2000s pop divas: Where are they now?

Jessica Simpson shot to pop stardom with her debut album Sweet Kisses (1999) with its iconic lead single “I Wanna Love You Forever”. Alongside her pop-country tunes, Jessica also became known for her then-marriage to 98 Degrees frontman Nick Lachey in the MTV series Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica (2003–2005), and even launched a billion-dollar fashion empire, The Jessica Simpson Collection.

Jessica  later married former NFL player Eric Johnson in 2014, who she shares three children with, though the couple announced their split in 2025. The “Irresistible” singer is still making her mark as a lifestyle mogul, having recently dropped a new clothing line with Walmart – and y2k is officially back, as she released two EPs in 2025, Nashville Canyon parts 1 and 2, her first new music in five years.

From “Maneater” to “Say It Right”, Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado brought us some of the most era-defining hits of the 2000s. After winning a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for “I’m Like a Bird”, she pulled off a full pop reinvention with her bestselling third album Loose (2006), infusing sleek R&B and hip-hop influences alongside producer Timbaland.

Though she hasn’t matched her noughties chart dominance, Nelly released her seventh studio album 7 in 2024, and her back catalog is having a major second life on TikTok. The star took to Instagram in October 2025, sharing that it’s been “surreal and joyful” to have people rediscover her music, and also revealed that she’d be stepping away from performing for a while to “pursue some other creative and personal endeavours”.

Known as the “Voice of a Generation”, Christina Aguilera made the jump from The All New Mickey Mouse Club (1993–1994) star to y2k icon with her self-titled debut album in 1999, charting with singles like “Genie in a Bottle”. She cemented her pop legend status with her era-defining sophomore album Stripped (2002), inventing XTina with hits like “Dirrty” (and those iconic black highlights).

With further solo hits like “Beautiful” and collaborations with the likes of Maroon 5 on “Moves like Jagger”, XTina has also starred in Hollywood hits like Burlesque (2010), where she met her now-partner Matthew Rutler. The mom-of-two, who also shares a son with ex-husband Jordan Bratman, released her festive album Christmas in Paris in 2025, and told The Jennifer Hudson Show she has “really personal” new music on the horizon alongside a documentary.

Proving that pop royalty ran in the family, Ashlee Simpson stepped out from her big sister’s shadow with her punchy debut Autobiography (2004), led by her bestselling hit “Pieces of Me” and a killer dark hair makeover. Alongside her two-season MTV show The Ashlee Simpson Show (2004–2005), she starred in both the West End and Broadway productions of Chicago during the decade, as well as the Melrose Place revival (2009–2010).

Ashlee was previously married to Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz for three years, with whom welcomed a son with, and later married musician Evan Ross in 2014, who she shares two children with. The I Am Me singer is currently performing a residency in Las Vegas; “Going back and looking at those songs – looking at myself 20 years ago…I wish I could go back in time and give you a hug,” she told the Los Angeles Times.

Joanna Levesque – aka "JoJo" – was just 13 when her self-titled album came out in 2004, becoming the youngest solo artist ever to top the Billboard Mainstream charts with her debut single “Leave (Get Out)”. Following her career-defining hit “Too Little Too Late”, the teen prodigy had a nearly decade-long legal battle with her record label, preventing her from releasing new music until 2014 – “It made me realise that I love music more than I hate the industry,” she later told Nylon. 

The hitmaker released her memoir Over the Influence in 2024, detailing her struggles with early fame, and also made her Broadway debut in Moulin Rouge! The Musical in 2023. JoJo released her EP NGL in 2025, branded “amazing” by fans, and recently completed her Too Much to Say tour in 2025.

After replacing Kim Hill in the Black Eyed Peas in 2002, Fergie later stole the spotlight with her solo debut The Dutchess (2006), bringing us eternal hits like “Glamorous” and “Fergalicious”. Known for her R&B sound and stylish image, the star also returned to her TV roots during the era in films like Poseidon (2006) and Nine (2009).

The eight-time Grammy award winner was previously married to actor Josh Duhamel for eight years, who she shares a son with, before announcing their split in 2017. Fergie later released solo singles like “L.A. Love (La La)” before officially splitting from the band in 2018; though she’s on hiatus from the industry, she filmed a second music video for her y2k hit “London Bridge” for the Netflix series Too Much (2025), which fans called “very much needed” in the comments.