Let’s get one thing straight about Nick Jonas’ story. He may have gone solo, but it wasn’t to get away from his brothers. He, Kevin, and Joe—collectively, the teen pop-music sensation the Jonas Brothers—are still very much together. They recently sang with one another on “We Are the World,” they’re currently filming the second season of their Disney TV show, JONAS, and they’ll tour as a trio this summer.
“We make decisions together—even when we’re doing things individually,” Nick, the youngest Jonas Brother, says. “Going into my first solo album, it’s good to know that they were excited. There’s been a good vibe from the get-go.”
See exclusive photos from PARADE’s rockin’ Nick Jonas photo shoot
Few know that Nick’s solo career actually started the worldwide Jonas Brothers phenomenon back in 2003 when a song by the 11-year-old singer-songwriter caught the attention of Columbia Records. Its execs loved the sound of the three boys together, and the rest is teen-idol history. So, when his new band, the Administration, launched its first album in February, the Jo Bros were his biggest boosters.
Nick, now 17, likes to tease that his new band’s name is a warning to anyone in the Oval Office that the teen singer is aiming to sit behind that desk. In fact, he’s met President Obama and performed at the White House. Nick is such a serious guy that his family calls him “Mr. Prez.” “It was a joke at first,” he says. “Then, I thought, ‘Man, it actually would be cool to run for President one day.’
“I’ve always been quite driven,” he adds. “I take after my father. He’s a driven person. He’s also a leader. He does a great job as a mentor to all of us.”
Every Jonas fact is a collectible gem for female fans. Golf is Nick’s favorite sport, and he loves to play softball, though he has to be careful about injuries. At present, he’s sipping a Diet Coke: Jonas followers will tell you that he’s had to be careful about his sugar intake since being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 2005. Yes, he dated Miley Cyrus, and now they’re friends. Yes, he’s been spotted with Selena Gomez, another Disney teen queen, but, he swears: “It’s a lot more boring than anyone wants to think.”
Can he tell us about his love life?
“Look at my brother Kevin,” Nick says, dodging the question with a sly grin. “He just got married, so now we have a sister.”
Nick’s family is known for adhering to Christian values, and he insists that talk about his “purity ring” (which proclaims his virginity) or his religious beliefs is off-limits. “We like to keep some things private,” he says. “We appreciate it when people respect that. Everyone has a right to his own business.”
Nick got into show business early. By 8, he was acting in Broadway productions like Beauty and the Beast and Annie Get Your Gun. He and his brothers were home-schooled, and, no, he doesn’t think he missed a “normal childhood.”
The new solo album was Nick’s chance to express himself. He says that fans who want to find out every detail about him can learn the most from listening to the songs he writes, such as “Who I Am.”
“That song is about someone loving me for who I am,” he says. “It’s saying that it’s important for me to be comfortable with myself first. One of the biggest things I think people struggle with, even at my age, is self-confidence—feeling comfortable in their skin and wanting to find someone who loves them for that.”
Nick already has plenty of money and fame. What he’s looking for now, with his solo effort, is respect. “I hope my peers in music and my friends are liking it,” he says. “I hope they can see my growth in music. It’s a dream of mine to win a Grammy one day.”
He laughs. “I’m not saying I’m Grammy-worthy, but it would be a dream come true.”
0 comments:
Post a Comment