Jewel (singer)

Jewel Kilcher (born May 23, 1974) is a singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and author, better known by her stage name, Jewel.

Career

Music

It was at these coffeehouse appearances that she was discovered by Atlantic Records. She cut her debut album, Pieces of You, when she was nineteen and it was released in 1995. Some of the songs on the album were recorded at the coffeehouse. The album stayed on the Billboard 200 for an impressive two years, reaching number four at its peak popularity. The album spawned the Top 10 hits "You Were Meant for Me", "Who Will Save Your Soul?" and the #1 hit "Foolish Games". The album was a huge success and eventually sold over 11 million copies in the US alone.

Related Topics:
Atlantic Records - Pieces of You - 1995 - Billboard 200

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Jewel is noted for her songs' qualites of stark honesty and soulful introspection. Her songs resist categorization, but, because of their mostly guitar accompaniment, have sometimes been categorized as folk music or the hybrid class folk-pop. However, her music is mostly recognized as popular music and enjoys wide exposure on a variety of music radio stations.

Related Topics:
Folk music - Popular music - Radio

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Due to her success, she was chosen to sing the national anthem at the opening of the Super Bowl in January 1998.

Related Topics:
National anthem - Super Bowl - 1998

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In November 1998, Jewel released her second album, Spirit. The album peaked at #3 on the Billboard 200 and sold over 4 million copies in the US. The songs "Hands" and "Down So Long" hit the Top 10.

Related Topics:
1998 - Spirit - Billboard 200

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A year later, In November 1999, Jewel released her holiday album, Joy-A Holiday Collection. The album sold over a million copies and peaked at #32 on the Billboard 200. She released a cover of "Joy to the World" from the album.

Related Topics:
1999 - Joy-A Holiday Collection - Billboard 200

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In November 2001, the album This Way was released. The album peaked at #9 on the Billboard 200 and sold over 1 million copies in the US. Jewel hit the Top 10 with the song "Standing Still" and the Top 40 with the song "Break Me".

Related Topics:
2001 - This Way - Billboard 200

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In 2003 Jewel underwent a drastic image change with the release of her album 0304. She writes in her liner notes, "I wanted to make a record that was a modern interpretation of big band music. A record that was lyric driven, like Cole Porter stuff, that also had a lot of swing. And a lot of it is thanks to Lester, because when I told him I wanted to make a record that combined dance, urban and folk music, he didn't look at me like I was crazy." It's an innovative album that is smart, fun, and sexy. It also contains heartfelt lyrics about love, that holds to the tradition of her previous albums in a different way, in songs like "Run 2 U," "2 Find U," "Fragile Heart," and "2 Become 1."

Related Topics:
2003 - 0304

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Her video for the debut single Intuition had her cavorting in full dance numbers, often scantily clad in bras and bikinis. The song and video seemed to be intended as social commentary on the state of pop music but it left fans wondering if Jewel had in fact become what she was satirizing. The song "Intuition" was hit the Top 10, and the album 0304 debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200, giving Jewel her highest chart dating ever. In total, however, the album sold just 500,000 units in the US, making it her lowest-selling album.

Related Topics:
Bras - Bikini - 0304 - Billboard 200

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As of July 2005, Jewel is in the studio working on a new album.

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Film

Jewel appeared in the 1999 Ang Lee film Ride with the Devil

Related Topics:
1999 - Ang Lee - Ride with the Devil

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Writing

Jewel published a book of poetry titled "A Night Without Armor" in 1998 and an autobiography titled Chasing Down the Dawn in 2000. Chasing Down The Dawn was a collection of diary entries and musings detailing her life growing up in Alaska, her struggle to learn her craft and life on the road. "A Night Without Armor" sold over 500,000 copies.

Related Topics:
Poetry - A Night Without Armor - 1998 - Autobiography - Chasing Down the Dawn - 2000

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