News : Alanis Morissette 'Jagged' Doc Trailer Tracks Singer's Rocky Rise to Fame

Gil Kaufman November 10, 2021
image

HBO dropped the first trailer for the upcoming Alanis Morissette documentary Jagged on Tuesday (Nov. 9), offering a glimpse at the singer's unlikely, determined rise to fame in the 1990s. "People would say, 'Wow, you're so brave, you're so empowered,'" the singer says in the opening frames of the two-minute teaser. "I can't write all these songs without obvious having been disempowered."

The movie is slated to drop on HBO Max on Nov. 18, but you won't see Alanis hitting the late night and interview circuit to promote it. In September, the singer said she won't be supporting the release of the film chronicling the explosive success of her breakthrough 1995 album Jagged Little Pill because she felt the producers were not honest with her.

“I was lulled into a false sense of security and their salacious agenda became apparent immediately upon my seeing the first cut of the film," Morissette said in a statement at the time. "This is when I knew our visions were in fact painfully diverged. This was not the story I agreed to tell.” Without specifying, Morissette said the film includes "implications and facts that are simply not true."

The film, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, was directed by Alison Klayman (Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry) and executive produced by Bill Simmons. It features interviews with Morissette, Jagged producer Glen Ballard, filmmaker Kevin Smith, Garbage singer Shirley Manson and Alanis' former drummer, the Foo Fighters' Taylor Hawkins.

Ballard describes how "everybody" rejected what Alanis describes as the pair's "too in-your-face... emotional" songs, leading to rejection from every label they approached until Madonna's Maverick Records picked it up. "It just went nuclear, man. It was like... it went nuclear," Hawkins says about how the album full of songs exploring Morissette's hurt, angst, wonder and rage at the patriarchy blew up overnight on its way to selling more than 33 million copies worldwide to date.

"When you are the only woman in a male-dominated environment, it's very complicated and complex," Manson says amid footage of Morissette rocking huge crowds and clowning around with her band. Jagged is the second doc in the HBO Music Box series, which launched in July with a Woodstock 99 film. Upcoming episodes will explore the careers of DMX, Kenny G and late rapper Juice WRLD.

Watch the trailer below.

RELATED ARTICLES

Role Model Announces New Tour Across UK, Europe and North America

He'll be joined on the road by Samia and Keni Titus in 2026 and 2027, with a huge show lined up at London's O2

June 19, 2026 0 comment

Blossoms Reveal New Album ‘Songs From The Wedding Cake’ And 2026 UK Arena Tour

The Mancunian quintet's sixth studio album drops October 2nd via ODD SK / Distiller Records

June 18, 2026 0 comment

Bruce Springsteen Performs With Patti Smith, Tells Bono: “I Should Have Said Yes”

The Boss was honored with the festival's Harry Belafonte Voices for Social Justice Award.

June 15, 2026 0 comment

Katy Perry, Tyla, Lisa and Anitta Take the Stage at the FIFA World Cup 2026 Opening Ceremony

Two other opening ceremonies took place in Canada and Mexico, marking the first time the tournament has been co-hosted across multiple countries

June 13, 2026 0 comment

Bonobo Reveals New Album Packed With Guest Features, Sets Release Date

The new record marks the DJ and producer's eighth full-length effort.

June 10, 2026 0 comment

Kanye West Sets Release Date for "Bully" Deluxe Edition

Kanye West is currently going on a World Tour, and with "Gemini Season" making the rounds, the artist has a new album dropping.

June 09, 2026 0 comment

Ellie Goulding Releases Empowering New Track ‘Black Prada Dress’

"My initial instinct was I didn't know where it was all going, but I just knew I needed to be in the studio"

June 08, 2026 0 comment

Leave a comment