Jessica Simpson Gives Update on Relationship with Ex Eric Johnson After Separation

In an interview with PEOPLE, the singer -- who revealed her split from Johnson in January -- reflected on recording her new music in the wake of the separation.

Simpson, 44, will drop her first song in years, titled "Use My Heart Against Me," this Friday. It is the first single off her upcoming EP, Nashville Canyon: Part 1.

"I've grown up so much. I can handle so much," she told PEOPLE. "Maybe I'm just meant to love a lot of people in my life."

"I don't know why my heart gets tossed around but I'm one of the lucky ones," Simpson continued, before revealing her current relationship with Johnson. "At least I have my children and I still have Eric. He's still very much a part of my life and will always be."

The mom of three will release her EP on March 21, sharing that she recorded her music at their rental home in Franklin, Tennessee, which is near Nashville.

"Discovering this music is something I did on my own," Simpson said. "Thank God I had Nashville, it was just a way of me owning myself and declaring it."

Last month, Simpson announced she and Johnson, 45, had split after 10 years of marriage.

"Eric and I have been living separately navigating a painful situation in our marriage," she noted.

Simpson did not elaborate on the "painful situation" that led to the split.

"Our children come first, and we are focusing on what is best for them," she added. "We are grateful for all of the love and support that has been coming our way, and appreciate privacy right now as we work through this as a family."

The two, who have been married since July 2014, share three children together: daughters Maxwell Drew, 12, and Birdie Mae, 5, and son Ace Knute, 11.

Prior to announcing the split, Simpson hadn't been wearing a wedding ring for some time in her social media posts. Johnson was also spotted without his ring on back in November.

While Simpson often shares photos with the couple's children to social media, Johnson has been largely MIA. His most recent appearance was in a group family photo for Easter 2024 back in April. Before that, he hadn't been seen on her page since September 2023, for his birthday.

Meanwhile, just a few days before she confirmed the news of her and Johnson's separation, Simpson re-listed the family's home in Hidden Hills, California, placing the 7-bedroom mansion for sale on January 11, according to In Touch. She'd previously listed the home for $22 million in 2023.