Q&A: Jewel talks songwriting, acting and new projects ahead of New Albany show
Whether you are a folk-rock fan or a reality TV junkie, you are likely familiar with the music of Jewel.
Born in Utah in 1974 as Jewel Kilcher, the singer-songwriter first left her singularly poetic impression on listeners with her 1995 debut album, “Pieces of You.”
Since then, she has nourished her fan base with a series of acclaimed follow-ups, including “Spirit” (1998), “This Way” (2001) and “Sweet and Wild” (2010).
In addition to her recording career, Jewel has penned several books, commenced an acting career and even participated in (and emerged the winner of) Fox’s reality singing show “The Masked Singer.”
On Friday, Jewel will give a concert at the Charleen & Charles Hinson Amphitheater in New Albany. Ahead of the show, the 49-year-old singer fielded questions via email from The Dispatch.
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Question: What can you tell us about your upcoming concert in New Albany?
Jewel: I don’t normally have a set list when I do solo-acoustic shows. Since it’s a full band show, we have somewhat of a set list, but the band learns extra songs so I can still go off-script. I like to feel the crowd and then decide what to play, but it will be a mix of old favorites and new songs from my album “Freewheelin' Woman.”
Q: You said in an interview with American Songwriter that, instead of mining your catalog of songs for 'Freewheelin’ Woman,' you wrote all of the songs expressly for the new record. What was your motivation in doing that?
Jewel: Two reasons: One, I wanted to write from the perspective of where I’m at now. Two, I’ve never written an album to showcase my voice and range, and I wanted to do that.
Q. What is the songwriting process like for you?
Jewel: It depends. I normally will sit down and start playing my guitar and write based on a strong emotion that comes up. Other times, I’ll be going about my day and a line will come to me, and I’ll put it in my notes or voice memos in my iPhone.
Q. When you’re writing a song, do you hear yourself singing it?
Jewel: “Freewheelin’ Woman” is the first time I wrote for my voice more, and it’s still very lyric-driven and singer-songwriter-y, but in the soul vein. My previous albums were all about storytelling and I didn’t actually write for my voice at all.
Q: Among all of your records, do you have a favorite, or one that most closely matches your intentions?
Jewel: I love all of my albums because they represent different stories from my life. One I’m really proud of is “Lullaby.” I wrote it for my son and also myself because I wanted lullabies that I actually enjoyed, too! I had no record label — I did the whole thing in my own studio and rolled it out without traditional help. I’m really proud of that one.
Q. You reached a whole new audience with 'The Masked Singer' in 2021. Why did you want to participate in the show? What was your reaction to walking away as the season-six winner?
Jewel: I love challenging myself and that felt like a new challenge ... singing covers. I never sing covers. I can’t read music, so doing a cover is hard for me. I tried to choose songs that would challenge me. It ended up being so much fun. As far as winning, I’m competitive, so I wanted to win, but going in, you don’t know who else is participating and you don’t really get to see their performances, so you don’t know what you’re up against.
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Q. You co-starred in Ang Lee's Civil War film 'Ride with the Devil,' which came out nearly 25 years ago. You were great in the film. Do you have any favorite memories from making it?
Jewel: It was my first time acting and I was so nervous. I was having panic attacks and felt really out of my comfort zone. I realized that it was true I didn’t know how to act, but I could learn, so I dove into learning this new skill and (immersed) myself in it. I had a lot of fun on set because that’s something I’m always trying to do in my life — to learn and grow.
Q. More recently, you starred as June Carter Cash in the 2013 Lifetime biopic 'Ring of Fire.' Do you think you will do more screen acting in the future?
Jewel: I don’t have any plans right now, but you never know. I’ve loved the acting roles I’ve taken on. Especially playing June Carter Cash. I became really close with the Cash family ... it was special.
Q. What can we expect from you next?
Jewel: I’m working on a few things right now ... they’re in the early stages, so I don’t want to say too much, but I am in the studio. It just may not be for something you’d traditionally expect. I’ll leave it at that.
At a glance
Jewel will perform at 8 p.m. Friday at the Hinson Amphitheater, 170 E. Dublin-Granville Road, New Albany. Lawn seating is sold out. Individual table seats cost $175; tables for 8 cost $1,000 to $1,500. For more information, visit capa.com.