Jessica Simpson Shares Why Prince Displayed a Cutout Photo of Just Her Smile in His Home

Jessica Simpson was undeniably a very open book in her 2020 memoir Open Book, sharing candid stories about her love life, the highs and lows of her career, and her family. But, it seems that there are still some stories that the singer has in her back pocket. In a new interview with her sister, Ashlee Simpson, for The Cut, Jessica talked about her connection with Prince, including that he displayed a photo of her smile—just her smile—on his mantel. And while it sounds odd (a cut out photo of Jessica Simpson's smile as art??), Prince shared with her the positive meaning behind the choice. Turns out, his words meant so much that she now displays a photo of him in her house.

The story, as one might expect with a story about Prince, begins with a mystical experience. "At this house, we had this owl that would show up in times when I really needed it the most, when I felt like my heart was sliced in half," Jessica explained. She decided to name the owl Prince "because me and Prince, back in the day, we would get into spiritual conversations." Who knew!

"One time during this Grammys party, I went to his house and he was kind of waiting for me," Jessica went on. "The door opens and he’s standing there. He’s like, 'Ms. Jessica?' And I’m like, 'Yeah, Mr. Prince?' He took me by the hand and said, 'I want to show you something.'"

She said that Prince had recently released Musicology, which places this story in 2004 or 2005. (Musicology came out in March 2004, but the Grammys are held in February.)

"He couldn’t stand where music was, and he wanted to school people on where music should be," she continued. "He walks me to his mantel, and he’s like, 'Do you notice anything?' I look up and there’s one thing on his mantel, and it was a cutout picture of just my smile framed. I was like, 'Is that my smile?'"

Jessica said Prince told her, "Yes, and I want you to look very closely at that smile and know that no matter how many talks we have about being Jehovah’s Witness or nondenominational or Baptist or whatever it is, God is in that smile. Don’t let any man ever take that smile away from you, and do not let this music business take that smile away from you."

Jessica has had a rough go of it in the music business and, at times, in life—from being pressured to change her appearance from a young age, to going through divorce, to getting sober—so it's understandable that this advice from Prince would stick with her. This is why she now has a photo of the late artist on her own mantel.

"I put Prince on the mantel of my house in Nashville, this dope black-and-white photo that was him in his element," the 44-year-old said. "Just to remember the importance of my smile through whatever it is that I am going through, wherever it is I’m leading myself through, that I am my own guide."

Currently, that journey includes a new country EP, Nashville Canyon, Part 1, a separation from her husband of 10 years Eric Johnson, and raising her three children. And through it, she has the support of Prince and an owl called Prince. Ashlee's response? "Well, gosh, Jess."