Simpson Plans On Staying Country

JESSICA SIMPSON wants to make her recent move to country music permanent – and has vowed never to return to her previous pop style.

The singer, who is due to release her first country album later this year (08), admits she enjoys the genre so much, she wants to focus the rest of her career on her new found musical direction.

She tells People.com, “I’m planning on making country (music) for the rest of my life, and I don’t want to go back to that other world.”

Simpson was originally criticized for choosing to sing country music after she slipped up during a performance of Dolly Parton’s Nine To Five at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2006.

But the star insists she has won over the critics with her new single.

She adds, “A lot of people have listened to Come On Over and told me, ‘I really wanted to hate it, but I like it,’ (It’s) a backhanded compliment, but I’m glad it’s that way and not the other way around. I take a lot of pride in my talent and in the record I was able to put together. I’m not giving up.”

(LR/WNWCPL/MT)