'The Masked Singer' Winner Returns to Music With First Album in 7 Years

By Daniel S. Levine

Jewel is hoping to return to the charts with her first album in seven years. After winning The Masked Singer Season 6 in December, the "You Were Meant for Me" singer announced Freewheelin' Woman on Wednesday. The first single from the album is "Dancing Slow," featuring Train. The album also includes "No More Tears," a collaboration with Darius Rucker.

Freewheelin' Woman is Jewel's first album since the critically acclaimed Picking Up the Pieces. She will release the new album independently on her own Words Matter Music label on April 15. The album will be accompanied by a previously announced summer tour with Train and Blues Traveller that kicks off on June 8 in Mansfield, Massachusetts.

Jewel also released "Dancing Slow" on digital music platforms Wednesday. The song is "ultimately about the ebb and flow of life, and cherishing those moments of certainty that are shared when you're with a trusted companion," Jewel said in a statement. "It feels like time slows down for a moment. I'm so glad Train was able to join me on this track, with Pat Monahan's sweet vocals adding another layer to the melody."

The new album was produced with Butch Walker, who worked with Gavin DeGraw and Taylor Swift. Jewel and Walker crafted a mix of soulful songs inspired by the classic Muscle Shoals R&B records. The album was also recorded with a live band backing the singer. Other tracks on the album include "Long Way Round (Woohoo)," "Alibis," "Grateful," "Half-Life," "Almost," "Dance Sing Laugh Love," "Living With Your Memory," "When You Loved Me," "Love Wins," and "Nothing But Love."

Jewel, whose full name is Jewel Kilcher, shot to instant fame with her 1992 debut album Pieces of You, which included the hits "Who Will Save Your Soul," "You Were Meant for Me," and "Foolish Games." She has earned several Grammy nominations throughout her career, most recently for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for "Satisfied" in 2011. Jewel's other hits include "Hands," "Standing Still," "This Way," and "Stay Here Forever."

Last fall, Jewel won The Masked Singer Season 6 as the Queen of Hearts. In the season finale, she performed Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" and Katy Perry's "Firework" to beat out The Bull (Todrick Hall). The Masked Singer Season 7 premieres on March 9. 

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