Jewel News
Online Fans Join Jewel For "Storytellers"!
On Wednesday, June 9, Jewel recorded an upcoming program for VH1 "Storytellers" at Metropolis Studios in NYC. Joined by friends & approximately 100 online fans, Jewel performed both acousticly & electric with her band and participated in a cozy chat featuring questions from the knowledgeable studio audience. The program is currently in production with a tentative premiere scheduled for August 1st on the VH1 Network. A VH1 "Behind The Music" featuring Jewel is also currently in production.
New Releases Scheduled
As Jewel's 1999 World Tour continues, several new recordings are scheduled for release in various world markets. A "Tour Edition" of Spirit containing a 5 track live bonus EP is currently being released to European markets. Later this month, a second Spirit single remix of "Down So Long" (featuring bonus tracks) will be released in the UK and an enhanced version of Spirit, containing multimedia, will be released in Australia.
While in London recently, Jewel & her current touring band recorded a NEW version of "Jupiter". The song has transformed during her tour & this recording features a more aggressive guitar track & a new rhythm arrangement in 4/4 time. This recording is being considered for Jewel's next single.
Jewel has also been working with legendary producer Arif Marden on an album which will focus on Holiday standards. Plans are to include well-known, beautiful Christmas songs and a few secular, inspirational songs, some of which Jewel herself wrote, No release date is currently scheduled but hopes are to have it out around Thanksgiving, in time for the holiday season.
"Whats Simple Is True" will also be featured on the movie soundtrack to "Ride With The Devil", Ang Lee's Civil War film featuring Jewel in the lead role of Sue Lee Shelly.
"Spirit" gaining ground in International markets
After completing a very successful month of sold out shows throughout Australia & New Zealand, Jewel stands poised to finally break through on an international level. After an unremarkable first European Tour in 1996 & 2 moderately successful International tours of small venues & clubs in 1997, Jewel's second album "Spirit" seems to have connected with listeners globally.
Currently, "Spirit" has gone platinum in both Australia & New Zealand where Jewel has just completed a tour swing. As she prepares for a tour of the Far East in April, "Spirit" currently has achieved gold status in Japan, Indonesia, The Phillipines & Singapore individually. "Spirit" is also approaching gold status in Spain & Holland, leading the way in Europe, where her world tour continues through May & June. Jewel will then spend the remainder of the summer touring North America
All Aboard The Free Spirit!
Warner Music Australia treated Jewel, band, crew & WMA staff to an afternoon cruise aboard The Free Spirit. During the cruise, Jewel was presented with several awards. After dropping anchor in Sydney Harbour, the presentations included a special multi-platinum award for Australian sales of her previous releases of the album "Pieces of You" and singles "You Were Meant For Me" and "Foolish Games", as well as a special multi-platinum award for her current release "Spirit" & it's first single "Hands".
Karen-Maree Griffiths from Harper-Collins Australia was also on board to celebrate the success of Jewel's first book of poetry "A Night Without Armor" which has sold over 17,000 copies in Australia, making it rise to H-C Australia's biggest selling poetry book ever on the continent. Jewel & band are currently enjoying an extended stay in Sydney as they perform four completely sold out shows at The State Theater. Heres some pics of that trip