Did You Know...

Growing up in Dallas, Texas, Jessica was infused with a love of singing through her involvement in a Baptist church choir. At the age of 12 she auditioned for the Mickey Mouse Club to prove her singing talents. She made it all the way to final round of auditions, but her cool veteran performance style had not developed at that young age, so she froze up. She wasn't chosen for the show, but that didn't break her will to succeed. The next year, while singing a solo for a church camp guest speaker, Jessica's talents were noticed and she was signed to a gospel label before taking to the road with the Christian Youth Conference tour. Soon, news of her uplifting voice leaked from Christian music circles into the world of pop. The rest is history.

From the 1999 release of her debut album, Sweet Kisses, she has had a band of loyal followers. The album, produced by Columbia records, is a blend of pop, R&B, and gospel that caught the ear of music lovers around the globe. Though singles like 'I Wanna Love You Forever' were not written by Jessica, she lends her enthusiasm, charisma, and strong voice to the powerful words and music of songwriters like Sam Watters and Louis Biancanella. The combination of great songwriting and a talented singer soon launched the single to the top of the charts.

Before the fame of her first album, Jessica had broken into showbiz by being invited to tour with the pop sensation 98 Degrees. On the tour she had the good fortune of capturing the heart of one of the band's charming bachelors, Nick Lachey. A single, titled 'Where Are You', was a duet performed by the two young lovers on her first album. Jessica released another hit album in 2001. Irresistible was hailed by critics as a turning point for Jessica. The album had a more mature air as Jessica released her flirty, sexy side to her waves of adoring fans.