Jewel (singer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jewel
Jewel performing in 2022
Born	Jewel Kilcher (1974-05-23) May 23, 1974 (age 51) Payson, Utah, U.S.
Occupation	Singer songwriter poet author activist actress
Years active	1994–present
Spouse(s)	Ty Murray ​ ​ (m. 2008; div. 2014)​
Children	1
Parent(s)	Atz Kilcher (father)
Relatives	Yule F. Kilcher (grandfather) Mossy Kilcher (aunt) Q'orianka Kilcher (first cousin once removed)
Musical career
Origin	Homer, Alaska, U.S.
Genres	Folk pop pop rock country
Instruments	Vocals (soprano) guitar
Labels	Atlantic Valory
Associated acts	The Rugburns Joseph Brent

Jewel Kilcher (born May 23, 1974), known simply as Jewel, is an American singer and songwriter. She has been nominated for four Grammy Awards. As of 2024, she has sold over 30 million albums around the world.

Jewel grew up near Homer, Alaska. She sang and yodeled with her father, Atz Kilcher, who was a local musician. When she was fifteen, she earned a scholarship to the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan. There, she studied how to sing opera. After finishing school, she started writing and performing her songs in clubs and coffee shops in San Diego, California. Because of attention from local media, Atlantic Records signed her in 1993. Two years later, they released her first album, Pieces of You. This album became one of the best-selling first albums ever, selling 12 million copies. Songs like "Who Will Save Your Soul", "You Were Meant for Me", and "Foolish Games" became very popular hits.

Jewel's second album, Spirit, came out in 1998. Then came This Way in 2001. In 2003, she released 0304, which had a different sound with electronic music and dance-pop elements. In 2008, she released Perfectly Clear, her first country album. It quickly became a top country album and included popular songs like "Stronger Woman". In 2009, Jewel released her first independent album, Lullaby.

In 1998, Jewel also released a book of poetry. The next year, she acted in the film Ride with the Devil (1999), which critics liked. In 2021, she won the sixth season of The Masked Singer as the Queen of Hearts.

Early Life and Alaskan Roots

Jewel Kilcher was born on May 23, 1974, in Payson, Utah. She was the second child of Atz Kilcher and Nedra Kilcher. At the time, her parents lived in Utah with her older brother, Shane. Her father was attending Brigham Young University. Jewel is also a cousin of actress Q'orianka Kilcher.

Her father, originally from Alaska, was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. However, the family stopped attending church after her parents divorced when she was eight. Her grandfather, Yule F. Kilcher, was an important person in Alaska's history. He helped write Alaska's constitution and was a state senator. He moved to Alaska from Switzerland and was the first person known to cross the Harding Icefield.

Soon after Jewel was born, her family moved to Anchorage, Alaska. They settled on the Kilcher family's 770-acre homestead. Her younger brother, Atz Jr., was born there. She also has a half-brother, Nikos, whom she became close to later in life. After her parents divorced in 1981, Jewel lived with her father near Homer, Alaska. Her childhood home did not have indoor plumbing, only a simple outhouse. The Kilcher family is featured on the Discovery Channel show Alaska: The Last Frontier, which shows their daily life in the Alaskan wilderness.

Jewel remembers her childhood: "We lived far from town. We had to walk 2 miles just to get to the saddle barn I was raised in... No running water, no heat—we had a coal stove and an outhouse and we mainly lived off of what we could kill or can. We picked berries and made jam. We caught fish to freeze and had gardens and cattle to live on. I rode horses every day in the summer beneath the Alaskan midnight sun. I loved it there."

The Hilton Anchorage, where Jewel sometimes performed with her father as a child

Jewel said the first song she learned was "Saint Louis Blues". When she was young, Jewel and her father sometimes earned money by performing music together in roadhouses and taverns. They also sang at hotels in Anchorage, like the Hotel Captain Cook and the Hilton Anchorage. During this time, Jewel learned to yodel from her father. She believes her time in these places helped her grow up.

When she was fifteen, a dance studio instructor in Anchorage suggested she apply to Interlochen Arts Academy in Interlochen, Michigan. She applied and received a partial scholarship to study opera singing. Local businesses in Homer helped raise $11,000 to pay for the rest of her first year's tuition. She moved to Michigan for Interlochen, where she received classical training and learned to play guitar. She started writing songs on guitar at age sixteen. While in school, she often performed live in coffeehouses. After graduating, she moved to San Diego, California, where she worked in a coffee shop and as a phone operator.

Music Career Highlights

Early Days and First Album

Jewel at Bill Clinton's second inauguration gala, 1997

For a while, Jewel lived in her car, traveling and performing on the street and at small shows, mostly in Southern California. She became known for singing at the Inner Change Cafe and Java Joe's in San Diego. Her friend Steve Poltz's band, the Rugburns, played at the same places. She later worked with Poltz on some of her songs, including "You Were Meant for Me".

Jewel was discovered by Inga Vainshtein in 1993. A local singer told Vainshtein about Jewel, a surfer girl who sang at a coffee shop. Vainshtein went to see Jewel perform with an Atlantic Records representative. After the show, she called Danny Goldberg, the head of Atlantic's West Coast operations, and asked him to pay for Jewel's demo recording. At the time, Jewel was living in a van and couldn't record her own music. Vainshtein became her manager and helped her get a deal with Atlantic Records. Jewel's performances at the Inner Change led to her first music award nominations. In 1994, she won the Best Acoustic award at the third annual San Diego Music Awards.

Jewel's first album, Pieces of You, was released in 1995 when she was 21. It was recorded at Neil Young's ranch with his band, the Stray Gators. Part of the album was recorded live at the Inner Change Cafe in San Diego, where Jewel had become famous locally. The album stayed on the Billboard 200 chart for two years, reaching number four. It included hit songs like "You Were Meant for Me", "Who Will Save Your Soul", and "Foolish Games". To promote the album, she toured as the opening act for Bauhaus frontman Peter Murphy. Pieces of You sold over 12 million copies in the United States.

Spirit and Other Projects

Jewel performs at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo, 2000

Jewel was chosen to sing the American national anthem at the opening of Super Bowl XXXII in January 1998 in San Diego.

Jewel's second studio album, Spirit, was released on November 17, 1998. It debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200 chart. It eventually sold 3.7 million copies in the United States. Its first song, "Hands", reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Other songs from the album included "Jupiter (Swallow the Moon)" and "What's Simple Is True". Soon after Spirit was released, Jewel made her acting debut in Ang Lee's film Ride with the Devil (1999), alongside Tobey Maguire. Critics generally liked the film, and Roger Ebert praised Jewel's acting.

In November 1999, Jewel released Joy: A Holiday Collection. This album sold over a million copies. In 2000, she wrote an autobiography called Chasing Down the Dawn. This book was a collection of her diary entries and thoughts about growing up in Alaska, learning her craft, and life on tour. In November 2001, her fourth studio album, This Way, was released. It sold over 1.5 million copies in the U.S. A song from the album, "Standing Still", reached the Top 30.

Musical Evolution and New Sounds

Jewel performing at The Hard Rock Casino's The Molson Theatre in B.C., in 2008

In June 2003, Jewel released her fifth studio album, 0304. The first song from the album, "Intuition", became popular. The change in musical style on 0304 was noticed by many. Jewel said she wanted to make a more upbeat album because of the Iraq War. She felt that music that helps people escape is popular during wartime. Both "Intuition" and the next song, "Stand", were number one hits on the Dance Club Songs chart.

On May 2, 2006, Jewel released her sixth studio album, Goodbye Alice in Wonderland. The album debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard Albums Chart. The first song, "Again and Again", was popular on Adult Top 40 Radio. Jewel described Goodbye Alice in Wonderland as "the story of my life" and her most personal album since Pieces of You.

Country Music and New Labels

Jewel performing live in Providence, Rhode Island, 2008

In early 2007, Jewel recorded a duet with Jason Michael Carroll, "No Good in Goodbye". In a 2007 interview, Jewel said she was no longer with Atlantic Records and wanted to make a country album next. She worked with John Rich of Big & Rich, who praised her as a great American singer-songwriter.

In November 2007, Jewel signed with Valory Records. Her first country album, Perfectly Clear, was released on June 3, 2008. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Album Chart. Jewel also appeared as herself in the comedy film Walk Hard, released in December 2007.

"Stronger Woman", the first song from Perfectly Clear, was released to country radio in January 2008 and reached the Top 20. The next song, "I Do", featured her then-husband, Ty Murray, in its video.

Children's Albums and Other Ventures

Jewel at the Yahoo! Yodel event in New York City, 2009

In early 2009, Jewel announced a new album called Lullaby, a collection of lullabies for both children and adults. Its first song, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", was released on iTunes on March 17, 2009. The album came out on May 5, 2009. "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" was No. 1 on The Top Children's Songs chart.

In January 2010, Jewel released "Stay Here Forever" from the movie Valentine's Day. This song also led to Jewel's ninth studio album, Sweet and Wild, released on June 8, 2010.

Jewel's second children's album, The Merry Goes 'Round, was released in August 2011. In June 2012, Jewel was cast as June Carter Cash in the Lifetime movie Ring of Fire. Critics praised Jewel's singing in the film. On October 16, 2012, Jewel announced a Greatest Hits album for 2013. It included new duets with Kelly Clarkson and the Pistol Annies. The album was released on February 5, 2013.

On August 6, 2013, Jewel announced her second Christmas album, Let It Snow: A Holiday Collection, released on November 12, 2013.

Recent Music and TV Appearances

In February 2014, Jewel began working on her next album, producing it herself. On July 21, she confirmed the title as Picking Up the Pieces, released on September 11, 2015. Four days later, she released her third book, a memoir called Never Broken: Songs Are Only Half the Story.

In 2016, Jewel appeared in the Comedy Central Roast of Rob Lowe. Also in 2016, Jewel founded Jewel Inc., a platform for her work in music, TV, film, and business, especially related to mindfulness. In 2017, she returned to acting, starring in the Fixer Upper Mysteries on the Hallmark Channel.

Towards the end of 2019, Jewel released "No More Tears", written for Lost in America, a documentary about youth homelessness. Jewel was an executive producer for the documentary and was inspired by the stories of young people experiencing homelessness, relating them to her own past experiences.

In 2021, Jewel competed in season six of The Masked Singer as "Queen of Hearts". She won the season on December 16, 2021. After her performance of "River", judge Jenny McCarthy called her the greatest artist on the show. Jewel and her son performed a duet of her song "Hands" on The Masked Singer Christmas Singalong. Jewel later released an EP called Queen of Hearts with covers of songs she performed on the show.

In March 2022, Jewel represented Alaska in the first American Song Contest. She performed "The Story" but did not advance to the semi-finals.

Jewel's thirteenth studio album, Freewheelin' Woman, was released on April 15, 2022. It was co-produced by Jewel and Butch Walker.

On February 19, 2023, Jewel performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the NBA All-Star Game in Salt Lake City, Utah. On May 28, 2023, she performed the anthem again at the Indy 500 in Speedway, Indiana. On April 9, 2024, Jewel joined Olivia Rodrigo to perform "You Were Meant for Me" at Madison Square Garden.

Artistry and Musical Style

Jewel on the red carpet in 2010

Jewel is a soprano, which means she has a high singing voice. Caitlin Gibson of The Washington Post described Jewel's voice as very flexible, able to sound "deep and powerful, girlish and sweet, piercing and agile." Gibson also noted that when Jewel first started, she became popular with "sweet, simple folk tunes" during a time when grunge music was very popular.

Her fifth album, 0304 (2003), was a change from her earlier folk rock albums, moving towards a more general pop sound. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic described 0304 as an album that combined dance, urban, and folk music. He said it was "an original-sounding album, something with more imagination than the average dance-pop record." Perfectly Clear (2008) was influenced by her love for country music. Picking Up The Pieces (2015) saw Jewel "going back to [her] folk/American roots."

Jewel often uses Taylor Guitars, especially a Taylor 912-C. She uses a special fingerpicking technique or a hard pick to strum her guitars.

Other Work and Activism

Books and Art Projects

In 1998, Jewel published a book of poetry called A Night Without Armor. It sold over 1 million copies and was a New York Times best-seller. In 2000, Jewel published a biographical book called Chasing Down the Dawn. She also published children's books: That's What I'd Do in 2012 and Sweet Dreams in 2013. In 2015, Jewel published her memoir titled Never Broken: Songs Are Only Half the Story.

In 2024, Jewel created a museum show at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas called The Portal: An Art Experience by Jewel. The show included her own paintings, a music and technology display, and artworks from the museum's collection. Jewel also used new technology like a drone light show with a new song and a hologram of herself to welcome visitors and perform.

Helping Others

Jewel, along with her mother and brother, founded a non-profit organization called Higher Ground for Humanity. This group focused on education, making improvements that last, and working with other similar organizations. Jewel gave part of her earnings to the organization and often held events to raise money for it. The organization's activities ended around 2005.

In September 2006, Jewel helped the "Stop Breast Cancer for Life" campaign. She delivered over 12 million petition signatures to Capitol Hill, asking Congress to pass a law to stop "drive-through" mastectomies. This practice meant women were sent home just hours after surgery. Jewel also served as the honorary chairperson for the 2006 Help the Homeless Walk in Washington, D.C.

In November 2008, Jewel started a project with many singer-songwriters. They wrote and auctioned their song lyrics to raise money for her "Project Clean Water" charity. Many artists donated their lyrics, including John Mellencamp and Jason Mraz. The auction raised a lot of money, with Jewel's songs "You Were Meant For Me" and "Who Will Save Your Soul" selling for over $1,000 each.

In May 2013, Jewel became an ambassador for the ReThink: Why Housing Matters initiative. She appeared in a public service announcement (PSA) asking Americans to think differently about public housing and how it helps communities.

Personal Life

Jewel and rodeo cowboy Ty Murray were married in the Bahamas in 2008. They had a son, Kase Townes Murray, on July 11, 2011. In 2014, after almost six years of marriage, the couple divorced.

Jewel is the daughter of Atz Kilcher, who appears on the Discovery Channel show Alaska: The Last Frontier. All three of her brothers live in Alaska. Her first cousin once removed is actress Q'orianka Kilcher.

Jewel has been separated from her mother, who used to manage her business, since 2003.

Jewel has shared that she started having panic attacks at age sixteen. She learned to manage them using techniques similar to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), especially visualization.

On January 20, 2025, Jewel performed "Over the Rainbow" at an event in Washington D.C. She later apologized and expressed her support for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Awards and Recognition

Tours

• 1997: Tiny Lights Tour
• 1997: Papillion Tour
• 1999: Spirit World Tour
• 2002: This Way World Tour
• 2002: New Wild West Acoustic Tour
• 2003-04: 0304 Acoustic Tour
• 2005: Tour For No Reason
• 2008: Goodbye Alice In Wonderland Tour
• 2009: Perfectly Clear Acoustic Tour
• 2009: Lullaby Acoustic Tour
• 2010: Star Light Café Tour
• 2013: Greatest Hits Tour
• 2016: Picking Up the Pieces Tour
• 2017, 2018: Handmade Holiday Tour

Co-headlining

• 1997: Lilith Fair (with various artists)

Opening act

• 1995 Opening act for Peter Murphy
• 2006: Something to Be Tour (for Rob Thomas)
• 2008: Paisley Party Tour (for Brad Paisley)
• 2022: AM Gold Tour (for Train)

Cancelled

• 2003: 0304 World Tour

Discography

Videography

Film and Television Appearances

Other Credits

See also

In Spanish: Jewel para niños