Jewel To Jessica Simpson: ‘Be True To Who You Are’

July 12, 2008

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ORIGINAL ARTICLE: July 12, 2008

“Nashville Star” judge Jewel has some sage advice for aspiring country singer Jessica Simpson – be yourself.

“I really like Jessica. She’s always been such a sweet, sweet person,” Jewel told People. “If I were going to give her any advice, I would say work hard and be authentic. Be true to who you are.”

Once a pop princess, Simpson’s foray into country has been a success so far, with first single “Come On Over” spending five weeks on the country charts. She joins the ranks of other recent crossover artists, from Bon Jovi to Hootie & The Blowfish frontman Darius Rucker.

“The thing about country music is its fans have an excellent authenticity meter,” Jewel added. “Anyone who comes to country music just to dabble in it, or who doesn’t know it or respect it as a genre and respect its history and tradition, is not going to make it.”

Jewel, who broke through as a folk artist with 1995’s “Pieces of You” and singles like “You Were Meant For Me” and “Who Will Save Your Soul,” has gone Nashville herself with her recent album “Perfectly Clear.” It went straight to number one on the country charts. Clearly, the singer has taken her own advice to heart.

“I was raised on country music,” she said. “It’s not as if I woke up one day and said, ‘I think I’ll be a country artist.’ I’m doing the same kind of music now that I have always done. If ‘You Were Meant For Me’ was released today, it would be a country song, I’d be signed to a Nashville label and my music would be promoted on country radio.”

On Friday, Jessica’s father, Joe Simpson, announced his daughter’s country album will be released on September 9.

“We forget on the East and West coasts that there is a whole country in between,” Joe told Us Weekly. “That’s our home, and that’s Jessica’s home.”