Jessica Simpson says quitting alcohol helped her overcome songwriting fears

Jessica Simpson opened up about the positive changes that came in her songwriting process after sobriety.

In the latest cover story of Cut with her sister Ashlee Simpson, the 44-year-old singer shared some insights into her songwriting process and how her drinking habits impacted it.

The singer and actress recalled her time in Los Angeles when she was working with "the biggest hitmakers."

"I have songs from those times that I never released because they just didn’t feel like me. Every time I would write, I was a little afraid of myself. It was almost too much, especially because I was drinking at the time," she explained.

"But once I gave up the alcohol, the fears just diminished," she continued. "They went away."

Jessica noted that her artistic side enhanced more after she stopped drinking, "I’d thought the more I drank, the more cool I could be and find cool words that would rhyme, that wouldn’t be so expected. I overthought it when I drank."

The mother of three felt "more empowered" after she stopped drinking alcohol while writing songs.

"I started pulling out my old journals, which eventually became Open Book. I now realize the power of words put to music."

It has been more than seven years since Jessica was sober and celebrated the anniversary of sobriety in November.