Jonas Brothers
Joe Jonas’ upcoming album is not technically his solo debut: Back in 2011 during a Jonas Brothers hiatus, the middle JoBro released Fastlife, a club-aimed rhythmic pop foray featuring contributions from Lil Wayne and Chris Brown that couldn’t quite turn the then-22-year-old into a radio star. “I have so much love for those songs — they actually aged pretty well!” Jonas says today with a wide smile. “But it feels like a different person.”
Fastlife might as well be a lifetime ago for Jonas, now 35. Since then, he found his radio hit with 2015’s “Cake by the Ocean” as the leader of pop collective DNCE, then reunited with his siblings Nick and Kevin in 2019, for a Jonas Brothers comeback that produced the No. 1 smash “Sucker” and a global arena tour, among other achievements.
Jonas also married actress Sophie Turner in 2019, welcomed two daughters, then experienced a very public divorce in 2023. “I was going through a lot of life changes,” he says of the past few years, “finding out who I was as a person and father and friend, and living under the microscope of what the music industry can be. And I think, at such a crazy time in my life, I looked to music as an outlet.”
Trending on Billboard
The result is Music for People Who Believe in Love, a solo album full of unvarnished thoughts and sonic experiments that Republic Records will release Oct. 18. The full-length doesn’t sound anything like Fastlife, but it doesn’t resemble Jonas Brothers or DNCE, either. Jonas lands on a shimmery pop sound that synthesizes a wide array of influences, from garage-rock to alt-pop to ’90s country, while singing about navigating life’s uncertainties and finding gratitude amid loss.
“Things you can’t imagine/Remind you of what you’ve always had/Maybe they need to happen/So you know the worst ain’t all that bad,” he sings on “My Own Best Friend,” a pleading anthem marked by mournful whistling. Elsewhere, Jonas races through a fuzz-heavy synth workout on “Velvet Sunshine,” offers a gently strummed “lullaby to my kids” on “Hey Beautiful” and, on the wide-reaching lead single, “Work It Out,” addresses his “head full of insecurities” while slipping into falsetto over a percolating beat.
Jonas says that Music for People Who Believe in Love began with the song “Only Love,” a funked-up and flirtatious pop-rock jam that he originally conceived with his brothers. During the writing process in Australia as they worked with producer Joel Little, “I noticed that the song was going toward the direction of some personal stuff that I went through,” Jonas recalls. “So I go to Kevin and Nick, ‘Hey, can I use this as a catapult to go explore what this sound could be, and also what I’m trying to figure out emotionally?’ They were very supportive — Nick said, ‘Well, damn, I really like that song. But I get what you need to do, so go for it.’ ”
[embedded content]
Jonas quickly went to work, corralling studio whizzes including Alexander 23, Justin Tranter, Jason Evigan and Tommy English to Los Angeles’ House of Blues studio and knocking out the majority of the album in two-and-a-half weeks. Following the sunny Jonas Brothers full-length The Album in spring 2023 — and then a slew of tabloid headlines detailing his divorce last fall — Jonas says that hunkering down on a more personal project ultimately proved to be therapeutic.
“It was scary at times, and also freeing,” he says. “I’m not trying to come for anyone on this album. I’m not trying to put stuff on blast. I have a beautiful life that I’m grateful for. I’ve got two beautiful kids. I’m a happy person, and the music needed to resemble that — but also, the journey to get here.”
Republic vp of marketing strategy Alyssa LoPresti adds, “This campaign starts and ends with Joe. From his personal taste in music, which is highlighted by [his] notable and exciting choice of collaborators, to the way he’s engaging with fans on his platforms and the content he’s filmed to support the release, it is all authentic to who Joe is and reflective of this chapter of his life.”
Jonas says that more album tracks, and their featured guests, will be unveiled in the coming weeks following the July release of “Work It Out,” and that he’s “definitely” planning to showcase the album live, potentially around release week.
If Jonas’ last solo project was a bid for stardom when he was still figuring out who he was, Music for People Who Believe in Love represents a check-in from an artist at peace with his choices. “At the core of it,” he says, “if this body of work helps people through what they’re going through, that’s all I can really wish for.”
This story appears in the Aug. 24, 2024, issue of Billboard.
Joe Jonas called for an S.O.S. after an unusual interaction with a security guard at CVS. The Jonas Brother took to TikTok on Wednesday (Nov. 1) to playfully share the moment while walking around in the drugstore’s snack aisle. “I just walked into CVS and the security guy goes, ‘Oh! Joe Jonas?’” he said. “And […]
Nick Jonas enjoyed a month of soaking up the summer sun with his family, and took to Instagram to document his activities over the month of July. In the series of photos shared to Instagram on Tuesday (Aug. 1), the Jonas Brothers star is seen lounging at the beach and on boats with his wife […]
The military has always had a special place in Nick Jonas‘ heart, as a number of his family members — including his grandfather Gerald Miller — have selflessly served the United States of America.
That’s why the superstar jumped at the opportunity to headline NBCUniversal’s Salute to Summer concert event at Universal Studios Hollywood, which also celebrated the U.S. Army with a series of physical challenges and one-of-a-kind installations that inspire viewers to push beyond their boundaries.
“I’m so grateful to celebrate in the setting of the concert to kick things off, but I also love the ideology behind all this to inspire young people to be the absolute best they can be and find opportunities within the ecosystem of the military to find themselves,” Jonas tells Billboard of performing at the event, which will stream on Peacock starting Friday (July 7).
Staff Sgts. Lamar Riddick (L) and Nicholas Feemster (R)
While he’s fresh off the release of Jonas Brothers‘ recent project The Album, Nick says he enjoys a chance to perform solo tracks every once in a while “to keep it fresh,” like in the case of Salute to Summer.
However, Nick was still thrilled to reflect on the sibling trio’s recent release, which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart when it dropped back in May. “Approaching this album-making process, it was really apparent to all of us that we needed to meet each other where we were at, which is very different than it was even four years ago when we released Happiness Begins,” he shares, before noting that his, Joe and Kevin Jonas’ experiences as fathers also shaped how the album turned out.
“Our experiences have grown quite a bit, and the biggest one of those is the lessons of parenthood,” he explains. “I think ‘Waffle House’ does a good job of teeing up what built the foundation for us as a family to be able to have open, honest communication, even in tough moments. That’s something I think all of us want to bring into the way we build our families and I’m so thrilled with the reaction to that song and the people really resonating with the message of the song and what it means for them.”
Speaking of growth, Nick adds that becoming comfortable with themselves and maturing in their relationship allowed him and his brothers to create music they’re truly proud of. “Anytime we tried to do something that some gatekeeper or executive said would work usually ended up not working,” the 30-year-old says with a laugh. “What’s been incredible as an artist is watching, over the last couple of years, the power that the consumer has to be their own gatekeeper. That goes for everything from streaming to creators online and also how we consume content and music and everything else. For us, that’s a plus because it seems that when we’re being true to ourselves and what’s relevant to us and what’s truly authentic, then it seems to resonate with our fans, which means the world to us.”
The JoBros will see their fans in person soon, as they’re slated to kick off their North American tour in support of The Album on Aug. 12. The ambitious Five Albums. One Night. The Tour. is set to be a celebration of the group’s decadeslong career. While Nick says trying to navigate putting five albums worth of songs into one setlist is a “monster” to figure out, he’s excited to bring the idea to life.
“I think all of us really love the idea of challenging ourselves not only to remember all the lyrics but to also dig in and walk down memory lane in a way that felt celebratory and not overly nostalgic, like some sort of weird victory lap towards the end of a career,” Jonas explains, “Because this is truly the start of the next chapter. We all feel ready to get out there and play some shows for our fans here in the U.S. and then eventually, probably top of next year, overseas.”
Check out the Jonas Brothers’ full list of tour dates here, and catch Nick Jonas’ Salute to Summer performance on July 7 via Peacock, which you can sign up for here.
Summer may have just started, but the Jonas Brothers are ready to welcome Kevin Jonas’ two daughters back to school with an adorable new The Children’s Place campaign. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news In the ad released on Thursday (June 22), Kevin Jonas is seen FaceTiming […]
Jonas Brothers were Amelia Dimoldenberg’s latest lunch guests on her popular Chicken Shop Date segment, and she didn’t hold back on asking the hard-hitting questions.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
“How did you guys all meet?” she hilariously asks the siblings at one point in the video. “It happened in stages, and these other two people introduced us,” Kevin Jonas jokingly replied, before Joe Jonas added, “We met through our parents.”
And yes, Nick Jonas still loves a “red dress,” which Dimoldenberg made sure to wear to their date in reference to the 30-year-old singer’s famous ad-lib in the group’s 2008 hit, “Burnin’ Up.”
“It was just a pure coincidence,” the journalist jokes of her outfit choice. “Looking through my wardrobe, I thought, ‘Oh, look at that –“
“Red dress!” Nick interjects in the tone from “Burnin’ Up,” before teaching Dimoldenberg how to sing it properly.
Joe’s wife, Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner, also makes an appearance at the end of the episode, when the host cuts her date with Joe short to hang out with his wife instead. “I’m bored. Can we go?” Turner asks Dimoldenberg from a table nearby, before the two happily leave the restaurant together.
The Jonas Brothers are fresh off the release of their sixth studio album, The Album, which gave the band their fourth No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart (dated May 27). The trio previously led the list with Happiness Begins (2019), Lines, Vines and Trying Times (2009) and A Little Bit Longer (2008).
Watch the Jonas Brothers’ Chicken Shop Date in full below.
Kevin Jonas had a tough decision to make on Watch What Happens Live on Sunday night (May 14) during a round of host Andy Cohen’s popular “Plead the Fifth” game with the Jonas Brothers. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “Which former Disney star has the better […]
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon already has plenty of fun music-focused segments, like Classroom Instruments and Wheel of Musical Impressions. Now, the popular late night talk show has added a brand new series called “Musical Stairs.”
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
As the name suggests, the segment features artists performing their latest hits in the Tonight Show stairwell, backed by The Roots. In a teaser clip shared exclusively with Billboard on Tuesday (April 18), the Jonas Brothers are the first stars to take on “Musical Stairs,” performing a stripped-back rendition of their new single “Waffle House.”
In the 30-second teaser, Joe Jonas is seen singing the first verse and chorus, as Nick Jonas provides harmonies and Kevin Jonas accompanies The Roots on acoustic guitar.
“Waffle House” is the second single off the Jonas Brothers’ forthcoming ’70s-inspired studio set, The Album, which is scheduled for release on May 12 via Republic Records. The inspiring track follows the soaring lead single “Wings.”
Watch a clip of Jonas Brothers performing “Waffle House” below, and catch the full segment on Tuesday night (April 18) on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. The show airs every weeknight at 11:35 p.m. ET on NBC. For those without cable, the Tonight Show is also available to stream online through streaming services including Hulu (sign up here) and Peacock TV (sign up here).
Something in the Water festival is returning to Virginia Beach at the end of this month, and on Wednesday (April 12), Pharrell Williams unveiled a wave of special guests and performers added to the lineup.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
A$AP Rocky, Busta Rhymes, De La Soul and M.I.A. have all been added to Pharrell’s Phriends set at the festival, which will take place in Virginia Beach, Va., between April 28 and April 30.
The festival has also announced additional performers including Third Eye Blind, Jonas Brothers and Arcade Fire, which comes less than a year after sexual misconduct allegations against Arcade Fire’s frontman Win Butler.
Last year, the festival took place in Washington, D.C., after the Grammy-winning artist and producer voiced his disappointment in his hometown’s handling of his cousin’s death the year before. Sponsored by AirBnB and Walmart, this year’s star-studded lineup features Kid Cudi, Lil Wayne, The Clipse, Summer Walker, Grace Jones, Lil Uzi Vert and Kehlani, among others.
Pharrell’s team-up with Walmart also aims to impact communities in Virginia. “Strengthening local communities is core to Walmart’s DNA,” said Cedric Clark, executive vice president of store operations for Walmart U.S., in a press release. “By investing in our associates and in the communities we serve, we help build a foundation where people can live their full potential every day. We’re excited to team up with Something in the Water, returning to a special place to Walmart, Virginia’s Hampton Roads, to help celebrate and empower this community we’re so proud to be a part of.”
Three day passes to Something in the Water are still available for purchase here. Can’t make it to the festival? YouTube will be livestreaming the event all weekend on Pharrell’s YouTube channel.
The Jonas Brothers took to social media on Thursday (March 23) to give fans some insight into the creative process behind their upcoming sixth studio set, The Album.
“For the first time, the three of us are in the same place in life,” the siblings wrote on Twitter, “and as we continue to grow as brothers, husbands, fathers & artists, this project is a window into our lives. It’s the story of where we have been, what we have learned and where we are now.”
In a video shared with the tweet, Joe Jonas explains, “A lot’s changed since Happiness Begins was released. We’ve grown as a family and in turn, we’ve grown as human beings,” as pictures flash across the screen of him kissing wife Sophie Turner at Boston’s Fenway Park during the band’s Remember This Tour in 2021 and Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra play with their new daughter Malti.
Later, the middle JoBro cites Carole King, Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan as a few of his favorite musical “storytellers” before calling the new music on The Album “a real honest conversation.”
In a follow-up tweet, the brothers concluded, “We feel it’s the best body of work we have ever made. THE ALBUM is our story and we can’t wait to share it with you on May 12th.”
The Jonas Brothers already previewed several tracks off The Album on the final night of their sold-out Broadway residency at the Marquis Theatre last weekend, including lead single “Wings” and sure-to-be fan favorites like “Waffle House,” “Montana Sky,” “Vacation Eyes” and “Walls.”
Check out the Jonas Brothers’ latest tease of The Album below.
We feel it’s the best body of work we have ever made. THE ALBUM is our story and we can’t wait to share it with you on May 12th.https://t.co/rXiIW0zWRM— Jonas Brothers (@jonasbrothers) March 23, 2023