Jewel Kilcher, known as Jewel, was born in Payson, Utah, in 1974. She moved to Homer, Alaska, during her childhood. Growing up in a musical family, both of her parents were singer/songwriters. By age six, Jewel performed alongside them at local tourist venues. After her parents divorced, she chose to tour with her father for seven years before attending Michigan’s Interlochen Fine Arts Academy. It was here that she began writing her first songs.

After graduation, Jewel relocated to San Diego to be near her mother. She performed at local coffeehouses, quickly gaining a following. By 1995, her talent attracted the attention of a major record label. In 1997, she released her debut album, Pieces of You. Initially, it struggled on the charts but later became a commercial success thanks to hits like “Who Will Save Your Soul,” “Foolish Games,” and “You Were Meant for Me.”

Jewel continued her musical career with several album releases. Spirit came out in 1999, followed by This Way in 2001. She also explored spoken word poetry with Night Without Armor in 1998. In 2003, Jewel released 0304, a dance-pop album. In 2008, she shifted to country music with Perfectly Clear, which debuted at number one and included hit singles such as “Stronger Woman” and “I Do.”

In 2009, Jewel released Lullaby, an album of children’s music featuring classics like “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” She continued to produce music, releasing tracks from her album Sweet and Wild in 2010. Outside of music, Jewel published a poetry collection in 1998 and received acclaim for her role in Ang Lee's film Ride with the Devil in 1999.

In 2021, Jewel gained more recognition by winning the sixth season of The Masked Singer as the Queen of Hearts. The following year, she represented Alaska in the inaugural American Song Contest with her song "The Story." While she received strong public votes, lower jury rankings kept her from the semi-finals.

On April 15, 2022, Jewel released her thirteenth studio album, Freewheelin' Woman, through her label, Words Matter Media. Co-produced with Butch Walker, the album focused on her artistic vision rather than commercial pressures. In 2023, she performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" at both the NBA All-Star Game and the Indy 500, further solidifying her presence in the entertainment industry.