"This Jewel is honest, playful, and has a quick temper."

Singapore, Mar 1999

"This Jewel is honest, playful, and has a quick temper."

You have to try real heard to remember that Jewel Kilcher is one of the biggest musicians today.

Because you would never be able to tell, if you met her in real life. After finishing an interview with some Hong Kong journalists in a posh hotel suite, the 24-year-old singer came out to the waiting area and went:

"Okay, who's the next victim?"

I sheepishly introduced myself.

Understandably, if you consider that in the three short years since her first album, Pieces of You, came out, she's been on the cover of almost every magazine, including prestigious Time magazine.

After a warm handshake, Jewel asked me: "Want to join me in the corridor?" She walked out with her two band members and plonked herself down to the carpeted floor and smiled: "Okay, let's do it."

NOT WELL-REHEARSED ANSWERS You could tell this wasn't going to be a conventional interview. Mostly, I was having trouble dealing with the fact that the friendly singer, sitting on the floor has sold 12 million copies of her debut album. Decked casually in a red singlet and blue jeans, Jewel is a woman of few words.

Yet, you couldn't help but feel that whatever she said weren't well-rehearsed answers from her thousands of interviews. Critics have labeled her music as honest and so are the vibes you get from her as well.

She admitted that talking about herself all the time was weird, as was seeing her face on Time magazine last year, although that was also "cool". She also admitted she didn't know what to expect from the Singapore

concert-goers.

"I just hope they like my music," she said.

With so many stories written about her, it was hard finding something new to talk about, but Jewel gave a hand.

"I've gone over this so many times, I'm ready. Okay, I was raised by Alaskan wolves and had a terrible childhood because I never listened to the Beatles," she said with a wry smile.

In truth, of course, Jewel was born in Alaska, raised by very human parents, and is a fan of the Fab Four.

While not envisioning a career change, Jewel has completed filming for an Ang Lee movie, Ride iwth the Devil, where she plays a feisty bride during the American Civil War.

She also released her second album, Spirit, in November last year. When asked if a third is on the way, she said: "Come on, I only just had my second!"

Ah, that notorious Jewel quick temper coming to the forefront? "There you go, I've just displayed my quick temper," she said with a laugh. Playfully, Jewel brandished a huge diamond on her ring finger.

"Tell in, in Singapore, does this mean I'm married?" asked Jewel who is currently dating a male model.

When I nodded, she said: "Well, I'm not, and I'm not engaged either." When told that I was done with the interview, Jewel stood up and shook my hand again.

"It was really nice talking to you," she said. For the first time for as long as I can remember interviewing celebrities (about 4 years now), I actually believed that.

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