Jessica Simpson’s Friends Fear She’ll Go Back to ‘Destructive Habits’ If Her Upcoming Album Flops

Pop star turned fashionista Jessica Simpson is releasing her first album in 16 years, and sources exclusively tell Life & Style she's putting so much pressure on herself loved ones fear she'll fall back on her self-destructive ways if it flops.

The 44-year-old's album In This Skin sold 3 million copies. But that was in 2003, before she shifted focus to her reality TV show with now ex-husband Nick Lachey and her successful fashion line.

Jessica's 2008 album, Do You Know , flopped and she released her last album, Happy Christmas , in 2010.

She also settled down with former pro football player Eric Johnson , 44, and is raising kids Maxwell, 12, Ace, 11, and Birdie, 5.

"Jess feels she needs to do this and dreams of topping the charts again," confides a friend. "She just wanted to wait until her kids were old enough to understand that their mother is an entertainer and she may be away from home performing ."

But it remains to be seen how much pop is left in the middle-aged mom's star. "The music industry has changed completely since Jess was a big star," notes the friend. "The days when she could sell 3 million albums are long behind her. Really, she's a nostalgia act at this point."

Meanwhile, Jessica suffered through a personal hell of drug and alcohol addiction she claims to have kicked in 2017. But loved ones are worried those demons could return.

Her husband and her parents, Joe and Tina , are all said to worry that her long break from the music industry could be too much for her to overcome.

"If this comeback doesn't work out, there are real fears she's going to fall into depression and go back to her destructive habits," says the friend. "Eric and her folks are trying to get Jess to manage her expectations — and are monitoring her closely."