Bittersweet World

Untitled

Bittersweet World is the third studio album by Ashlee Simpson. It is scheduled for release in March 2008. Simpson worked on the album with producers such as Timbaland, Pharrell Williams, will.i.am and Chad Hugo.

Production

In November 2006, Simpson said that she was going to meet with record executives soon and begin working on her third album. Simpson also stated that she would like to work with Robert Smith from The Cure, who attended her last performance as Roxie Hart in the musical "Chicago".

Producer Ron Fair said in December 2006 that working on Simpson's next album would be "very tricky" because of press scrutiny and "prejudices", but that Geffen would work with her to overcome that, "because she deserves to be heard and she deserves a shot."

On January 17, 2007, Simpson sent out a message to her fans, saying "I am starting to write and record a new album which I am so excited about", and "I have a good feeling about 2007, and I can't wait for you guys to hear my new album later on this year".

On February 1, 2007, MTV's TRL spoke about Simpson's new music, saying such top artists as Tom Petty, Pharrell Williams, Linda Perry, India.Arie, and will.i.am wanted to help Simpson with her third album.

On March 6, 2007, MTV reported that Simpson's next album would have "a more soulful sound" and was planned for release in October 2007. Simpson said she was writing with many different people.

On March 22, 2007, EW.com reported that Joe Simpson revealed she had been writing with Kenna and Chad Hugo. She also is said to be working with Timbaland, John Legend, and Tim Rice-Oxley, who worked with Gwen Stefani on a song from her album The Sweet Escape. It was also reported that Simpson was working on a collaboration with The Cure's frontman, Robert Smith, although in July Smith said that he had not worked with her and did not think it was likely that he would do so in 2007; he did, however, give a positive appraisal of Simpson's 2006 performance in Chicago. In September, Simpson said that, although it would be "a dream" to work with Smith, it had never happened and she had been embarrassed by the rumor.

In an April 2007, issue of US Magazine, Simpson was quoted as saying the album would have a more "mature" sound, yet still remain "rock." In the June 2007 issue of Cosmopolitan, she said that as she was becoming more mature, her music was changing, and that the new album would have less focus on relationship trouble and breakups.

In May 2007, the official website of Kara DioGuardi revealed that Kara would again be working with Simpson.

In June 2007, Simpson revealed to E! News that her album will have fun, dance songs, as well as break-up songs. She was also quoted as saying: "Who knows!? Maybe I'll fall in love on this record!"

Simpson gave MTV a sneak peak of the album on September 8. It is described by Simpson as being based on beats more than guitars, unlike her previous albums. Among these songs is "Murder" Ft. Travis McCoy. Simpson mentioned her work on Chicago as being one of her inspirations for the album, and she said that "there's a part of every girl and guy who wants to get out and get away with things". Other songs mentioned are "Follow You Wherever You Go" (described as "jazzed-up"), "Rulebreaker", "Ay Ay Ay", and "Ragdoll". According to MTV, Simpson has recorded six songs with Timbaland and seven with Chad Hugo and Kenna.

On October 15, MTV reported that the album's release had been delayed to the first quarter of 2008.

On November 13 2007, Simpson told MTV News at CosmoGIRL!'s Born to Lead Awards that the album was completed and that it would be released in March 2008, with its first single, the Timbaland-produced "Out Of My Head (Ay Ya Ya)", released in January. She described "Out Of My Head (Ay Ya Ya)" as a "fun, dancey song" with "a little bit of an '80s feel" and said that it was about the people in her life: "too many voices, too many people having their own opinion". She said that the video for the song would be filmed in December. She also downplayed the previously reported "Vicky Valentine" alter-ego aspect of the album, saying that it was "a joke for us making the record, and it's all lighthearted and all in good fun. It's me at the end of the day. We've all got different sides to us."

In an interview with CosmoGIRL! for its December 2007/January 2008 issue (for which she was the cover girl), Simpson said that she did not feel that she needed to prove herself when making this album and that she had a "stronger vision" for it. She also said that she challenged herself by "working with new sounds and new people" and that, although there was an expectation that she would be influenced by her boyfriend Pete Wentz to move further in the direction of rock with this album, she chose the opposite course, describing the result as a "fun party album" with a "silly and quirky" side. According to Simpson, she trusted her instincts in making the album and "felt free to be fun and crazy and sexy".

Simpson's official website stated on November 21 2007 that "Outta My Head" would be released on December 11. The song was made available for listening on AOL Music beginning on November 30.

In an interview with Billboard.com in early December, Simpson said that the album had some '80s influences but was not entirely styled as an '80s album. She said that there would still be a pop/rock aspect to the album, mentioning the songs "Rulebreaker" and "Never Dream Alone" in this respect. The album's title was still undecided at the time of the interview, and Simpson said that she intended to choose it during the Christmas holidays. She also said that she was planning on going on tour to support the album around February and that she would like for the initial phase to be a "smaller club tour".

In an MTV interview with Simpson on December 18 2007, Simpson said that the album's title would be Bittersweet World, also the name of one of the album's songs; she said that she had also considered the title of Color Outside the Lines. She described the title Bittersweet World as reflecting how she "feel[s] about the world right now."

Recorded tracks

• "Rulebreaker"
• "Ragdoll"
• "Murder" (featuring Travis McCoy) (produced by Timbaland)
• "Follow You Wherever You Go"
• "Outta My Head (Ay Ya Ya)" (produced by Timbaland / Confirmed first single)
• "Never Dream Alone"
• "Bittersweet World"
• "The Last Song"
• "Boys"

External links

• Ashlee Simpson's Official Website
• Ashlee Simpson at Geffen Records