Irresistible (Jessica Simpson Album) - Recording and Production

Recording and Production

I'm pretty shy about being in the studio with other people. Marc walked in, sat on the couch, and said, 'Let's tell each other a secret,' so we exchanged stupid, little private things. Then he said, 'For the next six hours, we are going to be completely in love, like we've known each other's lives and secrets for years. We sang to each other the whole time. I think you can hear our friendship coming through here. We really created it together, and I think it has such passion.

“ ” —Simpson on "There You Were"'s recording process.

Motolla selected Cory Rooney as the executive producer of Irresistible. Most of the recording and mixing works were done at Sony Music Studios, New York City and was completed over a time span of eight months. Rooney also coordinated the recording process while Robert Williams miked the vocals. Sony's C-800G Tube Condenser Microphone, equipped with a dual large diaphragm and electronically selectable pick-up pattern, was used to record the vocals. In an interview with Sony's SoundByte magazine in 2002, Williams said of his choice: "In the studio, it comes down to what you hear. She has such a big range, from a whisper to really belting it out, and you need a microphone that can handle the range without distortion." He had used the microphone for Simpson's first album and felt that it suited her well. He also noted that on ballads, "the S's and wet sounds of lips" are important to the texture of the song. According to him, as Simpson's vocals tended to be "bright", he edited the lower ends of her voice to equalize the track.

To mix the tracks, a Sony Oxford Console was used. Audio engineer Mick Guzauski explained to SoundByte that he used the console's "Automated EQ feature" on the tracks. He said that he could "tailor the frequency responses and dynamics within each song with optimum equalizer at every pitch and level." For the Afanasieff tracks, the background vocals and overdubs were accomplished on the Oxford console at his Wally World Studio B, at San Rafael, California. Simpson's label-mate and Latin singer Marc Anthony is featured as a guest vocalist on the ballad "There You Were". Simpson met Anthony at the taping of the TV special A Christmas in Washington in 2000. They talked to each other, and proposed recording a song on both of their next albums. They sang the song side by side in the studio and the whole song was completed within six hours. "Forever in Your Eyes" was one of the first songs to be recorded for the album, and was produced by Rhett Lawrence. It was recorded at Sony Music Studios within two hours. Rodney Jerkins, who was acquainted with Mottola, produced two cuts on Irresistible. In an interview with Sony Music Japan, Simpson said that she never met Jerkins in person. He produced and recorded the songs' music and sent the tape to Columbia, from which "Imagination" and "I Never" were selected. Cory Rooney produced Simpson's vocals and Tony Maserati mixed the vocals. Initially, Simpson did not want to record "What's It Gonna Be" as she felt the line "Are you gonna be a dog or a gentleman" was a little awkward. However, due to her record label's persuasion, she recorded the song and ultimately became fond of it. In order to record the title track, Simpson traveled to Murlyn Music Studios, in Sweden. "A Little Bit" was produced by Ric Wake; although he produced many songs for the album, only "A Little Bit" made the final cut. The Japanese version of the album contains a bonus track—the Hex Hector remix of "Irresistible"—for which Simpson re-recorded her vocals.