Jessica Simpson made a much-discussed return to perform on TV during the American Idol finale after a nearly 15 year hiatus.
Before gracing the American Idol stage in May 2025, the last time Simpson, now 44, performed live on TV was for the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony in New York City in November 2010. Simpson took the stage with Navy Petty Officer John Britt to perform a duet of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.”
Simpson donned a black coat dress that sparkled with rhinestone embellishments. She completed the look with black tights, boots and a fur scarf. Simpson also wore crystal snowflake earrings and hair clips to give her look a pinch of holiday cheer. Britt, for his part, was in uniform.
While on the chilly outdoor stage, Simpson belted the first portion of the holiday ballad. Britt crooned the next part, which earned a round of applause from the crowd. As Britt wowed the crowd, Simpson gave him an encouraging smile. Simpson then delivered the song’s big note as the soldier harmonized with the pop star. When the song came to an end, the crowd roared with cheer.
Days before taking the stage at the tree lighting, Simpson made an appearance on a PBS special explaining her involvement with the United States Navy.
“Every year I try to go somewhere to visit our troops. This year, I went to the Persian Gulf and I was aboard the USS Truman,” she explained. “I had the pleasure of sitting and talking with so many sailors that sacrifice their lives for us everyday.”
While there, Simpson had the idea to perform a holiday duet with one of the military members.
“Every time the holidays come around, I think about all the men and women who serve our country. I went out to the Persian Gulf and I wanted to sing a song with one of the sailors,” she recalled. “I chose to sing ‘I’ll Be Home for Christmas’ because I know every soldier and sailor out there is wishing that they could be home with their families for Christmas.”
Simpson’s performance with Britt was the last time she took the stage on TV for 15 years. Simpson made her comeback during the American Idol finale on Sunday, May 18. Ahead of taking the stage, host Ryan Seacrest noted that this was Simpson’s first TV appearance in 15 years.
She sang her new track “Blame Me” and her iconic cover of Nancy Sinatra’s 1966 hit “These Boots Are Made for Walkin,” which she first recorded in 2005 for the Dukes of Hazzard soundtrack. Simpson was joined by contestant Josh King, who was eliminated earlier in the season.
While the crowd gave Simpson a roaring round of applause, she confessed to Extra that she was extraordinarily “nervous” to take the stage given her long hiatus.
“Oh my god, I was dying … That’s a really long time, and, like, the last time was a Christmas song, so that’s easy,” Simpson told the outlet after the episode. “So, this is my new EP Nashville Canyon, Pt. 1, I mean, Pt. 2 comes in the summer, but it is so much a part of my soul, and so to sing a song off of that I felt naked, to be honest, like, it was very bare and raw and very vulnerable.”
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