MTV's FANatic

MTV FANatic with Sarah interviewing Jewel

Sarah: I’ve been reading your poetry a lot lately and I was wondering if your poetry was inspired by things you’ve gone in your own life or if it’s experiences things you see other people go through? Jewel: It’s both. I think a lot of them are very personal and specific to my life. (Foolish Games video plays) …and a lot of times are observations. Me in airports watching people, or things like where as in music often I write in first person. Like Daddy but it isn’t about me. Sarah: I heard you were dong a movie, Ride with the Devil, and I was wondering if you would like to tell us about the movie? Jewel: I’ve really wanted a changed. I was getting bored with music. Especially being on the same record for four or five years or however long it was. So I really wanted a new challenge and it was definitely a challenge and it was really hard and I chose a really hard dramatic role instead of a light and funny. Uh, so it was good. I’m ready to go back to music though. Sarah: Since you’ve been doing writing poetry, singing, and the acting, which one do you prefer? Jewel: I’m glad I’m a writer. Being able to express yourself is a very, very valuable tool. It helps me become a better person. Sarah: You’ve written many songs and I was wondering what song is your most auto-biographical song you’ve written to date? Jewel: they all are, in a way. You know what I mean? YWMFM video clip plays Sarah: I was reading your poetry book and I read this poem, Sara Said, and my name is Sarah and I read this poem first just because, I, uhm, at first was kinda at first taken back and I was reading that how a 15 year old girl couldn't say no to a guy and was going through all this turmoil. And I was adopted, my family. And I always kinda resembled her the way my biological parents. So when I read that I was kinda thinking that maybe it just wasn’t they gave me up, maybe it was just the fact there were problems, and there were things, you know , so I was being selfish, thinking, you know, “she just gave me up”. And it gave me a lot of piece of understanding that I should be more opened minded about things and I shouldn’t… Jewel: I know it’s hard as parents,. You always feel they should be like super humans. They’re dealing with your life. They can mess you up or they can create you. We’re so vulnerable to them. At the same time, like, God their humans. You know what I mean. It’s like you can’t help but feel like “Okay, I know how you feel” but it doesn’t make it right. I can understand it a lot better. Sarah: But I was wondering where you got your inspiration for that specific poem of yours? Jewel: When I was doing the book I was afraid about putting the really frank poems in, like Sara Said. I just decided like, what I love a kid was honest writing. Like Anais Nin or what like Burkowsky said, or whatever it was, I like what people are saying are real. I wrote that song about kids, just cause, there were lots of kids having sex, like at 12. And I was like (Jewel stunned) “12?” I was playing barbie dolls. (Sarah agrees by saying right, right). But at the same time, you know, I went to school where sex ed was really common. I’m sure you did too. They teach you how to put condoms on, the whole nine yards. But they didn’t teach me about like valuing myself. And I look at women, ones I grew up in bar rooms, I see a lot of women waitresses and see how women are so flattered for attention, for any attention, even if it’s a sweaty drunk attention. Where as I was taught at a very young age to value myself more, just as myself, not as a religious thing, not as anything but just as yourself, just be careful with yourself. BE careful who you give yourself to, romantically, physically, or even emotionally Sarah: I was wondering, so how do you write your songs? Do you sit down and write them or does it takes weeks and you come back to it? Jewel: You know I always wrote, like when I wrote Pieces of You, really accidentally. It was like a creative adventure. YWMFM clip plays again Jewel: I didn’t think I was a song writer. I wrote WWSYS at your age, when I was 16. And now that I’m touring all the time, picking up my guitar is harder. Sarah: Well you obviously know a lot about the Everyday Angels, the group on the internet. I was kinda wondering do you consider them more than just the fans? Jewel: I was really freaked out about the whole "fan thing ".I remember talking to my mom about it.....my moms my manager....I'm like--"I don't know about this...."--'cause I was never like that. But I get inspired by people, so I decided I'm going to try to inspire people & NOT have them idolize me. Sarah: You stared performing very young with your family. Do you have anytime that you remember great or sticking out? Jewel: I remember the first time I got up on stage, I would wear leader hoes and I had really long hair and it was braided, (laughing), I would get so nervous and would laugh in the middle or just get the hiccups. (yodels with hiccups) Sarah: So how did you career change over the time as a performer? Jewel: I think that if I hadn’t spent all those years bar singing with my dad, I didn’t think I could’ve toured solo like I did. You know opening up for those people, Peter Murphy, The Ramones, or Everclear in front of 20,000 kids, if I hadn’t had all those years singing experience. “You will listen and I will get you damn it!” You know? Sarah: Thank you, really for everything you’ve done for everybody. I mean, really, really it’s cool. You may have not realized it yet but you have really inspired so many people and make a difference, especially in my life. Jewel: No embarrassing the artist.