Jessica Simpson Slurs & Flips Off Audience During First Performances In 15 Years Amid Divorce Drama

Baila Eve ZismanMarch 15, 2025, 12:15 pmNews >

On Thursday, Jessica Simpson delivered a surprise performance at the Luck Reunion 2025 festival in Spicewood, Texas, with a gesture that shocked some fans.

Simpson has been attempting to make a comeback in the music industry and had a busy week. On Wednesday, she appeared at the South By Southwest festival in Austin Texas, marking her first performance in 15 years. She sang her 2003 hit “With You” and her famous 2005 cover of “These Boots Are Made for Walkin.”

>READ: JESSICA SIMPSON ANNOUNCES SPLIT FROM HUSBAND ERIC JOHNSON

After festival-goers at her performance at SXSW commented that she seemed to be “slurring” her words, Simpson amped up her energy for her Thursday performance. She donned a loud cheetah print dress accentuated by a giant turquoise statement necklace and a white lace cover.

Simpson was joined on stage by a bass player and two backup singers and kept a white Stanley bottle nearby for regular hydration checks.

>MORE: JESSICA SIMPSON LOOKS UNRECOGNIZABLE AFTER 100-LBS. WEIGHT LOSS

At one point, Simpson flipped the audience off with double fingers and a smile, attempting to exude a young rockstar identity – but many thought that her gesture wasn’t consistent with her image and found it inappropriate.

Simpson’s performance quickly follows her announcement two months ago that she and her husband Eric Johnson have split up. The two were married for ten years and share three children together.

While no reason has explicitly been given for their uncoupling, Simpson’s music has indicated that Johnson may have cheated on her while they were together.

The couple hinted at their split for a few months before Simpson confirmed the separation in January. She made a statement announcing, “Eric and I have been living separately navigating a painful situation in our marriage…our children come first and we are focusing on what is best for them.”

She continued, “We are grateful for all of the love and support that has been coming our way, and appreciate privacy right now as we work through this as a family.”