March 29, 2005 Read her lips: Ashlee Simpson promises a 'live, live, live' concert
Simpson records in a studio in August. (Knight Ridder Tribune)
Though she’s only 20 years old, Ashlee Simpson has garnered nearly as much fame and criticism as most singers twice her age.
Known as much for “The Ashlee Simpson Show” on MTV as she is for having lip-synched on “Saturday Night Live,” the Waco, Texas-born Simpson has seen the ups and downs of the music business.
Currently headlining a tour that began in February, Simpson is on the road in support of her nearly triple-platinum debut album, “Autobiography.”
Her latest stop brings her to Greensboro’s War Memorial Auditorium on Friday.
From a hotel room in Detroit, an upbeat Simpson recently spoke to the News & Record before giving her dog a bath.
Why did you decide to do a headlining tour?
“I had been wanting to go on tour for a while. It was just good timing. I was ready to just kind of get on the road and for me, it’s really important that my fans get to come to the show and see me live, live, live.”
Have anything special planned for your show?
“Oh yes! I don’t know, probably. I’ll probably think of something. I’m so excited for that day.”
Do you think the TV show helped make the distinction between you and your sister?
“(Yes). Jessica and I ... there are parts of us that are similar but there are parts of us that are very different. As far as music tastes go, if you go to her show and you go to one of my shows, there’s definitely a different vibe. I don’t mind people comparing me to her. She’s extremely talented and she’s my sister and I love her. It’s kind of weird when people compare me to her though, like, she’s my sister.”
How much longer will the TV show go on?
“That was it. It was nice to have the show and everything, but this last season. I’m going to be done. It was fun and all, but I’d like some privacy now.”
What kind of impact did the show have?
“(My life) definitely changed a lot. I think it was in a good way. Whenever I do shows, my fans actually know me on a personal level, too. The show was really who I am, and it’s my life. Sometimes it’s really hard for me to watch, and I’m like 'Oh gosh!’ I’m happy with that. My mom always taught us to put ourselves out there and say, 'If you like it, great; if you don’t, great.’ ”
Have you started looking at your next album yet?
“Definitely. I just started going down that route, and I’m really excited. It’s really nice because it’s finally time to work on new material, and I feel like I’ve changed a lot in this last year. It’s going to be a little bit of a different sound.”
I won’t go too deep into the “Saturday Night Live” episode, but what did you learn from that experience?
“I learned that as far as the whole situation goes, things happen. There are a lot of worse things out there that happen to people and I, if anything, learned about character and I learned about myself and just about keeping your head up, putting your shoulders back and moving forward. I think that things happen to everybody. The biggest thing I learned is that no matter what you say, people will rip you apart and whatever. As long as you find confidence in yourself, that’s all that matters.”
What do you say to the people who doubt your abilities because of what happened?
“I don’t pay attention to them. If it’s a bad article, I don’t read it. I think that you don’t have to like everybody. I’m not asking anybody to like me. I’m just doing my thing, and I’m having a blast doing it. I don’t doubt my ability. You know what I’m saying? I’m 20. I have so much room to learn. I’m just now working on my second album. It’s interesting, because I look back at Madonna’s career and she went through things like this, but look at her.”
If you took yourself out of the situation, would you understand why people reacted the way they did?
“No, I don’t. There’s artists that are your favorite artists in the whole world and they do that every time you watch them perform. I feel that there were a lot of really, really cruel things said. Everybody has to have something to talk about.” (laughter)
I can guess what some of the lowlights of your career have been. What’s been the biggest highlight for you?
“It’s been amazing putting my album out and now it’s sold like 4 million records and that’s something I never, ever expected to happen. And doing shows and having fans come out and sing the words to your songs that’s, like, the coolest thing because when you’re making your album, you don’t imagine that.”
Does the success of that album put pressure on you for the second album?
“It doesn’t put pressure on me. For me, it’s really cool because on your second album you get to have a lot of artistic freedom to go where you want and stuff, so I’m really excited about that.”
You turn 21 this year, and you’re in your first movie. What do you have planned for the road ahead?
“I turn 21 this year — how exciting! For the rest of the year, I’m going to finish the tour out and then go home and start working on my new album. I’m really going to take my time with it. I probably will shoot another movie. You know what I’m going to do right when I get home, though? I’m going to go and take a vacation.”
Contact Jeffrey Hahne at 412-5934 or jhahne@news-record.com.
