A best-of album is not what you'd expect from an artist who has been around for five years. But that's exactly what Ramona Gonzalez, who records under the moniker Nite Jewel, released in advance of her upcoming Japanese tour.
"I sat down and thought about which songs fully represent all aspects of my career and which songs have gotten the most response from audiences over my years of performing. I wanted to showcase a song from every release I've done," she says.
For Nite Jewel, this approach is almost a necessity — so far, Gonzalez has jumped from eight-track-recorded numbers to clear cuts taking cues from 1980s pop. Japanese label Big Love's compilation "Gems" offers a great gateway into Gonzalez' short career before she plays shows in Tokyo and Osaka this coming week.