That's because the songs on In This Skin reflect the happiness and growth that Jessica has been experiencing. Now married to long time beau Nick Lachey (of 98 Degrees) and firmly in control of her life and creative output, Jessica has reached deep inside to come up with an album that may well be most personal of her career. In This Skin might be Jessica's third collection but, in terms of emotional honesty and stylistic range, it is, in a real sense, the first album that's truly her own. That's because In This Skin marks Jessica's debut as a songwriter and her lyrical and musical influences fuel the album's thematic journeys. "I've wanted artistic control for a long time but in the past I wasn't able to get it," she confesses. "Being in charge of your creative destiny is beautiful for any artist, especially someone like me who wants to sing about positive things and to inspire others. This time I really wanted to make an album that was real and organic and that you could listen to all the way through and maybe be inspired to fall in love or follow your dreams. "

  That sense of liberation is abundant on the album's first single "Sweetest Sin." Written by hit maker Diane Warren and produced by Ric Wake, "Sweetest Sin" is unabashedly carnal and, as Jessica notes, a marked change from the giddy teen pop that launched her career. "I'm not dancing around this time," she laughs. "I'm not wearing that head set mic ever again in my life!"

A celebration of love, her marriage, and making love, "Sweetest Sin" signals a new artistic direction for Jessica. "You'll definitely know I'm a woman after hearing this song," she offers. "It's a deeply sensual song but it's also romantic and recording it was one of the most natural things I've done. It's so great to be able to sing about things you're going through because it makes you relate even more to the music which makes that music beautiful."

In This Skin is filled with both beauty and love, with lyrics drawn from personal experiences and journal entries to create an album resonating with a captivating reality. Just listen to the bittersweet ballad "You Don't Have To Let Go." "I wrote that song for my dad," Jessica says. "It was so hard for him to walk me down the aisle and for him to handle the idea that I was getting married and, in his eyes, leaving. So I wrote this song for him about our relationship and all that he sacrificed for me."

"Underneath," an emotional ode to the ups and downs of romantic love, was penned during a turbulent period in Nick and Jessica's relationship when the pair embarked an ill-fated separation. Jessica cites the love and support of her fans as the motivation behind the album's title track's message of determination. Set to a gentle acoustic-laced groove "In This Skin" is, according to Jessica, about "...being comfortable in your own skin, being worthy and feeling beautiful. I wrote in the liner notes that this is for all the fans. I want them to listen to the song and let the lyrics serve as an inspiration."

Inspiration and spirit have always been crucial to Jessica. From the beginning of her career she has aimed to be more than just some cutie pie teen star: she's always invested her songs with positive outlooks and lived her life in a manner that stays true to her beliefs.

Jessica Simpson was born in Dallas on July 10th 1980. After performing in the local church choir, she unsuccessfully auditioned for the Mickey Mouse Club at the age of 12 whereas others like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera have become famous from it.

Although she managed to make it all the way to the finals, she completely froze when she reached that point. She admits, however, that she learned a tremendous amount from it and that the experience made her even stronger.

Later on, CCM, an unknown and small label, took her in for her first album but offered her limited success. After working for three years with the gospel music label, the label folded. She moved on to perform in front of audiences of more than 20,000. Accompanied by her father, they went on the road where she enchanted crowds all over the US.

Her gospel debut album had a boost of popularity and sold extremely well in every venue that she performed. Her success went beyond the Christian community and made its way to the ears of pop music lovers. Shortly after this, the teenage Texan certainly had the know-how and the will power to pursue her singing destiny beyond her Christian experience and major labels showed interest in the rising star.

Looking to expand her market and secure her position in the industry, she signed with Sony. As an addition to the tour group of boy-band 98 Degrees, and after the conclusion of the tour, she found her experience so memorable that she decided to record a song with Nick Lackey, a singer for the band. Where You Are is a spiritual song about how fragile life can be and how to learn from it.

That song was part of her 1999 major label debut album Sweet Kisses, which launched with the hit single I Wanna Love You Forever . She admits that she idolizes Mariah Carey and appreciates the meaning in her songs as well as the beautiful interpretation of the diva. For her first single Jessica even worked with producer Louis Biancanella, who previously worked with Mariah Carey on her albums.

Her expressive voice certainly leads us to believe that she has definite staying power. Her charisma and youthful energy brings a breath of fresh air to an industry that is so keen on fabricating teenage singing sensations. She is genuine in her beliefs about life and her professional goals. This is exactly what impressed Tommy Mottola, CEO of Sony Music Entertainment, when they met for the first time to discuss a possible association.

"I knew that in pop music I had more of a chance to reach more people". This pushed her to get on board in the big leagues after her increased success on the Christian Youth Conference circuit. She wanted to remain the same person when signing with Sony and she did.

She remained true to herself and very grounded with the potential future success that came her way. She wanted to transmit her true emotions onto the album and differentiate herself from the mainstream market of female singers, many of which, according to Simpson, lack freshness and innocence.

Her passion and incredible spirit emanate through her love songs. Her versatility proves itself in the track Woman In Me, which features Destiny's Child. She adds an upbeat touch to her bag of love songs.

"I do believe in true love". She expresses her true feelings about truthful commitment to one person. Heart of Innocence, a song that she co-wrote on the album, is dedicated to her future husband for whom she practices abstinence. Although there is no name to that lucky and fictitious man just yet, she admits that the lyrics are heart-felt and should represent any true love felt between two people.

Her constant hard work has brought her the popularity she deserves. Jessica says, "Recording Sweet Kisses is the culmination of a dream". This great infusion of R&B, pop, and soul all blend together to form a unique sound that puts her prominent voice on display. Her love for music allows listeners to go on an "emotional ride" when listening to her songs. Enjoy the ride!

What else do you need to know?