Jessica Simpson is putting herself first.
The “With You” singer, who confirmed her separation from husband Eric Johnson in January, continued her musical comeback with a performance on the American Idol season 23 finale May 18, where she described her return to the stage as being part of a much larger personal transformation.
“I feel so in step with my purpose, so aligned in the middle of a lot of stuff,” she told E! News in an exclusive interview after the Idol finale. “I feel lighter and brighter than I ever have and I can only say that some spiritual realm is protecting me.”
According to the 44-year-old—who shares kids Maxwell, 13, Ace, 11, and Birdie, 6, with Eric—her newfound aura comes partly from following her own instincts.
“I grew up as a preacher’s daughter,” she continued. “I’m obedient, I did what the record label told me to do and I had a job to do. Now, the job that I’m doing is for myself and that’s to be vulnerable, raw and do the music that I want to do.” (For more from the American Idol finale, tune into E! News tonight, May 19 at 11 p.m.)
