Why Jessica Simpson Left Hollywood and Moved to Nashville This Summer

These days, Jessica Simpson‘s family life is less of a public affair.

After all, the pop star-turned-fashion designer has temporary relocated from paparazzi-filled Hollywood to the much quieter city of Nashville with husband Eric Johnson and kids Maxwell Drew, 11, Ace Knute, 10, and Birdie Mae, 4. While Jessica isn’t completely ready to part ways with the West Coast—renting a home in the Tennessee capital for the summer—she exclusively told E! News chief correspondent Keltie Knight that the change in scenery has been much welcomed.

“Being in Nashville, even my kids are like, ‘You laugh the whole time. You’re so happy,'” she revealed during a recent PetSafe event in Los Angeles to celebrate National Dog Day. “It’s because I’m not on guard. I’m with a lot of like-minded people. It’s not about the celebrities—it’s really about the music and the heart and the conversation.”

In fact, being a renter has been “a hilarious experience,” according to the 43-year-old.