Jewel Watch

Blender magazine reports that Jewel (Kilcher) has left Atlantic Records after a six-album deal that began in 1995 with Pieces of You (which sold ten million copies worldwide) and ended with last year's largely ignored Goodbye Alice in Wonderland. Atlantic claims Jewel has sold more than 27 million records worldwide.

Following the success of Pieces of You, it was reported that Jewel and her mother Nedra Carroll lived in a Rancho Santa Fe Tudor-style home valued at $2 million. The 31-year-old singer/songwriter now lives on a ranch in Texas with retired rodeo star Ty Murray.

Jewel's recent 16-city acoustic tour in the Northeast included dates in theaters and casinos. Former boyfriend Steve Poltz (who shared writing credits on "You Were Meant for Me") opened some of those shows. Jewel has appeared as an actress in recent episodes of Las Vegas and Men in Trees, and she was a judge at Minneapolis auditions for the upcoming American Idol season.

Last year, other local artists with major-label ties branched out with their own independent labels. Unwritten Law (Atlantic, Interscope) is now on their own, and Slightly Stoopid (Columbia) now releases product on their Reincarnate label.