Jewel, the Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, recently opened up about her childhood and the shocking revelation that her mother had embezzled over $100 million. Yet, despite facing numerous challenges, Jewel's resilience and determination have enabled her to thrive and inspire others through her music and philanthropy.
Jewel recently revealed the shocking incident when she discovered she had lost "all her money." According to the four-time Grammy nominee, her manager and mother, Lenedra, had embezzled a staggering $100 million from her throughout her music career.
During an interview on the Verywell Mind Podcast with Amy Morin, Jewel shared that she didn't fully comprehend her mother's actions until she was in her thirties.
At this point, she discovered her mother had taken over $100 million from her. Despite this, the talented singer-songwriter has sold over 27 million albums worldwide.
At 34 years old, Jewel realized that she was in debt for $3 million and that her mother had taken the money.
This revelation was a difficult psychological hurdle to overcome, as it shattered everything she had believed about her mother up until that point.
Jewel, now 48 years old, revealed that her perception of reality was based on a lie while growing up.
Her parents divorced when she was just eight years old, and she went on to live with her father.
Jewel further shared that she was not informed that her mother had left them because she did not want to be a mother and that her father took over raising them after the divorce.
She was unaware of this fact during her childhood. The famous singer-songwriter also alleged that her father was abusive toward her.
Jewel reflected on her childhood and described her father as a volatile alcoholic who physically abused her. She said it was easy to recognize him as the "bad guy."
On the other hand, her mother appeared to be the opposite - calm, gentle, and never raised her voice or laid a hand on her. However, Jewel now understands that she is being abused differently by her mother.
Jewel also recounted that when she would turn to her mother for support, her concerns were often dismissed. Instead, according to Jewel, her mother would respond by emphasizing the power of the mind, stating that humans only use a small percentage of their brain capacity and suggesting that Jewel had the power to turn off a light bulb just by staring at it due to her exceptional abilities.
Looking back, Jewel remembers feeling loved during those moments with her mother. However, as she grew older, she understood that her mother's actions were a way of babysitting her by giving her a task to focus on.
Jewel realized that her mother didn't want to stay with her and that the appearance of a loving and attached figure was not what it seemed.
In her 2016 memoir, Never Broken, Jewel delved into her childhood experiences. She explained that her mother and father were not villains and had both positive and negative aspects to their personalities. According to Jewel, people make mistakes and flaws, but they can also do things right.
Jewel rose to fame with the release of her debut album, Pieces of You, in 1995. The album included hit songs such as Who Will Save Your Soul, Near You Always, and You Were Meant For Me. Pieces of You became a massive success, achieving 12-time platinum status.
Jewel has been open about her struggles with poverty, homelessness, and mental health issues throughout her life. She left home at 15 and began living in her car while performing in coffeehouses and clubs. Her experiences during this time inspired her to write many of the songs on her debut album.
Despite the challenges she has faced, Jewel has remained resilient and continues to pursue her music career. She has released multiple successful albums and singles over the years, including Foolish Games, Hands, and Intuition.
In addition to her music, Jewel has also authored several books and is a dedicated philanthropist. She founded the charity, Higher Ground for Humanity, which aims to help individuals and communities overcome poverty and other challenges.
