Have you ever heard the line “bowing to the trend?” It seems pop singer Jewel is the latest victim who has followed the footsteps of other singers, such as Cher or Metallica, who have compromised their creative angle for their payday.

I was a big fan of Jewel’s independent character and distinguished, smooth guitar sound. I often catch myself singing along to songs from “Pieces of You,” her first major studio album, when I hear them on the radio or at work.

Sadly, this has all changed for me. I was in disbelief the first time I heard her new single “Intuition,” off of her new album, “0304,” on the radio.

I thought it was maybe Christina Aguilera or Britney Spears belting out the lines “Follow your heart, your intuition” repeatedly.

Her video then started to be played on numerous networks such as MTV and VH1.

The most appalling part of the video is toward the end when she sits in a New York street, having guys dressed as New York firefighters spray her down with a hose. After this, her shirt is completely soaked, the camera immediately drawing its attention to her breasts.

Why anyone would let him or herself be exposed to this kind of display is beyond me.

Jewel is a naturally earthy person. When she decided to “bow to the trend” of looking super-sexy, I realized she was just another artist trying to make a buck.

Her new sound is like a rambunctious teenager singing with a voice still needing to grow.

On albums past, such as “Pieces of You,” she played her acoustic guitar listlessly into the microphone as a poet, also writing all of her own songs. Now all of her lyrics are co-written by a producer. She has even collaborated with Jeffrey Townes, a.k.a. DJ Jazzy Jeff, perhaps best known as playing Jazz on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.”

Jewel claims she has changed her sound because she wanted to do it. She also says she wanted to do a modern interpretation of big band music.

But nothing in this disc is of big band style.

She asks her fans to be patient with the new sound, saying they will grow to like it. She definitely wasn’t thinking about the fans who like her for her own type of style.

There are only two songs on her new album, “2 Find U” and “Fragile Heart,” that don’t have electric guitars and synthesizers blaring in the background. These songs sound a little bit more like the old Jewel, but don’t quite cut it.

I don’t know why she decided to change her look or her sound, but it’s definitely not for the best.