Jewel Says Her Son Worries If He's Doing a 'Good Job as a Teenager' (Exclusive)

Jewel wears many hats – singer, songwriter, activist – but being “mom” is her favorite.

The 90s folk icon, who performed at Aspen Review50th anniversary party at the annual party Gastronomy and wine Classic in Aspen on June 13, tells PEOPLE about the special bond she has with her son Kase, 12.

“He's really interesting, original, creative and very thoughtful,” the four-time Grammy-nominated artist proudly says of Kase, whom she shares with ex-husband Ty Murray,

“We have a lot of fun and he’s cute,” Jewel, 50, adds. “He told me the other day, he said, 'Mom, I hope I'm doing a good job as a teenager.' I was like, “Oh my God, I can’t. You must be bad!”

This summer, the mother-son duo will officially celebrate their teenage years when they turn 13 in July. He might even take the stage on Jewel's North American tour with Melissa Etheridge.

“[Kase] “I’ll be doing a little tour with me this summer and I think he’ll be singing,” Jewel told PEOPLE. “He doesn’t want to play the drums this time, but he wants to sing a little.”

She and Kase have performed in the past, like when they sweetly performed a duet of her song “Hands” for the Masked singer2021 holiday special. Jewel said her son has “no nerves” when it comes to being on stage. But despite that — and her natural musical talent — Jewel said she didn't think “that would be her career.”

Recently, the singer-songwriter performed a special duet with another artist. April 9, Olivia Rodrigo's last evening at Madison Square Garden Gut on a world tour, the 21-year-old welcomed Jewel on stage for a duet of her 1995 hit “You Were Meant for Me.”

When asked who other current musicians she would like to play with, Jewel was quick to respond, “It’s a big time right now with women. I love Lana Del Rey. I love Billie Eilish.

She explains that these collaborative performances haven't always been a part of the music industry. “I feel like in the '90s people just didn't get on stage with each other. So it’s kind of nice now that a lot of the culture is about inspiring people to get back up,” she says.

In addition to being a mother and musical icon, Jewel prioritizes her work in the world of mental health. She hosts her #NotAlone dinner series through her nonprofit Inspiring Children Foundation.

“It’s really rewarding work,” she says. “Being a musician is so much fun, but helping people is way more fun.”

The intimate dinners, held in Las Vegas, Miami, Italy, New York and Aspen, are meant to bring people together to talk and raise money for mental health resources. Plus, Jewel ends dinner with a show, of course.

“I have access to a lot of fun experiences because of my life,” she says, “and so we decided to try to tap into that and create this #NotAlone dinner series that supports mental health and empowers people a chance to come together and have meaningful and fun conversations.”

THE Gastronomy and wine The Classic in Aspen will take place June 14-16.