Jewel Closes the Door on Kevin Costner Romance Speculation: “I’m So Happy, Regardless of a Man”

Jewel is reaffirming her independence and the importance of self-definition.

In a recent interview with People magazine, the 49-year-old Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter discussed her romantic experiences, particularly with “men in positions of power,” as she prepares for the opening of her immersive art exhibit, “The Portal: An Art Experience by Jewel,” in Arkansas.

Reflecting on her past relationship with Sean Penn in the mid-’90s, Jewel shared how she intentionally kept their romance private, especially during the challenging early days of her career with her debut album, Pieces of You. “Even when I was dating Sean, nobody knew. I wouldn’t walk the red carpet with him; I was very prideful,” she explained. “I could have received media attention at the Venice Film Festival, but I’d rather remain unknown than use that to promote my album. I needed to be fulfilled and happy, not just famous.”

Jewel also opened up about the difficulties she faced in her 20s, including being fired for rejecting her boss’s advances and experiencing homelessness after her car was stolen. She has previously spoken about childhood abuse and harassment as a young artist. “It was a violent time, but the Hells Angels were very protective of me. Still, there was a lot of violence, especially from men in power across industries,” she recalled.

After marrying rodeo star Ty Murray in 2008 and sharing a son, Kase, the couple divorced in 2014. Jewel emphasized the challenges of prioritizing motherhood over her music career during that period. “The divorce wasn’t easy. Choosing not to work for seven years was tough. I held onto the dream for longer than I probably should have,” she admitted.

In 2022, she released her first album in seven years, Freewheelin’ Woman. Jewel shared that writing pop songs that go beyond romance can be a challenge, saying, “I was proud of ‘Intuition’ for delivering a deeper concept wrapped in a pop song.”

With speculation swirling around a potential romance between Jewel and “Yellowstone” actor Kevin Costner, who recently finalized his divorce, she made it clear she’s not interested in discussing it. “I found love, and it has nothing to do with Kevin. I’m so happy, regardless of a man. My inspiration is at its highest now, more than it has been since I was in my late teens.”