Singer Jewel and her Rodeo pro husband Ty Murray have announced their divorce after 16 years of marriage.

The pair had been married since August 2008 but were dating for ten years before finally tying the knot. After a total of 16 years, they have decided to call it quits. Instead of leaving everything to speculation, Jewel has issued an official statement on her Web site to talk at length about the divorce and her feelings about her life and moving forward.

"Dear World," she starts before detailing how she feels strange to be writing so publicly about such a private topic. She acknowledges her initial fears about living her life in the public eye as well as the benefits of being able to make a living out of sharing herself to the public including her feelings.

She goes on and says that she has made a commitment to be "honest about who and what I was."

"I found safety and comfort in beating everyone to the punch, as it were, and allowing all my faults, short comings and insecurities to be as big a part of my story as were my aspirations for being the best musician and person I could be," she stated before launching into details about the divorce where she no doubt has beaten others to the punch by releasing a statement herself.

"My husband, friend and partner of 16 years and I have decided to get a divorce," she says plainly.

"Ty and I have always tried to live the most authentic life possible, and we wanted our separation as husband and wife to be nothing less loving than the way we came together. For some time we have been engaged in a private and difficult, but thoughtful and tender undoing of ourselves. Allowing ourselves the time and space to redefine what we are to each other with love rather than malice," she elaborated.

The pair have a 3-year old son, Kase whom she also talks about in her statement:

"We have been so aware that it is easiest to use the inertia of anger to leverage two souls apart who have been bound together by so much living. By a child. But we did not want anger to burn the ties that bound us. Instead we have chosen the much more difficult task of undoing ourselves stich by stich, and releasing each other with love so that we may take on our new form: dear friends and devoted co-parents of our beloved son Kase."

The singer went on to elaborate her feelings and the process that led to their decision and ultimately pointed out that growth or lack of it was the main reason behind the divorce.

"Oddly the very thing that Ty and I sought in coming together is the very thing we seek in separating. We both value growth. And growth became tragically and undeniably stifled as a couple, and we believe we can find it again in setting each other free," said Jewel.

The statement was signed jointly "Ty and Jewel" but in a post script, Jewel offers her support and encouragement to others who may be going through the same ordeal.

"I want to lend a hearty note of solidarity to anyone reading this who may be struggling with similar issues in their own lives. Separating is a deeply difficult and personal decision. May you martial the courage to find whatever answer is best for you," she ended.