Jewel, the acclaimed American singer and songwriter, usually found belting tunes in packed stadiums with fans cheering her name. However, the celebrity recently swapped the spotlight for a low-key karaoke night at a local dive bar, all in a playful stunt by Funny or Die. The mission? To belt out her own hits incognito as a nondescript businesswoman and see if anyone in the crowd could spot her beneath the disguise.
The transformation was really well done: Jewel donned a wig, thick-rimmed glasses, an exaggerated prosthetic nose, and a “fattening” suit designed to enhance her curves dramatically.
She then blended into a group of unsuspecting middle-aged businessmen, who egged on their “colleague” Karen to take the stage. The patrons rallied behind the call for Karen to showcase her talent, unaware of the star performance they were about to witness.
Once “Karen” overcame her initial “shyness” and unleashed her signature country-pop vocals with “Who Will Save Your Soul,” the room was electrified. Onlookers were visibly stunned, their expressions a mix of awe and disbelief. The audience’s enthusiasm didn’t wane a bit, as they screamed an encore. The disguised Jewel delivered “Foolish Games,” turning the dive bar into a sea of swaying arms, and the crowd also joined in for a singalong.
The performance ended with thunderous applause from fans, and the fun thing is, they still had no idea that the unorthodox “businesswoman” on stage was actually a superb music icon. Jewel’s big revelation came after she stepped away, shed her disguise, and returned to the stage as the real Jewel, singing “You Were Meant For Me.” The audience, as expected, burst into a frenzy of surprise and amusement, and ecstatically sang along. Dive into the video to see Jewel and her unforgettable reveal below.
Jewel shared her thoughts on performing her iconic “You Were Meant For Me” in such an intimate setting, noting the heartwarming moment when the entire bar joined in to sing along: “The whole bar was singing along. I wrote that song when I was 18 and here we are years later and the whole bar and karaoke kids are all singing it. Everybody knew all the words – it was really sweet.”
The audience’s response was overwhelmingly positive, with fans in awe at Jewel’s stunning performance. “She might not have caught my eye at first, but her singing and the way she moved was captivating,” a spectator observed, marveling at how “Karen” managed to secure the first-ever encore in that venue. He humorously confessed to thinking the undercover businesswoman outshone Jewel herself, until the genius reveal left him astounded.
Jewel is no stranger to local performances like this, as she used to perform in several coffee houses before making it big. The singer is also widely loved for her authentic voice and recording, without any autotune or lip sync involved. You can check out Jewel’s YouTube channel, and even her own website here.