Jewel shot to fame with the song "Who Will Save Your Soul" from her first album, "Pieces of You." Since then, she's created eight more albums, including her latest, "Goodbye Alice in Wonderland," and has been nominated for three Grammies.
From yodeling onstage to traveling to Switzerland, Alaska-born Jewel, whose grandfather immigrated to the US, has embraced her Swiss roots from a young age. She talked about her music, heritage, and future plans in an interview as a featured Swiss Roots celebrity.
Swiss Roots: You had a great performance at the Swiss National Day celebration. How did you feel about performing, and how was performing with your father, Atz Kilcher, again?
Jewel: It was a real kick for my family. My dad, my auntsÂ…everybody was just over the moon. It's always great performing with [my dad]. We have a good time together.
Swiss Roots: You started performing live at a young age and released a live DVD in 2004. Is performing your songs a key part of your love of music?
Jewel: I really enjoy it. That and writing are my two favorite things about this job. It's really great to feel the crowd every night, and do something different every night. It makes the job pretty fulfilling.
Swiss Roots: You grew up in remote Alaska and live on a ranch in Texas. Does a quieter life help create your music?
Jewel: It's a familiarity; it's how I was raised. For me, it's something I don't think I'd ever want to change. I write best when I'm able to get outdoors and away, where I'm able to be in the quiet. I like the peace it gives me.
Swiss Roots: Starting out wasn't easy for you, living in a car and then having it stolen. But as inferred from your newest album, "Goodbye Alice in Wonderland," it doesn't seem like fame has been too easy either.
Jewel: I'm a shy person, a writer, a bit introverted. I'm a voyeur; I like to watch people more than I like to be watched. It's an adjustment. I've never been the kind of person who likes to walk in the room and have everybody notice me. But it's certainly a well worthwhile adjustment.
Swiss Roots: What did you do in those three years between this new release and your last one?
Jewel: I toured a lot, wrote a lot. I like to try and keep as much balance as I can because I want to make sure I'm building a life that I like: fame doesn't last forever, careers don't last forever. I don't want to all of a sudden wake up at 50 and realize I've never built anything else. I take a lot of time to make sure I enjoy my life and that I'm living a life that I like, because records are a small part of someone's life.
Swiss Roots: It seemed that you were thinking about even quitting music at a time.
Jewel: After my first record, I was really overwhelmed. I definitely took a break, and then I realized I could take breaks. It's taboo in this business to take a break. You're supposed to just strike while the iron's hot and stay hot. You're not supposed to ever drop out of the public eye, and I'm always told that I was out of the public eye too long. But what can I do? You have to be happy. I just realized that I can live whatever lifestyle I want, even if it means I'm not as famous as I could be. That's a risk I'm willing to take.
Swiss Roots: The album continues the theme of releasing your past into your music. How do you find the process of using your experiences as musical inspiration?
Jewel: I've been writing so long that it's sort of become so second nature. I started writing when I was 7 or 8, and I just began doing it so frequently that it began to be how I came to know myself, my thoughts and my feelings, so it's a pretty seamless process for me. I write easily, and that's usually when I feel the most comfortable.
Swiss Roots: You had a role in the movie "Ride with the Devil" and have guest-starred on TV shows. Is acting not in your plans anymore? Are you focusing more on music now?
Jewel: The film was a lot of fun, but the job of having a full-time second careerÂ…it wasn't worth it to me. I just realized that I could spend my whole life working and never have a personal life. That felt dangerous to me. I also think that to be a good writer, you have to keep learning and be in the silence enough to hear your thoughts. I wanted to make sure that I had enough time to take off. And things come along in acting. I do them, and I really enjoy it, but I don't pursue it that hard.
Swiss Roots: You experiment with all types of music, but seem to enjoy folk a lot. Do you feel that is the best way to express yourself?
Jewel: I'm a singer/songwriter. I've always been really lyric-driven and storytelling-driven. I think everything has had folk mixed up with country. Whether I'm doing a pop song or song with yodeling in it, it's always telling a story. I guess that's just sort of what my background is and how it always comes out.
Swiss Roots: What attracts you to yodeling? Do you feel anything emotionally when you yodel?
Jewel: I was raised yodeling. It was one of the first things I ever learned how to do onstage. It's sort of surprising all the time to me: people dig yodeling. If I don't do it, I'm always getting asked to do it.
Swiss Roots: Your father taught you Swiss folk songs when you were young. What influence have they had on your music?
Jewel: I think every song I've ever learned affects me. I love old folk music; I love traditional folk music. I love it because it tells the story of a people and where they come from, what they fought for, and how they lived. It's like musical poetry, a history of people. It's a great tradition.
Swiss Roots: You have both US and Swiss passports. Why do you choose to keep both? Do you consider yourself both American and Swiss?
Jewel: It was something my dad always felt strongly about. I was raised to be really proud of my Swiss roots, and I think having a Swiss passport is great. I've enjoyed it. It's a great country, and it's been nice to be a dual citizen.
Swiss Roots: Although your grandfather and father moved to the US, they spent a good deal of time in Switzerland. Is there anything you think that lured them back to the country?
Jewel: My dad was born in Switzerland and especially my granddad being raised his whole life there. It's your home; it's where you're familiar with; it's comforting to be there. My dad has always enjoyed going back. He loves the people, he loves the language.
Swiss Roots: You've been to Switzerland a few times. What appeals to you most about the country?
Jewel: There are really large mountains; it's an extremely vertical place, so oddly it reminds me of Alaska. That might sound strange to people, but it has sort of a familiar feeling, especially in the mountains.
Swiss Roots: The Swiss Roots Website connects people of Swiss descent. It seems you had a bit of a family reunion at the Swiss National Day.
Jewel: It meant a lot to my aunts, uncles, and whole family. They were just really tickled to be in the immigrant museum. You know, my granddad helped draft the Alaska Constitution and was a senator. [My family] came to America and was able to go on and be successful. The risk of leaving their country and their homeland was worth it, and to pay homage to their homeland meant a lot to them.
Swiss Roots: What are your future plans? What projects are you working on?
Jewel: I'm going to be the host of a TV show called Nashville Star, a star search for country singers. I'm thinking—I'm not sure, I'm not positive—but I think my next record might be a country record.
Swiss Roots: Any chance fans in Switzerland can see you anytime in the future?
Jewel: When I go to Europe next, I will definitely be performing in Switzerland. I haven't made any plans to tour; all I'm doing is about 20 dates [in the US].
Swiss Roots: But if you come to Europe, you'll come to Switzerland.
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