Lyricist Joan Osborne to perform at Englert in Iowa City

It was a time of transition for Joan Osborne when she turned 60 in 2022. The veteran singer-songwriter sent her daughter off to college and ended a long-term romantic union. The experiences inspired Osborne to write her very personal latest album, the rootsy “Nobody Owns You.”

“It was a significant time in my life,” Osborne said while calling from her Brooklyn, N.Y., home. “My daughter left for school. I ended a 15-year relationship. So much was changing for me before I wrote this album.”

When Osborne, 62, became a sexagenarian, the clever lyricist chose to ignore any outside influences. “I hit a point in my life where I didn’t care what people thought about me anymore,” Osborne said. “As artists, we’re sensitive people. It’s normal for people like me to care what other people think but I’m at the point in my life when I’m going to write about what I want. I decided to take what I was experiencing, much of it tumultuous, and turn it into something beautiful.”

The title track is a love letter to her daughter. “You’re as free as the wind in the street/And it’s time to stand up on your feet/Darling you’re complete/Nobody owns you.”

“You can’t control what happens with the person you raised once they go out into the world,” Osborne said. “It’s similar with songs. You can’t control what happens with your music once it’s out in the world.”

“Nobody Owns You” is arguably Osborne’s finest album since 1995’s “Relish.” Osborne’s breakthrough release features a number of cowrites with the Hooters’ Eric Bazilian and Rob Hyman. The collective of Osborne, Bazilian, Hyman and Rick Chertoff wrote a number of solid songs such as “St. Teresa,” “Dracula Moon” and “Pensacola.”

“Rob and Eric are sweethearts,” Osborne said. “They’re fun to work with and they’re so talented.”

Bazilian wrote “One of Us,” which peaked at No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and earned Osborne three Grammy nominations. “’One of Us’ doesn’t tell you what you’re supposed to believe in,” Osborne said. “In this sideways manner it asks you to think about your relationship with God and spirituality. It’s not didactic or threatening.”

“One of Us” became a worldwide hit and landed in the Top 20 of at least 12 different country’s music charts. “People still ask me about it wherever I am in the world," Osborne said.

Osborne, who crafts a mix of rock, soul and folk, never imagined that the iconic Prince, who is one of the greatest and most identifiable songwriters in pop music history, would cover “One of Us.”

“That was unexpected,” Osborne said while laughing.

Osborne, who will perform Sunday at the Englert Theatre, is writing a memoir, which is as yet untitled. However, Osborne still is writing more chapters in her sonic life by crafting new songs. “If you had a big hit in the ‘90s, you can think of yourself as an oldies act,” Osborne said. “But I don’t want to be that (type of singer). I’m still an artist, who is trying to do new things. I’m still compelled to create and get better. That’s the North Star of this album. What do I do now? What can I say now? I think I’m getting better as a songwriter and I’m going to keep writing songs.”

There are a number of recording artists of a certain age that are making extraordinary albums in their twilight years, such as Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen.

“It’s so great to watch these amazing singer-songwriters continue to create such great songs,” Osborne said. “Dylan is amazing and so is Lucinda Williams. There’s no reason to stop creating when you hit a certain age. I have experienced so much and I’m still so inspired at this point in my life. It’s a great time for me.”