Studio Press

Simpson released her first single, "I Wanna Love You Forever", which peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2000.^[5] Soon afterward her major label debut album Sweet Kisses was released. To support the album, Simpson toured with Ricky Martin and with boy band 98 Degrees, and she and 98 Degrees group member Nick Lachey began dating shortly afterwards.^[6] After dating for two years, the couple cooled their relationship. After the September 11, 2001 attacks, the couple reconciled. Simpson stated, "After 9/11, I knew that I never ever wanted to be away from Nick ever for the rest of my life."^[4]

Meanwhile, Simpson's album Sweet Kisses had gone double platinum, helped by follow-up singles "Where You Are" and "I Think I'm In Love With You", which were both released in 2000. The latter became Simpson's biggest radio hit at that point, and was her first release of an uptempo single. Although her debut album sold 2 million copies and 4 million worldwide, sales fell far short of those achieved by Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, and unlike the two pop princesses, Simpson was not a worldwide household name. Columbia Records officials reportedly decided Simpson needed a change for her second album. The following year, Jessica came to record her second album, executives pressured to she give a much more sexy image.

In 2001, Simpson recorded a follow-up album with what Columbia considered more radio-friendly, up-tempo tracks. The result in that was Irresistible, released in mid-2001 on the heels of the title-track first single. "Irresistible" became one of the biggest hits of her career; it peaked at # 15 on the Hot 100 and stayed in the chart for 20 weeks. The single reached its peak at #2 in Belgium and the Top 20 in the UK, Mexico, Argentina, Canada, Norway, Sweden, Ireland, Switzerland, Philippines and Australia, which by its single becomes more enjoying fame in the world.

Irresistible debuted at #6 in June 2001 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart,^[7] and was certified Gold for selling 500,000 copies in its seventh week. Irresistible has sold 825,000 copies to date in U.S. and 3.5 million copies worldwide. "A Little Bit" was released as the second single from the album but did not enter the chart.

In support of the album, Simpson toured mid-August, which was called DreamChaser Tour, but due to the terrorist attack of September 11 could not complete the planned dates.