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It's no surprise the fiercely independent singer/songwriter has created a fantastically personal album, Blood Red Cherry.
But in the world of Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Jessica Simpson, the pressure on Arden must have been intense.
"Right now every 15-year-old in the world with hot pants is singing about touching themselves. Thank gawd we have choices," says Arden, 37.
"I've been pushed (to head in a more conventional pop direction) on every record. They always try because it's also about economics. But I know (their advice) comes from a good place ... of 'we really want you to get to the next level' or whatever.
"It comes from the same place as your mother saying: 'Why are you dying your hair green?'
"But they realize with me that those speeches last about five seconds and I just go on and do what I want anyway."
The Calgarian admits the "suggestions" can be deflating, but she has learned to be comfortable in her own skin.
"You have to know you can't water yourself down. It's hard to be different, but yet it's the easiest thing in the world to be yourself.
"I just follow the Gandhi school of the path of least resistance. Being non-confrontational drives them crazy."
Arden also concedes her chosen profession is one that leaves her open to scrutiny.
"In this business, they are going to base (all sorts of) opinions about me and there's nothing I can do about it. I can either lay in my bed hurt because I want to explain myself, or I can say I can't explain it all away. There are too many people."
It's that kind of confidence that Arden is taking with her to Hollywood as she auditions for acting gigs. She came close to a role in the new Adam Sandler movie, Little Nicky.
"I take acting very seriously as an art and I deeply respect those who have studied it.... My whole thing with acting and the Hollywood thing is, if I have something you want, then I'll give it to you on my own terms and I won't be crushed if I'm too short or whatever, because you have nothing I want. My life is complete."
Complete, indeed. Besides this 14-song CD, Arden produces albums for other rising artists, helps keep her Calgary diner, The Arden, running smoothly, and works with World Vision.
Arden is also moving. She's leaving Calgary's inner-core for the country, out toward Banff.
So what will life at Arden Acres be like?
"I read a lot and I drink coffee for hours in the morning. I like to read the newspaper. I love finding out what's going on in the world and I love shutting it off. I also have three cats that keep me endlessly entertained."
Going back to school is also an idea with which Arden is toying.
"I'd like to take English literature, history, sociology, philosophy, political science ..."
OK, maybe it would be easier to say what she's not interested in taking.
"I don't want to do basket weaving, but glass blowing would be good or it would be great to take a jewelry course and be able to make silver jewelry.
"You don't have to be good at everything. People are afraid to try something because they won't be good at it -- who says you have to be good, anyway?"
BROTHER PROUD
Jann Arden has won numerous awards, she's shared the stage with greats like Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton, she's even hosted the Junos, but the thing her baby brother loves most about her is her determination.
"I'm most proud of her for really sticking it out. She slugged it out for a long time -- there were about 10 years of really roughing it. She had the heart to stick it out," praises her brother Pat Richards.
The 33-year-old, who runs The Arden diner with his famous sister, is also pleased that fame hasn't changed his big sis.
"The main thing I see about Jann is as her celebrity status increases, she's so normal around the family. I wasn't sure how she would handle it, but she's great."
Richards enjoys the business that he shares with Arden -- the diner just celebrated its first anniversary -- but he's most thankful to her for getting him onto the links.
"She's the one who got me into golf and now I can't get enough. My wife can blame that on Jann," he says with chuckle.
Ironically, Richards' memories of his sister growing up don't include a lot of music. Arden played trumpet in the school band but didn't really pick up the guitar until she was a teenager.
More vivid in his memory is the sibling rivalry.
"I certainly suffered the typical younger brother abuse. She would bug me because I was really small. We used to have some great battles."
Things turned around when he was about 12.
"She was quite protective of me," he recalls.
"She even included me in things she did, like trying to sneak me out with her friends ... and even into bars."
Growing up in the Springbank area, the Richards children -- eldest brother Duray is three years Jann's senior -- had to rely on each other for entertainment.
"We used to play outside a lot. We'd ski together and we'd snowmobile -- pulling each other around on a tube."
CD A TEAM EFFORT
Jann Arden is discovering the truth behind the adage: A change is as good as a rest.
The Calgary singer/songwriter has never written with a co-writer before, and once she started, she just couldn't stop.
Arden teamed with her long-time guitar player Russell Broom and the pair wrote more than 30 songs for consideration on her new album Blood Red Cherry (in stores Tuesday).
"We considered doing a double album, but it was too self-indulgent," admits Arden.
"Usually, I write 11 songs and record 11. It was difficult not to have the other songs on the album, but you don't want to tire out your listener. It has to be digestible."
Sharing such a personal procedure with someone else did make her nervous, but she took comfort in the fact that Broom knew her so well.
"I don't think I could do it with anyone else. He had the patience of Job and he was like a church mouse ... he'd wait while I was writing. He opened so many doors for me."
Arden penned her songs at home, in Banff and holed up in a cold attic belonging to director Jeth Weinrich, who is responsible for her award-winning videos I Would Die For You and Insensitive.
"It was in a turn-of-the-century home and he had just cleaned out the attic. We brought in heaters and it was so cool and quiet. It was also neat to have Jeth there working and popping his head up every once in a while."
Blood Red Cherry is also the first album Arden has recorded without her long-time manager Neil McGonigill. Arden left her old team after her trip to Africa with World Vision.
"It's nothing I really want to get into. It was absolutely amicable," stresses Arden. "It wasn't personal it wasn't about people not getting along. It was just business -- we just outgrew each other. I wanted different things on the business aspect and he wasn't interested in that and I don't blame him."
She couldn't praise her former team enough. "I think people can be soul mates and it's not necessarily for life. Anyone who works with him is so lucky."
A cross-Canada tour to support Blood Red Cherry should start this spring. Though no dates are confirmed, Arden's Calgary concert should happen in mid-June.