Shoe maven and ’90s pop star Jessica Simpson has unleashed her fury in her new single “Leave,” offering fans a raw description of enduring a cheating partner even as her marriage to Eric Johnson is failing in real life.
The song, released on Friday, March 7, is part of her upcoming “Nashville Canyon, Pt. 1” EP. Its explosive lyrics suggest a particularly twisted betrayal.
The former teen sensation tweeted days before the drop, “Evolvin’ as an artist means embracin’ the hard truths. “Leave” is my most vulnerable track yet. Can’t wait to share it with you THIS Friday. Pre-save now.”
Simpson, 44, confirmed in January that she and Johnson, 45, had been “living separately navigating a painful situation” after a decade of marriage.
While her public statement remained diplomatic for the sake of their three children — Maxwell, 12; Ace, 11; and Birdie, 5 — her music tells a far more explosive story.
The track begins with Simpson lamenting what was once “magic” before turning “tragic,” immediately establishing the theme of betrayal. What follows are lyrics that methodically dismantle the façade of a relationship, suggesting “weakness” led to an “unholy matrimony” that left her feeling “lonely.”
Perhaps the most unsettling lyrics are the ones depicting what else the cheater’s partner appropriated in her invasion of Simpson’s relationship.
In one particularly pointed lyric, she asks, “Did she get you off dressing up in my clothes?”—implying that whoever the cheating partner was involved with may have been wearing Simpson’s own clothing during their encounters.
The song doesn’t shy away from sexually explicit accusations, either. Simpson questions if the cheating partner did “to her what you did to me” and references someone being “on her knees,” leaving little ambiguity about the intimate nature of her accusations. The emotional devastation comes through clearly when she sings that she’d “rather die than let you be inside me with her on your mind.”
Evolvin’ as an artist means embracin’ the hard truths. “Leave” is my most vulnerable track yet. Can’t wait to share it with you THIS Friday. 💫 Pre-save now. #LinkinBio #Leave #NashvilleCanyon
Video by Schuyler Howie pic.twitter.com/Y12aGZInRA
— Jessica Simpson (@JessicaSimpson) March 5, 2025
Throughout the track, Simpson repeats the refrain “I want you to leave” and “I am stronger on my own,” suggesting she’s found empowerment through this painful chapter. She even appears to acknowledge her resilience with the line, “If you were me you’d fall to pieces, I make heartbreak look damn easy.”
Fans have been speculating about trouble in paradise for months. Simpson stopped posting photos with Johnson in spring 2024, didn’t acknowledge their 10-year wedding anniversary in June, and was spotted without her wedding ring.
The rumors intensified when she posted a family photo of her children’s first day of school without Johnson present.
Beyond the infidelity insinuations in her lyrics, sources suggest other factors may have contributed to their split. Simpson’s dramatic weight loss reportedly played a significant role in their marriage breakdown, with tabloids claiming their unnamed sources said Johnson prefers her with a fuller figure and felt disconnected as she became more focused on her fitness journey.
Fans also talked about Simpson’s “creepy” new appearance. Some even pointed out that she looked drastically different, fueling speculation about cosmetic procedures and personal struggles, suggesting this too might have impacted their relationship.
The couple’s relationship began controversially in 2010 while Johnson, a former NFL tight end, was still married to his first wife, Keri D’Angelo.
They wed in 2014, and according to insiders, Simpson is now house-hunting in Los Angeles while maintaining a “very positive attitude” despite what has been a “painful last year.”
“Leave” marks Simpson’s significant return to music after nearly 15 years, with her EP “Nashville Canyon, Pt. 1” set for release on March 21. It will be her first new material since her “Happy Christmas” album in 2010, and according to sources, she’s “anxious and excited to release it to the world,” according to US Weekly.
The lyrics have already struck a chord with fans. Social media reactions have praised Simpson’s vulnerability, with comments calling the lyrics “savage” and celebrating this newly revealed side of the singer.
One fan wrote on the YouTube “Behind the Scenes” release of the song, “I watched her grow up. So glad she made it through her journey.”
Another said, “Sounds like he cheated.”
On her Instagram, her followers weighed in also.
“Wow!! Your soul is showing,” one wrote, as another added, “These lyrics are savage.”
A third comment added, “Never heard this side of you before. I’m so proud of you & your ability to be vulnerable.”
As Simpson navigates this new chapter, “Leave” stands not just as a possible diss track but as a declaration of independence. With lines like “I’m letting you go,” she appears to have found her voice again, both musically and personally.
