Jessica Simpson Kicks Off Country Album With Shaky Concert 9/9/08

Jessica Simpson's new career as a country singer is off to a shaky start after audio malfunctions disrupted a live performance in New York on Tuesday (02Sep08).

The former pop star dressed the part in a billowing bright pink dress and cleavage-bearing black top as she clapped along to a track from her debut country album Do You Know, released on Tuesday (09Sep08).

But Simpson's performance grinded to a halt when a technical malfunction prompted her to stop the show. Shouting to the crowd, she said, "I know this is live TV, but I can't hear anything," before counting the band down and restarting the song.

Still, the singer insists performing as a country music artist is a welcome departure from the pressures of being a pop star. She says, "It's a natural thing for me.

I've always been a country girl, so it feels good to be on stage, just being myself." Simpson was previously booed by concert-goers at a country music festival in Wisconsin in July (08), when she debuted her new sound.