Her arms are hers.
Jewel is opening up about her option to carry out at Robert F. Kennedy Jr.‘s ball honoring Donald Trump’s inauguration, explaining that her dedication to addressing the nation’s psychological well being disaster transcends political divides.
The 50-year-old singer-songwriter took to Instagram on Friday to share a video defending her efficiency at RFK Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” ball (aka MAHA), which occurred in Washington, D.C., days earlier, whereas additionally apologizing to her “longtime fans” as a result of she “caused pain.”
On the occasion, Jewel sang “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” for RFK Jr., 71, a vocal vaccine skeptic chosen by President Donald Trump to move the Division of Well being and Human Companies.
In her video, Jewel addressed her followers, apologizing to those that might have been upset by her actions. She shared that she felt it was extra essential to “act now” and work with Trump’s administration on psychological well being points somewhat than look forward to a political administration with which she totally aligns.
“As many of you know, I am a mental health advocate. If there’s anything I’ve learned in the past 20 years, it’s that mental health affects everybody’s lives across party lines,” she defined within the video. “I reached out to the last administration, spoke with the surgeon general about the mental health crisis that’s facing our nation. I don’t know if you guys know the stats, but it is bleak.”
Jewel expressed that she believes she will be able to make a distinction and feels compelled to assist.
“If I wait to try until I agree 100% with the people that might be willing to help me, I’d never get off the bench. I don’t think that’s how activism works, waiting until everything’s perfect enough to participate,” she mentioned. “It’s actually because things are so imperfect that we have to find ways to engage and to participate. And we have to act now. We cannot wait another four years.”
The Grammy-winning artist acknowledged that whereas she doesn’t agree with each political view held by the leaders of the present administration, she nonetheless believes there are individuals inside it who’re “willing to help on this issue.”
“If I can help shape policy, make sure mental health is in the conversation when it comes to American health. If I can help put resources or mental health tools into the hands of the most vulnerable who need it, I’m going to try and I’m going to fight,” she shared. “And I understand that my words were overly simplistic. Half of our country feels hope right now, and I honor that. And half of our country feels disenfranchised and scared and vulnerable, and that is unacceptable.”
Jewel additionally mentioned she is “so sorry” that she “caused pain,” notably to her LGBTQIA+ followers, whom she described as “treasures.”
“You make the world a better place. You’ve made my life a better place. And I will not stop fighting,” she mentioned. “None of us can afford to stop fighting, and I really believe that the only way we can change is in relationship. It isn’t in isolation or by isolating, it’s by being in relationship, by reaching out, by having hard conversations, and I really hope that we can push through our hurt and move toward understanding on both sides.”
The “Hands” singer added, “It pains me, and I’m so sorry. Some of my longtime fans feel that I let them down.”
“I want to be a ray of light in this world. I try hard to be a ray of light in your lives,” she continued. “And I know that in times of darkness we must grow light and so I will wake up again tomorrow and try again. And I will count on each of you to do the same.”
She concluded, “I have so much love and admiration for each of you.”
The “Masked Singer” Season 6 winner didn’t publicly endorse a candidate within the 2024 election.
As a longtime advocate for psychological well being, Jewel co-founded the Inspiring Kids Basis, which focuses on serving to at-risk youth in Las Vegas by way of a holistic strategy to bodily, emotional, and psychological well-being. She additionally launched Innerworld, a digital actuality platform providing customers a protected, nameless area to entry free psychological well being sources.
The star was not listed on the press launch for the MAHA inauguration ball and didn’t put up footage of her efficiency to her Instagram account.
Nonetheless, Jewel’s affiliation with RFK Jr. just isn’t new. On Jan. 4, the star shared a photograph on her Instagram of her with him and two of his children, Kyra and Conor, at an occasion supporting Inspiring Kids.
