Jewel Gets Weird

Even though Jewel only recently finished touring behind 2001's This Way, the singer has begun recording the follow-up, which she expects will be out in June. "I feel like records usually take too long," she says. "I wanted to do this right away."

Jewel's sense of urgency comes from her interest in tackling timely subjects. Among the names checked in the new batch of songs: Pete Townshend, Roman Polanski, Jennifer Lopez and Charlie Sheen. "There's a lot of pop references," Jewel says. "Social commentary has always been a big part of my writing. And I know what I want to say to the world by summer. Beyond that I really can't say where politics is going to be, or culture."

Though she says the new album is very "lyric-driven," she promises it will surprise a lot of her longtime fans musically. "This record's a really different record for me," Jewel says. "It's really a weird combination -- part dance, part hip-hop, part folk. It should be a really raw-sounding record. It sounds like me," she assures, "but you'll hear a lot of things in it."

Jewel attributes the changes to her working with collaborators for the first time. "I'm writing with lots of people and having lots of fun," she says. "I'm not a very good guitar player, so by writing with other musicians, I can get things out that are in my head that I can't do with my hands."

Her primary collaborator and co-producer is arranger/producer/keyboardist, Lester Mendez, who has worked with Shakira, Enrique Iglesias and Carole King. "He's very, very talented and you'll be hearing a lot about him," Jewel says.

Jewel, who starred in the 1999 Ang Lee film Ride With the Devil, is also planning a return to the big screen. "I'm producing a film called Waves, and there's a part for me in it," she says. "And I don't think it's signed yet, but I think Goldie Hawn will be making her directorial debut . . . I don't know if I was supposed to say that."

STEVE BALTIN
(January 31, 2003)