Ashlee Nicole Simpson (born October 3, 1984) is an American pop rock singer, songwriter, and actress, and younger sister of pop singer Jessica Simpson. Simpson rose to prominence in mid-2004 through the success of her number-one debut album Autobiography and the accompanying reality series The Ashlee Simpson Show. Simpson received widespread criticism when she used a pre-recorded vocal track for a performance on Saturday Night Live in October 2004. Following a North American concert tour and a film appearance, Simpson released a second number-one album, I Am Me, in late 2005. Her third album, Bittersweet World, was released in April 2008.
Simpson was born in Waco, Texas, and raised in Richardson, Texas. She is the daughter of Joe Truett Simpson (a former Baptist youth minister who is now her manager) and Tina Ann Drew. Ashlee attended Prairie Creek Elementary. An accomplished dancer, Simpson began studying classical ballet at the age of three, and was admitted to the School of American Ballet in New York City at the age of eleven. Around that time, she suffered from an eating disorder; the condition lasted about six months, and she dropped to about 31 kg (70 pounds) at 159 cm (5 ft 2 in), but her parents then stepped in and got her to eat more. After her sister Jessica Simpson landed a record deal, the Simpson family decided to move to Los Angeles, California, where Ashlee began appearing in television commercials.
When Jessica became a star after releasing her first album, Ashlee became one of her backup dancers. Later, Ashlee began appearing in films and television series, including an episode of the sitcom Malcolm in the Middle in 2001, a minor role in the 2002 film The Hot Chick and a recurring role, 39 episodes from 2002-2004, on the family drama series 7th Heaven. In the summer of 2003, Ashlee recorded a song titled "Just Let Me Cry" for the soundtrack of the film Freaky Friday. Eventually, Simpson signed a record deal with Geffen Records.
Simpson cites her childhood as being the time when she began to sing, and admits that she dreamed of being on Broadway and didn't expect to break into the pop music scene. Simpson's voice is described as being a Lyric Alto. The highest note Simpson has shown capabilities of hitting is an E5 (in her songs "Invisible" and "La La"), and the lowest note she has shown capabilities of hitting is an E3 (in her songs "Catch Me When I Fall" and "Shadow") – about a 2 octave range. On Simpson's voice, producer Ron Fair has said it has a "gritty tone", and in a review of her album Autobiography, a critic said "Simpson has a singing ability much like a harder-rocking Alanis Morissette, with the sassy aspect of Avril Lavigne, and the poise of such singers as Sheryl Crow". The New York Times has described Simpson's voice as "rather breathy, and mannered". Simpson trains with a vocal coach, and studies old Etta James and Aretha Franklin albums for vocal inspiration. In one interview, Simpson pointed to Joan Jett, Pat Benatar, and Chrissie Hynde as musical influences.