was a deliberate move to create a more authentic, vintage sound and to express herself more honestly. She sees this as a fresh start, calling it “Jessica Simpson 4.0″—a new version of herself, with a stronger focus on her own creative vision. As part of this new chapter, she even learned to play the harmonica after being inspired by performing These Boots Are Made for Walking with Josh Duhamel.