THE VICE
JEWEL
Her first album sold 10 million copies but, as Danny Scott finds out, the funky folk chick sure ain't gonna let fame and fortune go to her head.
Did you really once live in a car?
It was more of a van, but that was the only way I could afford to live in San Diego and do my music.
And you were born on a farm in the middle of Alaska with no running water or electricity?
It might sound kinda weird, but it seemed standard to me. We did a lot of travelling as a family. It was, like, this gypsy existence.
So how does it feel to be worth several million dollars?
It's all a bit strange, really. The hardest thing for me was to accept that I was going to be OK, that I'd earned enough to live well and look after my family.
Do you spend like it's going out of fashion then?
Absolutely not! I still haven't bought a new car. I don't like spending 'cos I feel guilty. I keep thinking, "How did I end up like this? Why didn't it happen to some guy sleeping on the street?"
So there's not really much point in asking you about your vices, then.
Vices? What do you mean?
You know, illicit pleasures, millionaire parties, your rock'n'roll fantasies ...
I suppose I do have one rock'n'roll fantasy: I want to own a ranch. I'm looking at places right now in Colorado. I wanna be out in the middle of nowhere, so I can ride horses all day.
Do you ever throw rock star tantrums?
I'm more likely to throw a rock star sulk. I just sneak away and get all miserable.
Tell us one thing you always take on tour.
This is going to sound silly but... I take my own bedding. I take a pillow and a blanket wherever I go. When you live in hotels, it can get like living in hospital waiting rooms. This makes it feel more like home.
Where is home?
My house is in San Diego, but I'm only there for eight or nine days at a time. I love it there, but I'm not a housey person. As long as it's got a roof and a door, I'm fine.
You live with your mum, don't you?
Yeah. My mom manages me, too. At home she runs the business and lives in one side of the house. I have the other.
You've ditched the jeans and T-shirt. Have you turned into a glamour puss?
As a woman, it's my prerogative to change my style and be adventurous with my image. It has nothing to do with glamour or fancy labels. Some days I wake up and think, "I want to look nice today." Some days I just can't be bothered.
What's the most expensive thing you've ever worn?
I have no idea. Doing all the TV stuff, I tell people I want a black dress and they bring me three black dresses. I choose one and that's it. Spending time in shopping malls is not high on my list of priorities.
What is high in your priorities?
Solitude and lunch.
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