Jewel

Jewel Kilcher was born on May 23, 1974, in Payson, Utah, and raised near Homer, Alaska. In her youth, she performed as a musical duo with her father in roadhouses and taverns. At age fifteen, she received a partial scholarship to Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, where she studied operatic voice and began to write songs and play guitar. After graduating, she moved to San Diego, California, performing in local coffeehouses and living in her car for a time while traveling and performing in Southern California. Her early performances led to her discovery by Inga Vainshtein in 1993, which resulted in a record deal with Atlantic Records.

Her debut album, “Pieces of You,” was released in 1995 when she was 21 years old. The album became one of the best-selling debut albums of all time, selling over 12 million copies in the United States alone. It featured hit singles such as “Who Will Save Your Soul,” “You Were Meant for Me,” and “Foolish Games.” Building on this success, Jewel released her second studio album, “Spirit,” in 1998, which sold 3.7 million units in the U.S. and included the popular single “Hands.” That same year, she made her acting debut in Ang Lee’s Western film, “Ride with the Devil,” receiving praise for her performance. Her career progression continued with “0304” (2003), which showcased a shift towards pop and dance-pop, and her first country album, “Perfectly Clear” (2008), which debuted atop Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart.

Beyond her musical career, Jewel has published several literary works, including the poetry collection “A Night Without Armor” (1998) and the memoirs “Chasing Down the Dawn” (2000) and “Never Broken: Songs Are Only Half the Story” (2015). She has also actively engaged in humanitarian activism, co-founding the nonprofit organization Higher Ground for Humanity, focused on education and sustainable improvements. In 2021, Jewel won the sixth season of “The Masked Singer” as the Queen of Hearts, further demonstrating her vocal versatility and enduring talent. Her most recent studio album, “Freewheelin’ Woman,” was released in 2022.