Ashlee Simpson | |
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Simpson at the opening of Marquee nightclub at The Star in Sydney, Australia, April 2012
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Born |
Ashley Nicolle Simpson October 3, 1984 Waco, Texas, U.S. |
Other names | Ashlee Simpson-Wentz Ashlee Simpson Ross |
Occupation | Singer-songwriter, actress |
Years active | 2001–present |
Spouse(s) |
Pete Wentz (m. 2008; div. 2011) Evan Ross (m. 2014) |
Children | 2 |
Relatives |
Jessica Simpson (sister) Diana Ross (mother-in-law) |
Musical career | |
Genres | |
Instruments | Vocals |
Labels | Geffen |
Ashley Nicolle Ross (née Simpson; born October 3, 1984), known by the stage name Ashlee Simpson, is an American singer-songwriter, actress, and media personality. The younger sister of pop singer and actress Jessica Simpson, Ashlee began appearing in television commercials at the age of 15. She later pursued a career as an actress, and had a recurring role on the family drama 7th Heaven. Her breakout came following her appearance on the reality show Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica (2003–05), which focused on her sister Jessica and her then-husband Nick Lachey. While working on her debut studio album, Simpson became the star of her own spin-off reality series, The Ashlee Simpson Show (2004–05). The show became a ratings hit, and earned Simpson widespread recognition. Like her sister before her, Simpson became the center of considerable media attention, much of which focused on her relationship with musician Ryan Cabrera.
Simpson's debut single, "Pieces of Me" (2004), became a top five hit in the United States, and topped the Billboard Mainstream Top 40 chart based on radio airplay. The success of the single and her reality show helped propel her debut album, Autobiography (2004), to the top of the Billboard 200 albums chart. The project went on to sell over five million copies worldwide, making it her most successful album to date. Simpson had a leading role in the film Undiscovered (2005), which became a critical and commercial flop. The failure of the film, along with multiple critically panned performances, led to much media scrutiny towards Simpson. Despite this, Simpson's second studio album, I Am Me (2005), debuted atop the Billboard 200, becoming her second album to do so. The album went on to receive a platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).