Singer-songwriter Jewel, 48, recently opened up about the challenges she faced during her upbringing, including allegations of abuse by her father and her mother “embezzling” millions of dollars from her.
She shared her experiences during an interview with “The Verywell Mind Podcast.”
Jewel revealed that her parents divorced when she was 8 years old, and she went to live with her father because her mother “didn’t want to be a mom.”
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Born in Utah in 1974, Jewel claimed her father physically abused her while she was living with him.
She described her father as a “volatile alcoholic” who hit her, while her mother seemed like the opposite, being calm and soft.
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Jewel says her mother ’embezzled’ over $100M from the singer https://t.co/AxtwWH8n26
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However, Jewel said she didn’t realize at the time that she was being abused by her mother in a different way, describing her as aloof and neglectful.
The singer also recounted being put in adult situations from a young age, such as singing in bars at 8 years old, which led to a “very scary” and “terrifying” life where adults weren’t safe.
Jewel’s fame skyrocketed after the 1995 release of her album “Pieces of You.”
She put her mother in charge of her finances, but it wasn’t until her 30s that she discovered her mother had embezzled all her money, amounting to over $100 million.
At 34 years old, Jewel found herself $3 million in debt and had to come to terms with the realization that her mother wasn’t who she thought she was.
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In response to her difficult upbringing, Jewel founded the non-profit Inspiring Children Foundation to support children who don’t have a safe figure in their lives.
She explained, “I didn’t have a safe figure (growing up)… But that’s also why I formed our youth foundation, is because there’s real hope for kids like that.”
The Inspiring Children Foundation aims to help teens experiencing “difficult situations like teenage anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation and various other mental health challenges” and empower them to “find their best selves.”
