Jessica Simpson returned to reality TV after 15 years when she took to the American Idol stage for the Season 23 finale on Sunday, May 18. She performed her 2005 hit track “These Boots Are Made for Walkin'” with contestant Josh King, and also promoted new music with the song “Blame Me.”

Ahead of her appearance, Simpson and American Idol updated fans on what she had been up to with several Instagram posts. This included a post shared by the official American Idol Instagram account on May 13 announcing her as a guest performer. It was a milestone moment for Simpson and her fans.

Jessica Simpson’s Fans React To Her ‘American Idol’ Performance

In the comment section of the post announcing Simpson as a guest performer, fans were eager to share their thoughts. “Gosh!! I have always been rooting for her!! I hope she has an amazing performance and feels her absolute best!!” a comment reads. “I cannot wait to see this!!!!! How exciting!!!”

A few days later, Simpson updated fans again. This time, she showed off her new look, a darker shade of blonde hair, as she posted a short video clip of herself walking into her trailer on Instagram. “American Idol Rehearsal,” she captioned the post. Again, fans expressed their excitement. “You got it girl! So excited to see you light up that stage! REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE!” a fan wrote. Another shared, “So excited to watch your performance today!”

American Idol posted a clip of Josh King and Simpson onstage. King reacted, praising the experience of working with the singer on the duet. “It was an absolute honor to perform with Jessica!!!” he wrote. Other reactions from fans include, “BRAVO. So happy she is back with incredible new music!! She looked and sounded amazing! What a comeback!!!,” and “Kudos to her for getting on that stage and having fun.”

Jessica Simpson Was Extremely Nervous On The ‘American Idol’ Stage

Simpson may have sounded great, but she was nervous to sing on the American Idol stage. “Oh, my God, I was dying,” she told Extra in an interview on May 19 about her thoughts when performing onstage.

She continued, “I can’t even tell you how long it’s been since I’ve been that nervous. Like, I had to put hairspray on my feet to stand still, like, not that it actually keeps me put, but, like, my feet were sweating. I’m like, my feet don’t sweat. I just kept telling myself, ‘Do not cry. Do not cry. I know this is a big moment … do not cry.'”

Simpson could also share this moment with her dad, who was in the audience watching. She revealed that seeing him left her so emotional that she had to keep reminding herself to focus on the music and not cry.