The Merry Goes ‘Round

Jewel On Motherhood, Making a Difference and Managing It All

May 11, 2012 at 3:28 pm , by Rachel Shippy

Before celebrating her first Mother’s Day with son, Kase (with husband Ty Murray), singer/songwriter Jewel chatted with LHJ about life as a mom, her newest passion projects, and how she’s giving back.

Tell us about your experience as a mom so far.  I am so excited about my first Mother’s Day! Being a mom has been the best thing I have ever done with my life. It is such a healing and sweet love, and it inspires me to be a better person every day. It has also inspired my writing. I have written many poems and songs for [baby Kase] already. I play him guitar every day, so that if he wants to pick it up one day, he can, but I won’t push him into it.

What projects have you been working on recently? Have they been inspired by your son? I wrote my son an album while I was pregnant called “The Merry Goes ‘Round.”  I wanted to write a children’s album that was clever and well-produced so parents would enjoy it on one level, and kids on another. It was fun to write and produce, because I got to think of all the things I wanted to say to my son, and what stories I would want him to hear. I also wrote a children’s book called That’s What I’d Do, based on a song I wrote. The book will come out this September and is about all the things you would do for your child because you love them. A CD of the song will be sold along with the book, so everyone can sing along if they want.

How do you juggle being a mom with all the professional projects you’re working on? Have your priorities shifted? How do you balance everything? Aside from my commitment to Child Hunger Ends Here, I have put almost all my work on hold for the year. I wanted to dig in and enjoy being a new mom, and wasn’t sure if I would want to continue working at all. I have to find my own sense of balance and rhythm as a new mom and [balance that with] my work — just like all moms have to. Becoming a mom has given me a whole new respect for women and how we are so many things to so many people… and we get so much done! Read more