United Kingdom, Feb. 21 -- Jessica Simpson's fears "just diminished" when she quit drinking.

The 44-year-old singer believes sobriety has actually helped her to become more honest and to feel more comfortable in her own skin.

Jessica told The Cut: "Around 2016, '17, I was writing out here in Los Angeles with some of the biggest hitmakers. I have songs from those times that I never released because they just didn't feel like me. Every time I would write, I was a little afraid of myself. It was almost too much, especially because I was drinking at the time.

"But once I gave up the alcohol, the fears just diminished. They went away. And it was so much easier for me to access myself artistically.

"I'd thought the more I drank, the more co...