Singer-songwriter Jewel shares her incredible life story, from yodeling in bars as a kid to becoming homeless as a teenager and shortly thereafter becoming one of the most sought-after musicians in the world. She tells Guy about the mental exercises and Stoic philosophy she relied on as she climbed out of homelessness; why she declined a $1 million signing bonus; her "business plan" for her career and happiness; the conversation with Bob Dylan that may have saved her career; and why she's still making music but choosing not to publish it.

Links from the show:

Discovery show about Jewel's family's Alaska homestead
Writers who inspired Jewel: Anais Nin, Flannery O'Connor, Anton Chekhov, Charles Bukowski, Immanuel Kant, Plato, Socrates
Her debut album, Pieces of You
"Who Will Save Your Soul" video
"You Were Meant for Me" video
New 25th-anniversary edition of Spirit, Jewel's sophomore album
Innerworld, Jewel's online platform connecting people to mental health counseling anonymously

Photo credits: Dana Trippe, Brendan Walter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jewel: When I Was Poor, I Rejected $1M and Built a Plan for My Happiness 01:27:21 Share

The Great Creators with Guy Raz

Shownotes Transcript

Jewel: When I Was Poor, I Rejected $1M and Built a Plan for My Happiness