[Rerun] Jonas Brothers

Summary

Podcrushed: [Rerun] Jonas Brothers

Release Date: April 29, 2026
Hosts: Penn Badgley, Nava Kavelin, Sophie Ansari
Guests: Kevin Jonas, Joe Jonas, Nick Jonas

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Episode Overview

This energetic and heartfelt episode of Podcrushed dives deep into the formative experiences of the Jonas Brothers—Kevin, Joe, and Nick—through the lens of adolescence, brotherhood, and coming of age in the glaring spotlight of fame. Hosted by Penn Badgley, Nava Kavelin, and Sophie Ansari, the conversation covers everything from childhood ambitions and family dynamics to the price and privilege of pop stardom, with plenty of laughter, brutal honesty, and brotherly ribbing. The Jonas Brothers also discuss their upcoming album Greetings from your Hometown, how their sound is both a return to roots and an evolution, and the importance of healing, therapy, and genuine connection.

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Key Discussion Points

1. Adolescence and Early Musical Influences

(03:09–13:45)

• The brothers share vivid snapshots of their lives at age 12, each reflecting different roles in their family and early careers:
  • Kevin: Transitioned to private school, first picked up a guitar while home sick, and grew up in a musical family rooted in church life.

    "I was bored of [TV]... and I picked up a teach yourself guitar book and that was when I started like doodling around on the guitar." (Kevin Jonas, 05:00)

  • Joe: Less athletic than his brothers but loved comedy and was the family videographer, inspired by Nick’s early stage work and his own first crush.
  • Nick: Signed as a solo artist at 11 after writing songs with their dad, leading to the formation of the band:

    "We started working on a song together. It was the first we’d ever written... the genesis of the band happened when I was 12, out of a wild set of circumstances." (Nick Jonas, 12:09)

2. Family Dynamics & Frankie the “Bonus Brother”

(13:45–15:34)

• The brothers reflect on their younger sibling Frankie, his much younger age, and how the family's unusual life impacted him.

  • "He had only known one speed. We had twelve or thirteen years of real normalcy and a simple life... There’s not a whole lot of money in ministry." (Nick Jonas, 14:17)

  • Kevin discusses cohosting the show "Claim to Fame" with Frankie:

    "He just plays along with them as the younger brother... His whole energy." (Kevin Jonas, 16:07)

3. Struggle, Sacrifice, and Humble Beginnings

(17:09–25:57)

• The brothers relate their struggles post-pastorate when the family lost their home and lived four boys to a room in a small New Jersey house, juggling credit card debt and hustling through mall and school performances.

  • "There was a period where your father is no longer pastor... That was a big departure because it was sudden and unexpected." (Penn Badgley, 20:15)

  • "It took us a long time to enjoy things because... our dad losing his job and the record label dropping us happened in the same month." (Joe Jonas, 21:27)

4. Dealing with Fame, Pressures, and Trauma

(24:10–44:43)

• The “meteoric rise” wasn’t just glamorous; the conversation exposes pressures, diabetes diagnosis, early loss of innocence, public expectations (purity rings, religion), and media intrusiveness.

  • "I was diagnosed at 13...drinking a ton of water, losing all this weight... my glucose was north of 900." (Nick Jonas, 24:30)

  • "Somebody said this recently: we were trying to figure out who we are while the world assumed we already knew." (Joe Jonas, 42:07)

  • They discuss feeling typecast, shamed, and the strain on their relationship with faith and self-image.

5. Brotherhood, Breakups, and Healing

(39:11–46:10; 54:03–58:31)

• The band’s breakup and eventual reunion are explored, highlighting how underlying issues stemmed from suppressed feelings, lack of communication tools, and needing space to grow as individuals.

  • "We were really good at not talking about things... the pressure cooker of just time with the fact that we had no tools." (Nick Jonas, 40:02)

  • Joe discusses the pain and benefits of their time apart and the growth that followed:

    "We were terrified of even unpacking so much because we healed as family... it was like, let’s not talk about it." (Joe Jonas, 54:24)

6. Musical Evolution and Greetings from your Hometown

(57:00–62:09)

• The Jonas Brothers describe the vision and themes of their upcoming album, a return to roots with a mature, celebratory tone and notable Bee Gees influence.

  • "We were able to dip into our early influences that our dad raised us on... Bee Gees, Beatles... That helps shape our sound." (Nick Jonas, 59:37)

  • "We got a collaboration... with the Bee Gees on this album. Pretty meaningful and full circle for us." (Nick Jonas, 62:09)

7. Song Game & Guilty Pleasures

(64:15–69:28)

• A lighthearted rapid-fire soundtrack game covers everything from red eye flights ("a sleep playlist" – Joe) to hype up jams ("I Can’t Lose" – Kevin) and favorite bittersweet songs ("Sparks" by Coldplay).

  • "A big romantic moment? '3x5' by John Mayer." (Kevin Jonas, 66:06)

  • On end credits of life:

    "The Hozier yell." (Nick Jonas, 66:57)

8. Reflections, Advice, and Closing Thoughts

(76:22–79:45)

• Each brother shares heartfelt advice to their 12-year-old self:
  • Nick: "Take a deep breath, start therapy now. Just to take some of the pressure off myself."
  • Joe: "All those quirks you think are embarrassing, you'll be celebrated for one day."
  • Kevin: "Some kids picked a keychain instead of a purity ring—maybe do that. Treat people with kindness; they’ll be with you for life."

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Nick on honesty about coping and therapy (76:39)

  "Take a deep breath, start therapy now... Just to take some of the pressure off myself. I feel like I lost so many great moments because I was anxious."

• Joe on childhood quirks (78:02)

  "All the little quirks and funny things you think are embarrassing you keep in hiding, you’re going to be celebrated for those things."

• Kevin on treating others well (79:16)

  "Don’t forget that the people around you will always be with you for the rest of your life—treat them with kindness."

• On being booed in public:

  "We’d go to sporting events and get booed and it would break our spirits... Now, people were warmer, and I think where that stems from is that we were authentic about who we are as family and as brothers, for the first time." (Nick Jonas, 49:52–50:49)

• On the iconic Songland episode: (70:05–70:39)

  "I honestly texted people, like, oh my god, I didn’t know the Jonas Brothers were so brilliant. Such brilliant producers... it was really revealing." (Sophie Ansari)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Starting snapshot of each at age 12: 03:09–13:45
• Frankie Jonas & family dynamics: 13:45–16:34
• From parsonage to grinding band hustle: 17:09–25:57
• On fame, pressure, and diabetes: 24:10–25:57
• Breakup, Reunion, Individual Growth: 39:11–46:10; 54:03–58:31
• Album process, roots, and Bee Gees influence: 57:30–62:09
• Song game & musical preferences: 64:15–69:28
• Reflections to 12-year-old selves: 76:22–79:45

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Tone and Style

The episode is candid, self-deprecating, and full of warmth—whether touching on childhood hardship, sibling rivalries, the price of pop stardom, or the joy of making music together again. The Jonas Brothers and hosts maintain a blend of authentic vulnerability, humor, and empathy throughout.

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For Listeners New and Old

Even if you've never followed the Jonas Brothers, this episode offers a moving insight into growing up in public, the complexities of family, and the resilience required to stay grounded in the wild world of fame. The brothers’ stories of hardship, humility, and humor are sure to resonate with anyone reflecting on their formative years—or trying to make sense of them now.

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Check out the Jonas Brothers’ new album, Greetings from your Hometown, everywhere August 8th, and revisit the documentary “Chasing Happiness” for more on their story.

Transcript

[Nick Jonas]

Lemonade.

[Kevin Jonas]

So 12 years old, just started new school in New Jersey, and it's actually the year I picked up the guitar.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Oh, okay.

[Kevin Jonas]

Yeah.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Wow.

[Kevin Jonas]

I started it.

[Nick Jonas]

He just picked it up. He didn't do it.

[Kevin Jonas]

I did pick it up for the first time.

[Joe Jonas]

How much does this weigh?

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Welcome to PodCrushed. We're your hosts. I'm Penn.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

I'm Nava. And I'm Sophie. And I think we would have been

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

your middle school besties cramming for finals 15 minutes before they shit. Welcome to PodCrushed. Sophie and Sari. Where is Penn Badgley?

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

He's here. Not to worry. Do not click away, listeners. He's coming. He's actually coming with his three honorary brothers, the Jonas Brothers.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

You filmed one TikTok with them. People pointed out they were all brunettes and now he goes by Penn Jonas. And he refused to do this intro with us. So, you know, there you have it. Before we jump into this episode, which we loved. I was smiling for days after. I think you all will love it too. We want to thank our friends at Sirius XM who allowed Penny, Jonas and the rest of the Jonas Brothers to use the studio today for filming. We're so grateful. We couldn't have done it without you. Especially a shout out to Adam and Jian who made it happen.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

I do not need to tell you anything about the Jonas Brothers. You already know who they are. They have been at the beating heart of culture for the last 20 years, which is such a crazy thing to be able to say about such young men. Yeah, they're back today in support of their new album called Greetings from youm Hometown. There's already a few singles out that you can listen to and their album will be be out August 8th. We talked all about it and all about so many other things. I think you're gonna love this episode. So don't go anywhere. Stick around.

[Nick Jonas]

Amazon Pharmacy presents Painful thoughts of course

[Kevin Jonas]

I see my co worker in line at the pharmacy.

[Nick Jonas]

Can you tell I'm picking up prescription hemorrhoid cream?

[Joe Jonas]

I'm probably standing weird.

[Nick Jonas]

Why is he smiling?

[Joe Jonas]

He knows he's gonna call me Hemorrhoid Lloyd tomorrow.

[Nick Jonas]

I know it.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

I gotta quit my job.

[Nick Jonas]

Next time, avoid awkward conversations and get fast free delivery with Amazon Pharmacy. Healthcare just got less painful.

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[Host - Penn Badgley]

So I'm not sure if you are aware, but what we do here is, you know, it's PodCrush. The idea is adolescence middle school. We start at 12. Cause that's a formative time of life.

[Kevin Jonas]

Totally.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

For everybody, right?

[Joe Jonas]

Definitely.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Particularly for performers, it is the case. You guys are right there in the pocket. Cause your adolescence was. Well, largely documented. Right.

[Nick Jonas]

And there's like, largely documented.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Well, exactly. And we want to go to the highs, the lows, everything. But we like to start just at a snapshot, like, daily life at 12. Now, obviously, you're not all the same age, so I was wondering if maybe we could just get, you know, like, Kevin at 12, Joe at 12, Nick at 12, and the way you were, as much as you can weave it together, just like, you know, the way you were influencing each other's adolescence, and you all had a different life. Right. But let's just get a snapshot, maybe just from the eldest to the youngest.

[Kevin Jonas]

Yeah. So 12 years old, just started new school in New Jersey. Private school. We came out of a, you know, public school thing and went to a private school. And I was the only one at this point still going to like to school. Nick was already starting to work on Broadway. I was doing slightly. Some commercials, some commercial work. And I was like, in and out of school a little bit, but mostly I was just in school. And it's actually the year I picked up the guitar.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Oh, okay.

[Kevin Jonas]

Yeah.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Wow.

[Nick Jonas]

I started it. He just picked it up. He didn't do that.

[Kevin Jonas]

I just picked it up for the first time.

[Joe Jonas]

I was like, how much does this weigh?

[Kevin Jonas]

Yeah, I was homesick from school with strep. I used to get a lot of

[Joe Jonas]

strep throughout all year.

[Kevin Jonas]

I faked it for another week, but I had it for, like a true, like, you know, week. Fevers, the whole thing. And I at that point, obviously, like, it's not like today where you have a million things to watch at any given time. So I got really bored. If the Price is right at 10am

[Host - Penn Badgley]

wow, that just gave me a flashback.

[Kevin Jonas]

Yeah, it's like Nick Jr. Was on, you know, like, it's just like Nick Jr's on, then it moves to Nickelodeon, but you're just kind of like, waiting for any content that you might like. So I was bored of it. And I picked up a teach yourself guitar book and that was when I started like doodling around on the guitar.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Wow.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Did you have to. Was there a guitar at home already

[Kevin Jonas]

or did you have to? We grew up in a very musical home. Our father is a great musician. Grew up singing, playing in different, like country clubs. Not like golf, but like actual country western music venues. Like singing and then like lead. Then we were in. My dad was a pastor. Arda was a pastor of a church at the time. So we were also like, music was a part of the church and so like growing up playing and being around it a lot.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

And when you were 12, how old were you guys? Maybe you would know better.

[Nick Jonas]

We were what, four years apart? Five years apart?

[Kevin Jonas]

Yeah.

[Nick Jonas]

I was like eight.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Okay.

[Joe Jonas]

Ten and a half, depending on how old Kevin was when he was 12.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Okay. Can I ask how you do you remember? It's getting real specific, so it doesn't need to be. But I wonder how you at 12, when you were 12? Let's get you at 12. And then how did you perceive your older brother? Because older brothers are a thing, by the way. I'm an only child very much. Okay, so.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

And also just, just, just for our listeners, obviously, you know, we all know who you're pointing to and talking to, but just anyone who's listening. You all, because you're brothers sound remarkably similar when you're just listening in headphones.

[Nick Jonas]

Yeah, yeah. Okay.

[Kevin Jonas]

I just told my. My 12 year old life story.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Yeah, I did say that we were starting eldest.

[Kevin Jonas]

Thank you. So.

[Joe Jonas]

Yes, yes.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

But then just now you said, and you and you and you and you.

[Joe Jonas]

Joe.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Joe.

[Joe Jonas]

When I was 12, these guys were both very athletic and I was not. So I would hang out with them or go to a lot of their gymnastics meets or they would go skateboarding a lot. So I was the guy that would film skateboarders.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Who was the one? So somebody hit a nice ollie in the documentary. Was that you or was that.

[Joe Jonas]

That was Kevin.

[Kevin Jonas]

I live my best life skate skating.

[Joe Jonas]

I like that there's like, I will listen to music and I watched the documentary. I think you pointed out something. We're prepared.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

You're prepared.

[Joe Jonas]

I appreciate it. The prep. Thank you. So, yeah, 12 years old, I was just starting to think about music because the crush that I had at the time. I brought her to see Nick on Broadway. Nick, Nick, the youngest brother.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

What show was he in?

[Joe Jonas]

Do you remember at the time? I think it was Les Mis.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Okay, so it was Les Mis. That was your first or second when you were 12? I'm wrong about that.

[Nick Jonas]

Yeah, that was my third.

[Kevin Jonas]

When you were 12, he was in Les Mischievous. Yeah, when you were 12, you set

[Nick Jonas]

me up to sound like a jerk there, but, yeah, it was my third.

[Kevin Jonas]

Okay, okay.

[Joe Jonas]

His first Broadway show. And seeing that show with somebody that I had a crush on, and she was like, wow, that is so amazing. I immediately wanted to get into theater or be an actor of some sort. So I was interested. And Nick was already doing theater. Kevin was doing commercial work. So we started all kind of acting. And I loved comedy, but it's also funny because I was too shy to stand up and do anything with comedy. But I loved the idea of doing something in the comedy world or space. So, again, not very athletic, but I would hang out with these guys all the time. So I would go and film, like, with.

[Nick Jonas]

I bought.

[Joe Jonas]

I think my parents bought me for Christmas one year, like a Sony VHS cam, so I could go and film pretty much whether it was home videos, home movies, or these guys and their talents. So, yeah, that was me at 12.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

That's thoughtful that you were. I mean, it was the 90s, right? But you. But like, that you were filming your brothers. That feels to me like. I don't know, that's giving, you know, to. Not necessarily initially want to turn it on yourself.

[Joe Jonas]

Yeah, I mean, I wish I could have. I just didn't have the time. I wasn't as gifted in those talents as they were. And then how I viewed my older brother Kevin. It was great to be the middle child where if one of them didn't want to hang out with you, or if Kevin, when he started, like, his first, I guess, girlfriend, I was. Then I was able to be, like. Able to be like, well, Nick's gonna be around and he's gonna. He's gonna hang on me too. So I was always able to, like, kind of have somebody to. To befriend. And I think those years, like, we were just starting to get into music, too. The idea of. Of. Of listening to the same kind of bands. A lot of, like, emo punk pop bands, Jersey was like, they would do shows. You'd see these funny videos of people performing in little IHOPs or basements of clubs. We were like, one day we're gonna go see these concerts. So music was just on the forefront. Right.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

And so by the time you're 12, Nick, it's really there. Right? I mean, you. Cause you had started so early. Like, you really. You really. I mean, if. To whatever degree the documentary reflects all the Things that were happening. I know some stuff is left out, but it seems like you really kind of. You started super early.

[Nick Jonas]

I started, yeah, about eight years old.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Right, okay. So by the time you're 12, where in the evolution of your own path and also the Jonas Brothers path, are we?

[Nick Jonas]

Yeah, it was early stages for the Brothers path, but basically during my 12th year of life, I was making a solo album. So I'd been signed by Columbia Records as a solo artist first coming out of the Broadway shows that I was doing as a kid. I did shows from the time I was 8 to about 11. And then somebody heard this song that I'd written with our dad for a Broadway Cares, Equity Fights A's Christmas compilation. And, you know, my dad and I would. I did too. Our father and I would.

[Kevin Jonas]

I get it. It's hard. It's my story.

[Nick Jonas]

You know, we would write songs, basically, silly, fun songs on the way to New York City from our home in New Jersey, just as a way to pass the time. And then eventually it started getting more and more serious and we started really kind of writing real songs. And so when they said that our show was going to do a number for this compilation, my dad very boldly asked if we could present an original song as Beauty and the Beast's contribution. And they very boldly said yes. And someone basically that we knew, a family friend who happened to be our chiropractor, of all people, Dr. Wallamy.

[Joe Jonas]

Shout out.

[Nick Jonas]

Dr. Wallamy played it for somebody that worked at Sony Records. And we thought, you know, that could be anybody, you know, who knows who this person is. And it turned out that it was the head of international affairs for all of Sony Music Group.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Wow.

[Nick Jonas]

Who then brought me in to have me meet this guy, David Massey, who had signed, you know, incredible acts and happened to have signed a couple of acts of brothers previously.

[Joe Jonas]

Good Charlotte, Oasis.

[Nick Jonas]

Oh, some, you know, some people dress a few. So he signed me kind of on the spot at 11 years old, and I spent a year working with songwriters. So I would drive into the city with my dad or our mom and basically kind of be dropped off.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Can I interrupt you to ask you a question? Is it normal for them to allow an 11 year old to write part of the songs? Like, I would imagine that they would not include you in the writing process. How did you end up being able to be a songwriter on that album?

[Nick Jonas]

Yeah, it's a great question. I think the thing for me was that I was so. I was so ambitious and I credit our parents with, you know, instilling a lot of confidence in us at an early age and empowering us in our desire to, you know, create music and not just perform it, but to create it to where, you know, when we were negotiating the deal points for my album, my dad said that, you know, it was important that I be a part of the writing process. And so I'm sure these songwriters were all rolling their eyes going, yeah, sure, this 1112 year old kid's gonna walk in and be a part of it. But what ended up happening is I cut my teeth in that time and really learned the craft and kind of went to school, getting to work with some of the best writers here in New York City to a point where basically I would come home and listen to Kevin and Joe through the wall, workshopping different songs each night. Kevin would play, Joe would sing. And I one night went and heard them singing a song called 24 by the band Switchfoot, an album that we all loved, A beaut let down. And I was taken aback by just how brilliant they sounded together. And then we started working on a song together. It was the first one we'd ever written. So really the genesis of the band happened when I was 12 and formed kind of out of. Out of a wild set of circumstances to where that song that we wrote that night ended up being the song that got us all three signed and ruined my life.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

There is a fourth Jonas brother. You have a younger brother, Frankie, who's quite a bit younger. So I think it, from an outsider's perspective, it makes sense that the three of you have gone on to form this band. But I'm curious how that has played a role. Or was there ever a time when it would have maybe made sense for him to join you all? Or was that ever something he wanted?

[Host - Penn Badgley]

How much younger is he? Can I ask for?

[Nick Jonas]

He's 13 years younger than me. Okay, 12 or 13 years old.

[Kevin Jonas]

Thirteen for me. Yeah.

[Nick Jonas]

Yeah, Right, right. So he was, you know, he was not a surprise.

[Kevin Jonas]

Wow.

[Nick Jonas]

Which our parents, you know, they wanted to have another child and thankfully, you know, God did God's things. And Franklin appeared and he, you know, from the time he was born, he was like. He was just so full of life and funny. Like, I have a three and a half year old now, and I'm sort of watching some of the same character traits that Franklin, her uncle, possessed, you know, at that age where he was just funny and carefree and had a really interesting perspective on everything. And she kind of shares that same thing. It's fun to see that those Connection points generationally. But, you know, I don't know if there was ever a point where he wanted to join the band. But I think that naturally, growing up, you know, with your brothers being on TV and touring and, you know, it can certainly affect your sense of reality and your perception of, you know, kind of what life is or what normal life is, because he had only known one speed. We had, you know, at least in. In my case, 12 or 13 years of. Of real normalcy or. Or perceived normalcy and. And a very sort of simple life. You know, there's not a whole lot of money in ministry, turns out, so you're doing.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

God.

[Kevin Jonas]

We were.

[Nick Jonas]

We were, you know, we were, I think, really fortunate to have early days where we had a real sense of what hard work meant and, you know, that great things could be achieved, but it takes time and how to treat people. And so I'm sure for Franklin, a bit disorienting, but he's really grown into to be the absolute, like, most wonderful human being who's got the biggest heart and shows up not only for the three of us and so many ways, but for our kids and our family.

[Kevin Jonas]

And I'm lucky I get to do a show with him we didn't do this season, but we do a show for ABC called Claim to Fame. So we actually co host it together, which is really fun because the concept is you're related to someone that's extremely famous, but you're trying to keep that a secret and try to figure out who these people are. That's the whole goal of the show. And so for him, it's like he just plays along with them as the younger brother, even to these cast members, which is so cool and so fun and his whole energy.

[Nick Jonas]

You get to, like, say that you're related to us, which is just so great.

[Joe Jonas]

I finally.

[Kevin Jonas]

I'm also related to celebrities.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Yeah.

[Joe Jonas]

What's up? For better or for worse,

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

I want to go back to this point you were making about having these years of normalcy and there not being a lot of money. And I think at some point, I read in one of these things that you were essentially like a touring family band living in a really small apartment. You did get some money from the album, but it had to be split with, like, the whole family. And there were extended family members maybe coming into the picture at some point. So can you tell us about that time when you're, like, in the small apartment? You do have a deal. But, you know, it's a simple time,

[Joe Jonas]

I think, because we didn't understand like the complexities of what our parents went. And now as parents we're all like, you guys are unbelievable that you did, you went through this. Our mom was pregnant with Franklin at the time and we're just kind of starting as a band and, and our dad is kind of weighing two different jobs, three different jobs and also just like kind of letting us chase our dream, which is amazing, but teenagers who don't even know who they are yet and also living this life of quote unquote rock stars. So you'd go and play these concerts with thousands of people in the audience and then we'd go live in a bedroom with four boys in a small little house in New Jersey that our, I think the police chief that was like cool with our dad, gave some mates rates and gave us like a cheap rental so we could all live still in New Jersey at the time.

[Nick Jonas]

So basically when our father finished at the church that he was pastoring, that also meant that we had to move out of our home. So that the parsonage is the home owned by the church that the family of the pastor would live in. And so.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

And you'd grown up there?

[Nick Jonas]

We'd grown up. I mean, yeah, we'd been there for about 11, 12 years. And so this very kind sort of friend of the family had a home that his mother who had just passed that he said we could live in for very little to basically no rent because he knew how strapped we were. Because my dad had basically self funded. Our father had self funded the band because at that time this is, keep in mind, it's like 0405 when you really needed a spark for a record label to invest any money or you needed to have a champion. They would say, I'm doing finger quotes for people listening in the building who is an executive who has enough clout or power to say, yeah, I believe in this project, so I'm going to commit to spending X on supporting the tour, supporting the album, budgeting stuff. But we didn't have that. And we had basically been shuffled around the building with a bunch of different champions to the point where our dad was, you know, deeply in credit card debt just by buying gear for us to play shows. And we would, we would kind of roll up to these school auditoriums. This was the record label's genius ID and it kind of worked. So I'm not being facetious here, but we roll into school auditoriums at about like 8, 9am, play a 30 minute performance which would then be followed by our uncle, Uncle Josh shout out. Getting on stage and doing, like, an anti drug speech. So it was the strangest way for us to sort of, like, loophole into being able to play shows before we had any fans. And then we would leave that and go to shopping malls and basically do the same thing. Which came full circle for us. This last. What was it, March, we did an event at this mall in New Jersey called the American Dream, where we celebrated the 20 years of his band. Kind of going back to our roots playing in malls, because again, we would just go set up and play, hoping that people shopping would stop and listen. And, you know, eventually something clicked and things started to happen. But it was a grind at first, for sure.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

So there is this period where your father is no longer

[Kevin Jonas]

pastor. Yeah, pastor of the church.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

At the church. And that was a big departure because it was sudden and unexpected, as I understand.

[Joe Jonas]

Correct.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Right. And it really felt probably in many ways, just like. Like you were being. I'm just imagining I'm reading a children's book to my son right now where these. These actually, they're troubadours, interestingly enough. They get kicked out of the town they're in because. Because they're playing so loud. And I'm just imagining, like, you know, similar.

[Kevin Jonas]

Yeah.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

So, you know.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

Exactly. It's actually about them.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

But I'm just thinking, like, for you guys, you're still. I mean, I know that you're into your teens and stuff, but you're young, you're kids.

[Joe Jonas]

Definitely.

[Kevin Jonas]

We felt slightly responsible, too, for the departure of our father.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

That's what I mean. So this, as an origin story to me, feels very potent. You know, it's kind of like it's now or never. It's a lot of pressure.

[Joe Jonas]

Definitely.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

I mean, look at three of you were here being like, all right, it worked.

[Joe Jonas]

But that also made us feel like anything could be stripped from us at any minute. So it's hard.

[Nick Jonas]

It was.

[Joe Jonas]

It took us a long time to enjoy things because we just, like our dad losing his, or, I guess leaving his job and the record label at the time dropping us, it kind of was like, one, two, punch. And it happened within, like, the same month.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Oh, my gosh.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Because by the time that you guys were known as the Jonas Brothers, nobody was that. That was. None of that was the image that was presented initially.

[Nick Jonas]

Right.

[Joe Jonas]

We definitely had, like. We had a full album and videos and all this stuff. And when all that happened, we were feeling a little bit ashamed, but also, like, embarrassed and frustrated. A little, like, mad at our dad at the time. Like, why would you leave this great, like, our home and all our amazing life? And, yeah, you have no idea. As a kid, that's like. That's the best thing he'd possibly be doing for us in that situation. And it was like, kind of treading water, at least for us, as we're going and feeling like we're living double lives, which it is what it is. But we're so grateful for those humble upbringings now. But sharing that room and then going, playing these shows, and you're like, this doesn't feel like real. We're supposed to be living in, like, this luxurious home while we're doing this. But now it's like, you see why we think why that's like, probably why we're probably somewhat normal people, I guess, mentally. And then there was a record label who was Associated Hollywood Records, who was underneath the Disney umbrella, gave us a call and was like, hey, we want to meet with you. We have an idea for a pilot for a TV show, and we want to sign you to our record label, but we want to meet with you guys first. So we literally packed our bags and moved to la, and they put us up in a one Toluca Lake Estates Drive, which is right off Universal.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

So when I was 12 years old, I moved to North Hollywood first. And then When I was 13, I lived in Toluca Lake. Exactly.

[Joe Jonas]

But everyone was in that beginning. Everyone was in that little neighborhood.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Yes.

[Joe Jonas]

And we took a meeting and it was like the dream pitch was like, we want to do a TV show and maybe a movie, and then we're going to sign a record label. And we're like, where do we sign? And of course, our dad's like, let's just wait. Our dad's like, but then that feeling. Back to your question, like. Or I guess the Troubadour book. We kind of felt like, wow, like, what if it happens again? It's like we wouldn't allow ourselves to just enjoy those things. We kind of talk about it in the documentary a lot. Just some of those, like, I don't want to call them traumas, but those feelings of being, like, abandoned.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

I'll call them that. I'll call them that.

[Joe Jonas]

Okay. The traumas of being like the traumas.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

We'll call for now a small T. But, yeah.

[Joe Jonas]

A spicy memory of something that may or may not happen to us because we're going to enjoy it.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Yeah.

[Joe Jonas]

And it took us years before we could just look back and be like, wow, that was. Now we're here. Celebrate the wins celebrate the day, not the, I guess, milestone or like massive year that you had.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Was this right around the time? I mean, I feel, I just watching the doc, I was thinking, like, this is a moment of the kind of the silent, quiet sacrifices that like all people in music and entertainment make, particularly people who make it to that level of a certain kind of pop stardom. When you had. And you guys weren't there yet, but when you had this diabetes scare.

[Nick Jonas]

Yeah, yeah. I was diagnosed at 13.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Yeah.

[Nick Jonas]

So basically we were doing that school tour and I started losing a ton of weight and, you know, drinking a ton of water, using the bathroom all the time. All the signs now that I know are symptoms of type 1 diabetes, but I think it's actually a testament to kind of the lack of information and awareness there was around Type one at this time. And so I had no idea. I just knew that I wasn't feeling well and was losing all this weight. And Joe and I went ahead of our parents by like a day to this place in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, which there was like a convention at every year for pastors and their families. So we jumped ahead. Joe was 16, so he was sort of like chaperoning me. We went to the pool one day and he saw my back and called my parents and said, something's really wrong. You have to get down here because you're so skinny. So skinny. Yeah.

[Kevin Jonas]

You see every bone.

[Nick Jonas]

And I. Yeah.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Oh, my gosh.

[Nick Jonas]

I was feeling just awful. And anyway, so I went to the doctor and normal glucose should be between 70 to 120 for a person not living with type 1 diabetes. Mine was like north of 900, which is, which is very high. But I, you know, had great doctors and a couple days in the hospital and was back on stage, you know, within a week's time of being diagnosed. And I'm coming up on my 20th year living with the disease, which coincides with the 20th year of the band, coincidentally. And don't call them that.

[Joe Jonas]

Yeah, the band.

[Nick Jonas]

Just the leaps we've made, though, it's pretty astounding, you know, tech wise. And even just information that we have now as opposed to what we had then is really wild.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Yeah. Wow, that's amazing.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

And we'll be right back.

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[Nick Jonas]

That's betterhelp.com Amazon Health AI presents painful

[Joe Jonas]

thoughts I. I can't stop scratching my downtown.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Mm.

[Joe Jonas]

Yeah. But I'm not itching to go downtown and tell a receptionist I'm here to talk about my downtown. Some things you'd rather type than say out loud.

[Nick Jonas]

There's no question too embarrassing for Amazon Health AI. Chat your symptoms and get virtual care 24. 7 Healthcare just got less painful.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

There's this moment in the documentary. We keep mentioning it. Everyone just pause the podcast, go watch Chasing Happiness. It's so good.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Yes, Very much recommend it.

[Joe Jonas]

Thank you.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

There's this moment where Kevin takes a phone call and you're on the phone with someone named Danielle. I'm like, is that his wife? Is that Kevin's wife? I had to go up and look it up because Joe says at one point, like, that's your future wife. Like, tell her you're so excited to see her. It was such a cute brother moment,

[Joe Jonas]

which was so really well scripted, actually. Amazon. Brian has lots of money.

[Kevin Jonas]

Yeah, exactly. I'm pretty lucky to have that kind of footage of that. Call me. Inviting her to see her first show.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

No, it's incredible.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

But there is a question that we ask all of our guests on the show, which is to tell us about their first crush and maybe first heartbreak.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

And yours will be interesting because. Sorry, Soph, just to interject. I just want to give the framing. It's interesting because, you know, so much about your adolescence is completely abnormal. As are many people on the show, by the way. It's like it's more or less nor was mine, but, you know, finding those places where you were just normal kids.

[Kevin Jonas]

Yeah, right.

[Joe Jonas]

Everybody has those feelings.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Yeah.

[Joe Jonas]

Who wants to go first? Eldest brother. Where you at?

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Eldest brother?

[Joe Jonas]

Eldest brother. Kevin.

[Kevin Jonas]

Elder Kevin. Elder Kevin. Speaking of church, I will say it's a little surreal, by the way, talking about this age right now and thinking to myself, like, oh, that's my daughter now.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Is she that old?

[Kevin Jonas]

She's about to be. She'll be 12 next year. Yeah, so it's like, it's a little bit like, oh no.

[Joe Jonas]

Like her.

[Kevin Jonas]

Everything I'm doing will affect her life. Oh no. You know, like I'm doing that a little bit in my brain right now. She just graduated fifth grade. It's a big deal in our house, you know.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

That is a big deal.

[Kevin Jonas]

It's a big deal as you know, middle school, you know.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

Yeah, I used to teach fifth grade.

[Kevin Jonas]

There you go.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

Such a good year.

[Kevin Jonas]

God bless you. Anyway, first crush, I think, like first like real girlfriend. Like I felt like was my girlfriend was in from the. When we were in church. We actually kind of dated sisters at one point.

[Joe Jonas]

I never dated Lauren.

[Kevin Jonas]

Yeah, I never got there. Never got. Okay, well, I did religious history and she. Yeah, it was, it was definitely like early, like definitely into see a girl fall in love right away thinking you're gonna marry them at 15. But that didn't happen. But like, you know, back and forth on and off again. The entire high school, like years actually, which is pretty crazy. We were born a day apart.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Just as an aside, did you end up graduating high school?

[Kevin Jonas]

Yes, I did graduate. You mean like in a school or mean just in general?

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

In the school?

[Nick Jonas]

Oh yeah.

[Kevin Jonas]

Well, kind of.

[Ad Voice - Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

We.

[Kevin Jonas]

I went to homeschooled. We're homeschooled. So junior year I left. Like traditional, like not a trick question. I thought she was asking me, like you have a high school diploma. Like did I actually graduate high school? I was like arrested.

[Joe Jonas]

I thought you were asking if I graduated high school.

[Kevin Jonas]

Like actually middle school.

[Joe Jonas]

I just see like visualize Kevin's middle school principal bursting the doors open with tanko. Yeah, she's put on her middle school principal just cuz you said they were

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

on and off through high school. So I was curious.

[Kevin Jonas]

Yes, high school. I associate that until I got my license because at 17 I was a junior. But I left our eastern Christian high school in New Jersey and went to a homeschool program. But I was in AP courses through high school. So once I got to the homeschool program, I was pretty much done except for two years of Bible. So whatever school my parents picked knew that I could be done pretty quickly. So I spent about a month and a half of just ripping through two years of that and I graduated.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

No big deal.

[Kevin Jonas]

Exactly. And I pretty much graduated when I got my license at 17.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

So just so you guys know, I'm in a similar boat. And again, they've had such normal lives when it comes a lot of their lives is not. But when it comes to Their academics, they're just like. So did you finish high school, my love?

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Are you okay? Yeah, I didn't.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

Yeah.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

There's no judgment associated.

[Kevin Jonas]

Yeah, I do have a diploma. I don't know where it is or where. What school it's from, but it's somewhere.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

I like that one.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

I know.

[Nick Jonas]

Don't. I did the proficiency test.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Next oldest. Tell us about your sort of first infatuation. First outbreak.

[Joe Jonas]

Her name is Becca. I can't believe that. Becca, Idaho, shout out. And she was the police chief's daughter that let us rent that home.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Oh, wow.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

That family just kept doing you a

[Joe Jonas]

solid or watched me in every move I made before. Ring cameras are always good. And yeah, big crush on her. And I was going to like, you know, early age, helpless, romantic. Started listening to a lot of like we were talking about earlier, Copeland Emo pop music. There's a band called Copeland look them Up. They're great. And I was going to show up. And at this point I'm homeschooled and I was going to show up. My big plan was to show up to her school that I used to go to school at Eastern Christian with roses on Valentine's Day and ask her to be my girlfriend. It's gonna be like the next step. And her sister, I guess, called Kevin to tell me not to do that.

[Kevin Jonas]

That's right.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

She found out that you were gonna

[Joe Jonas]

do that and that we'd be better as friends. And then I cried in my room and listened to the whole album, this Copeland album, which encouraged me. I was like, I'm gonna write songs now for real. I was like, I'm gonna write sad music like this. I wanna do what these guys are doing. So there's a little happy outcome to it.

[Kevin Jonas]

Thank you, Becca.

[Joe Jonas]

But. But that was my first crush and first heartbreak all in one.

[Nick Jonas]

What's good about your Nick, Nick? My first crush was kind of a two part deal here. It's kind of embarrassing, but I was doing a show called the Christmas Carol. My first show technically off Broadway. But I was around people who loved to sing and dance and tell stories for the first time. And I really felt like I belonged in this community. And specifically one of my castmates named Lily. But I also. I had a crush on the child wrangler.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Oh. For those who don't work in the business.

[Joe Jonas]

Hold on. This is a whole different.

[Nick Jonas]

So basically they're chaperones. Cause the parents can't be there on site for the production. Right. So you drop your kids off, they go and do their job. And there are adults there to oversee both their school work and also just to make sure that they don't die on set. And. Yeah, so I was really concerned, though. This is, at 8 years old, you know, that. That Lily, my. My, you know, co actor and the child wrangler would know that I had a crush on either one of them.

[Joe Jonas]

So I just had to keep cool,

[Nick Jonas]

you know, I couldn't let them.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Imagine yourself in a love triangle.

[Nick Jonas]

Yeah, exactly, Eddie. It was very, very sweet. First heartbreak, you know, I think. Yeah. Probably around 11 or 12. It's not a. It's not a fantastic story, but just another school crush or something that didn't mater because I was seen as sort of weird because I like to go and sing songs and tell stories, but similar to Joe's story, sort of like forced me to music as a way of being able to process my very big feelings at like 10 or 11. And I'm really grateful for that outlet because it is. This turned out to be a good one. Yeah.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

You know, you just said something that jogged my memory. Like, you. I feel like I think all three of you, at least two of you have said in interviews just along the way when you began performing, or at least I know that you said it about acting or at least being on stage, Nick, that it was the first time that you felt like a part of. Like accepted a part of something. And I really do feel you there. A lot of performers feel the same way at the same time. It's interesting. Cause, you know, you guys were. You were like, as you also say in the doc, sort of the first family of the church where your dad was a pastor and you were. It sounds like you were very much a part of a community. And it sounds like it was a real community, you know, it was. And so I'm curious, like, if there were, like, pressures of being in that position within that community that, I don't know, like, would later mirror the. The stardom you would enter and just this thing about feeling accepted, this thing. You know what I mean?

[Kevin Jonas]

Absolutely. And I think it was very much a mirror a little bit. And Joe kind of touched on it a little bit, like, not enjoying the moments that we were celebrating or things like that. Because I think one for sure was that everyone's watching.

[Joe Jonas]

Right.

[Kevin Jonas]

And how you are perceived. Or at least this is my version of that. Right. This is. Kevin, for all those listening, sitting in the front row of that church, being all eyes on you and having to behave and having to be a certain way and playing guitar on stage. Like, I remember my dad, you know, cutting my teeth with my dad in eighth grade. Going to Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. Like, flying there, performing, you know, worship songs and music with him. His music there while I was playing guitar.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

So you were already flying. That's interesting. I didn't quite gather all that.

[Kevin Jonas]

I was church music with my dad. Like, his music was, you know, he would go visit churches and play, you know, for like three weeks. And I went to. Went to some amazing places with him and did that. But I yawned on stage because, you know, 12 hour difference. And he. Then I was on the screen or whatever behind, and he literally said to me, after, he goes, like, great job, but never yawn again on stage.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Wow.

[Kevin Jonas]

And I like, will, there are times

[Nick Jonas]

where I'll call him up and talk about it.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Yeah, come on in, Kevin.

[Kevin Jonas]

No, And I will say, like, at first I was like, traumatized. Like, oh my God, I messed up. I messed up.

[Nick Jonas]

You're not traumatized at all now, right?

[Kevin Jonas]

Yeah, but now, like, it's pretty funny.

[Joe Jonas]

God's vomiting you for doing that.

[Kevin Jonas]

I'll be like, listening to them doing their show and I'll be wanting to yawn and. No, I'm just kidding. And like, I'll be wanting to yawn on stage and just like doing everything in my power to like, why do we all yawn?

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

I'm just.

[Kevin Jonas]

You see somebody yawn. It happens sometimes. I'm just saying it happens. I'm just. Who knows? But it's more or less about yawning more than it's about always being excellent. Right. And I think that, that maybe is what you're asking. Kind of like how we perceived in, like the public eye and how we let things affect us. And definitely myself. And it was hard, like, at the time being, it was hard being the firstborn, but it was just me going through things first.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Sure, sure, sure. Well, and then I guess there's also, you know, look, the adolescence is a time. Life is a time where we're all struggling to feel accepted. Like, no, I mean, you learn that in marriage. You're like, oh, I thought I felt accepted everywhere. But like, I realize, I realize there's parts of me that I don't accept because my partner's ref, you know, all that stuff. Parenthood. I mean, I mean, how old are your kids right now?

[Joe Jonas]

Four and two.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Four and two. You have a three and a half year old and you have a 12.

[Kevin Jonas]

I have 11 and eight. So I fight with myself every day.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Right. So you guys know exactly what I'm saying I'm just, you know, I'm just. I'm just. And maybe my lovely co hosts can help me thread a question here. But I'm just thinking about coming of age in the public eye. It's something that. It's a topic well tread. But you guys also seem, like, super well adjusted all that, considering.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

I do have a question. Maybe this will fast forward us a little bit. But I did listen to your episode with Dax, Armchair Expert. Great episode. And as you guys get into the breakup, I thought it was interesting thinking about how each of you felt. Maybe one of you felt underappreciated. Maybe one of you felt like things were being taken too seriously. Maybe one of you felt like you were working too hard. I was like, oh, those dynamics are so familiar. Like, I've certainly felt that in different group settings.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

And Nava feels all three of those in the podcast.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

Which one does Nava feel in this dynamic?

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

But, yeah, I was just curious, like, as you're coming of age, you're brothers, you're each on your own path. You're also in this collective group. You're struggling with feelings that at some point do lead to breaking up. How is that all coming to the surface as you're going through your career?

[Host - Penn Badgley]

I guess it wasn't coming to the surface yet, was it?

[Joe Jonas]

Yeah, I think we were really good

[Nick Jonas]

at not talking about things because, you know, we didn't really have the time to. The meteoric rise was so intense and it was so busy, and we weren't really armed with tools yet to be able to communicate when there was issues or when we felt a certain way. So when you combine the pressure cooker of just time with the fact that we had no tools, and that's nobody's fault. You know, I've had a lot of conversations, I think we each have, with our parents about, like, what a great job they did. And I truly believe that. And especially as a parent now, I can't imagine some of the decisions they had to make and some of the instincts they had that helped us sort of turn out somewhat normal. But once you get, you know, past, once that bubble bursts and you're not an adolescent, the innocence is kind of gone. You're left on your own a little bit to tread water and figure out how to make sense of communication and family and this other dynamic, which is the fact that we work together. So I think it took us saying we kind of have to blow this up to be able to put it back together. And I think there was at different points, fear that it wouldn't get put back together perfectly. We weren't even imagining that we would get the band back together. I'm just talking relationally, but I think it was never as toxic or as, you know, sort of wrong word here, but like violent in the conversation, in the breakup. It was actually an understanding of like, this is painful and this, this sucks. And we all have to figure out what the hell we're gonna do now. But, you know, sometimes ripping that band aid is better than the alternative. I don't know.

[Joe Jonas]

How do you guys feel? I wasn't listening.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Just depressing.

[Nick Jonas]

It.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

Yeah.

[Kevin Jonas]

Took it as a moment just to take a break.

[Joe Jonas]

That was my opportunity to check out no Skin. I think there I was really taken back by your, I guess, your comment, the question, but because it is true, like even just growing up, trying to figure out who you are. Somebody said this to me recently. You were trying to figure out who you are where the world all assumed you are. Very confidently knowing the path that you're on. Whether if it's like for us, I guess call it famously. We were known for purity rings, which were something in the community of a church where that was what everybody else in our age were doing. Around 10, 11 years old was like, we're gonna wait for the right person. But one person on an Interview when you're 15, 16 asks you about it and you're like, I don't want to talk about this. And then they're like, well, I'm gonna write that you guys are in a cult. And we're like, well, we'll try to

[Host - Penn Badgley]

hold 10 year olds for waiting.

[Nick Jonas]

Yeah, yeah, right.

[Kevin Jonas]

What about asking a 10 year old make it happen about their sex Life?

[Nick Jonas]

I wasn't 10, but I did. And I don't want to interrupt you,

[Joe Jonas]

but to the point you just made,

[Nick Jonas]

which is so real, is like, think about how far we've come in just the conversation and dialogue. And I think it's really a good thing. Thing where it would be. It would be like so outside of the realm of possibilities. Or something someone would do to ask at that time, a 14 year old. I mean, it was every interview. Yeah, every interview.

[Joe Jonas]

Especially just us.

[Nick Jonas]

It was a whole class of young people coming in.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

So gross.

[Joe Jonas]

Or even asking us why we're not having sex.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

And you don't. And I didn't of course, have that. Cause by the time I was getting that, I was more like 18, 19. But I do remember the first times I was doing press, you know, for like Cosmo Girl or something in the dating column. And I was 17, and it's like a big deal to even be in an interview at this time. And I remember being asked about dating advice. It's like, huh. And I remember feeling so much pressure to say something that sounded coherent and mature and adult and sexy. And it's like, I don't have a single thing to say or add here. And the pressure, you know, I'm just. That was tiny, magnified on you guys. It's just.

[Joe Jonas]

But it's very similar. I mean, that's pretty much where we were at, so figuring out and whether if it was sex, it was even religion or Christianity. Questioning things that you. For me, like, questioning if I believe in God. What is God?

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Is there a God? Say it for Rolling Stone, please. You know?

[Joe Jonas]

Yeah, exactly.

[Kevin Jonas]

Exactly.

[Joe Jonas]

And it's on the record, and it's gonna be. And you're like. And so you felt the pressure. I can definitely speak for all three of us here. Felt the pressure of being like, well, we have to live these lives. Because we kind of said it in a paper once. It's in print, so you gotta do it forever.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Things used to be in print for our listeners.

[Joe Jonas]

Yeah, exactly. You would go and buy them. So, yeah, it would obviously be scary and freak us out until we got to a point where we're just like, fuck this. And probably at the time, we were like, frick this. Because we were like, we can figure out who we are on our own terms. And I think it honestly was that leap of faith that Nick took, kind of saying, hey, I want to go do my own thing and experience what that was like on my own. And even though it was scary and kind of confusing, putting us in those situations, like, all right, some of us need to go live our life and generally just figure out what that is and then maybe go experience whether it's music or acting or even just being alone, because we were always together doing music. And as a family, when we were old enough to be living on our own, we're still living together. So. So, yes, and also.

[Nick Jonas]

Yes.

[Joe Jonas]

And we always laugh, too.

[Nick Jonas]

There's this assumption, and it continues now, which is totally understandable. We all do this in different ways and don't realize it, but, like, to that point about we did everything together all the time. Even now, you know, deeply in our 30s. No, in our 30s, people assume we're together all the time. So they come up in the stream like, where's your brothers? Like, I'm with my family, like my daughter. We don't live in, like, a firehouse.

[Kevin Jonas]

And, like, I was speaking about, like, life changes once again. Kind of like, it almost like I reverted right back to that moment when we left the church, right. And everything changed all at once. We were about to have our first, you know, child band breaks up, going back to New Jersey, building the house that I think I'm, like, cool. I'm like, I'll be, like, settled in this place. We're going to go on tour, and it's going to be fine, you know, even financially, like, whatever. Well, everything's up in the air now, and life's changing completely. And, yeah, it was a weird time. I really didn't know what to do. You know, I tried to be complacent about it. I tried to be like, okay, well, what's next? And, like, what can I do? And, you know, I think it was. It's just difficult, you know, to really know in that moment where you were headed. So I just focused on being at home, which was great, which was, in a way, the best thing that could have ever happened, because I. I don't think I prioritized, looking back, I don't think I prioritized the amount of time I would really want to spend at home having my first child, knowing that I would want significant amount of time at home. And so it actually was a blessing in disguise.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Yeah, I mean, you guys were not, since you were coming of age, fused together in this way that in some ways reflects the integrity of your relationship, but it's also what the business did. The image thing, career, the band, it was. You were fused together in this way that I would imagine as a person who grew up in Hollywood and then got on this big show when I was 20. When I got off of that show, Gossip Girl, for those listening who are not sure, I felt like kind of, I was allowed to enter adolescence. I was certain parts of me that maybe weren't free to just, you know, do what one does when one is coming of age. Like, I just kind of got to do that. I'm curious if maybe in this period, is that what you. I mean, you still had the eye on you. You know, you still had, like, public gaze. But, like, did you feel like you could just sort of be.

[Joe Jonas]

Yeah, in a way.

[Nick Jonas]

I feel like the transition was just as much a part of, like, the transition out of what we were kind of doing together and some of those expectations on us, you know, took just as much time to like, find new things that sort of, like, create the public Persona. And then you have to privately create your real life person, your dynamic 360 person, which isn't always the same thing. And that's not to say that you're not authentic, but, you know, I'm sure as an actor, there are a lot of times where you're like, I'm becoming this other person. They're going to think of me in this way. But you as pen, you're a very different guy than the characters you play. And to some degree, you know, there were, like, archetypes of us created that we had to sort of deconstruct and reconstruct as adults, which I think when the band got back together, we were really able to do. And it wasn't just through, like, interviews and kind of showing who we are today, but really through the music and, you know, something like the documentary, which gave a lot more perspective and context. And the other thing about that that I think was. Was exciting for us is that some of the bias that was there early in our career because we were these, like, you know, we were in the teen magazines and, you know, young guys were jealous and were mean about it, and girls, you know, it had its own sort of thing. And I think with age, you sort of let some of that go, that. That pettiness go. And there was a real warmth to hear the story and actually engage in, you know, kind of not just the music or a song, but actually who we are as people in a way that we hadn't felt before. For instance, like, we'd go to sporting events and get booed and it would, like, break our spirits.

[Kevin Jonas]

Oh, my God.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Do you mean when you would just go, yeah,

[Nick Jonas]

we'd sit there and go, like, we're just like you. We love this sports team or whatever. But some of those bias just existed and there's nothing you can do to control that.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

But as such, I can't imagine. I just wanted to take a second. I can't imagine being at any age, this age, but especially a teenager and a stadium full of people booing me, how that would feel. That's awful.

[Nick Jonas]

Yeah, it certainly doesn't feel good. And I only bring that up, not to be like, woe is me. But I think it's maybe healthy context. It is to get to the other side, which is now. When we got back together in 2019, we were shocked. We went to a sporting event and they cheered for us and people were warmer towards us. And I think where that really stems from is that that we were authentic about who we are as family and as brothers for the first time, perhaps in our. We were awarded the chance to be authentic and real in a way that we hadn't previously. And it was a really exciting and very liberating feeling.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Well, congratulations on that, because that's not easy, by the way, for anybody. And then to do it in that fashion.

[Joe Jonas]

Thank you.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Stick around. We'll be right back.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

I'm curious how you have been able to find ways, if you have been able to find ways to safeguard your relationship just as brothers, like, I, I think about working with friends. Like, even Nava Penn and I, we. Nava and David, my husband is a producer on the podcast. We went to grab coffee the other day, and it's like, inevitable. We end like it was just as friends, but we inevitably start talking about the podcast, about ratings and whatever's talking

[Host - Penn Badgley]

the most shit about me. I'm sure

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

how can we get rid

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

of what a letdown pen has been?

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

But it's just. It's inevitable. And I'm curious how, as brothers, like, in your coming back together and working together again, have you been able to find ways to just have time as brothers?

[Kevin Jonas]

Sure.

[Nick Jonas]

Yeah.

[Joe Jonas]

This is Joe. We still will find ourselves just talking about work. I mean, it happens. Definitely. We love what we do too, right? So that's part of it. It's exciting to talk about. Or sometimes we just want to complain to each other about one of the other brothers or somebody we work with or just, like, vent through some stuff. But we do.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Franklin, I think.

[Nick Jonas]

Franklin,

[Joe Jonas]

I think, like, being. Look, we're all girl dads, and that's probably one of our, like, the biggest pride and joy. And that takes us that we have to take the work hat off and we just get to be present with each other and, like, watch them around, run around and play.

[Nick Jonas]

Because they don't care.

[Joe Jonas]

Yeah, they don't care. They're like, oh, that's cool. It's your song playing in this grocery store. But they don't. For them, it's like they just want to go to a playground with each other or see their cousin. So that's like. Like that has been, I think, a huge win as a family for us and as brothers. And we do have similar favorite hobbies. And there's obviously teams that we like to support, supports teams and stuff. But we do try to, like, we spend a lot of time together as well. Like, even off, like, a touring schedule. But usually after post tour, we're like, okay, I need to not see you for about a week or two. Like, I'm good on that.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

But how long is the tour these days?

[Joe Jonas]

It depends.

[Nick Jonas]

I mean, we.

[Joe Jonas]

We go. It's quite seasonal, so we're gonna go on a tour for about three, four months, starting in August, and then we'll be on another break for like, a month or two. So depending if we go on, like, a Europe run. So it can go for a while. It's like a TV production or movie production, I guess, where it's a couple months and it's full on. And so every day. Every day we're seeing each other. But we also. I think at this point, being in our 30s, we know when we need space. We know, like, all right, I need to, like, not see you guys until showtime. Love ya. But I need a little bit of a break.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Well, it feels like that's a sustainable place to have it.

[Joe Jonas]

Yeah, definitely.

[Kevin Jonas]

And we do try to do things when we're on the road that are just, like, on a day off or something that's, like, fun, just like us, like, just to go, like, you know, do something outside the mix. Like, simple as going to see a movie or going bowling or something, you know, something brunch, you know, and just hang out.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Does it.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

I'm sorry, I don't want to. I don't want to dwell on the breakup too long, but I do have just one question that I've been curious about for a while in that time, obviously, Kevin, I think you did, like, Married to Jonas with Danielle.

[Kevin Jonas]

Yeah.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Nick, you're doing your solo stuff. You're also, like, venturing into film. And then, Joe, you have dnce, so you all find a lot of success with that. How are you, like, reaching out to one another? Do you share songs with each other? Like, do you consult? Like, how's the brother relationship at that time? When you're. When you're solo and things are really

[Kevin Jonas]

popping off during that time?

[Joe Jonas]

I think we probably all have a different answer for this. I think we. We were supportive, but probably not getting a to. I think that was when it started to, like, only give advice when advice was asked for. Like, we started to realize that, like, we wanted to go do our own thing and celebrate each other and not feel like it was competitive either. Like, they all were so different avenues that it was nice to be able to go to a Nick show and not feel like. Like, jealous, no pun intended, of him. This is Joe speaking, by the way. And to be watching him on stage or even Kevin having this beautiful home and starting a family and being like, there's a jealous side of that, or envious side of that too. And being like, oh, like these. I'm not there. It was nice to be able to celebrate them and be like, wow, this is so. I'm so. I can see the joy in them. And then also just like, how me and Nick would end up, like, playing a lot of shows together. Like, we would be building so we'd be able to hang out in cities and be able to do our own separate things. And it still was nice to support. And so it was definitely strange, I mean, to not have them around all the time for. I think it was about six, seven years where we were doing our own thing and then eventually being comfortable with that. And I think we were really terrified of even unpacking so much because we healed as family or a lot of it was like, let's just not talk about it. So that was part, like, let's just move on. Like, we're building these amazing memories and we can be supportive. And, like, I respect who you are, you respect me. Like, we don't need to, like, be in that thing anymore. And so to step back in, it

[Nick Jonas]

was like, all right, well, we really

[Joe Jonas]

going to talk about all that stuff. And that to the documentary's like, highlight, which really selling this doc today. It was like accidentally. Accidentally got it back together. It was not.

[Kevin Jonas]

It was never like, Joe was the last one on.

[Joe Jonas]

I was the last one abort because I was dnc, the band that I guess I should say I'm in as well. Like, we were doing our thing and we were riding the success that we were like, we're not stopping. This is awesome. I'm good. Like, I'm in this funk party band. Like, I don't need to go back to the guys. And it wasn't until we were in, I think Cuba filming, we went down to just like, hang and film some content and stuff. We were playing. I think it was Love Bug, one of our songs in like this. This apartment complex corridor on this stairwell. And we were. It's been so long since we performed it that we're like kind of just fell back into singing harmonies together. And it was like, organic. And I remember after that being like, yeah, like, right after. I was like, I think I'm ready to do this in some way. But so, yeah, I think that kind of, I guess answers your question. Long winded answer there.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

I guess what I'm curious about is how this funnels into the way. Have there been any transformations in the way you approach material now? You know, like, songwriting, what you want to bring into it? Like, again, to me, at least, you know, this new track, Love Me to Heaven, like, it to me is such a. It's. You can hear the growth, you know, you can hear you as men. Like, and that's awesome. You know, that's a really cool thing. I'm just curious what you feel there.

[Joe Jonas]

Yeah. I think we looked at new music that we're creating and saying, okay, well, how do we all. We all have very different personal lives, and. And that was always the kind of the ingredients that we would use and throw it in the pot and say, okay, well, we're all similar, but that doesn't really make total sense anymore.

[Nick Jonas]

Also, we end up being kind of boring if the songs are only about, you know, things being good.

[Joe Jonas]

Going on tour in August comes to us, you know, Kevin likes to yawn on stage. Yeah, Callback. It's a callback joke. So we now, like, sometimes you have to put on a character hat and say, okay, well, let's put ourselves in a situation that might be relatable to something we've been through in the past. And it is a bit celebratory. Right. It is 20 years of this and we're celebrating. And loving Heaven is a bit like of a love letter to our fans, which sounds cliche, but it's true. And, oh, now you have a

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

restart.

[Kevin Jonas]

We gotta restart over 12 years old. Yeah, exactly.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Let's go back to First Crush.

[Kevin Jonas]

I will speed round. First Crush. First time we started writing again for the Happiness Begins album. Coming into it kind of much more outside of the music scene. I've spent a lot more time doing, like you said, some reality TV stuff. Just being at home with my family and meeting them in the studio, but having multiple rooms going at the same time, which was really kind of cool and different for me than we ever wrote together like that before. They were doing it that way, but I wasn't. And so to see them kind of doing that, having. Working with people that Joe loved working with, seeing people that Nick loved working with, and them, like, switching and then kind of going together in different spaces. It was such a cool, organic way of, like, kind of blending the two sounds that they had created that were so independent and so cool.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

Your upcoming album is called Greetings from youm Hometown. And you just previously talked about in this new music, being able to feel like you've. You've grown up and the music has grown up with you. But you also talked, in promoting this album, you talked about how it's also a return to your roots. So I'm curious if you could tell. Tell us about that. How is it a return to your

[Nick Jonas]

roots, both musically and also, I think, with some of the themes on the album. You know, we're talking about everything from, you know, Tables, for instance, which in a lot of ways is a song about, you know, people being very bold behind their laptops and kind of what they're saying and how difficult that would be if those tables turned around and they were met with, you know, some of the same criticism. And that's one thing. And then, you know, love Me to Heaven touches on a completely different thing. Joe mentioned it's a love letter to the fans. It's also, for me, you know, totally a song about, you know, my wife and my daughter and the love and beautiful things in my life. And it covers a lot of ground. But musically, you know, we were able to kind of dip into our early influences that our dad raised us on. You know, we have one of those, you know, CD holders in our minivan with, you know, Bee Gees number ones and Beatles number ones and Carole King Tapestry and Stevie Wonder greatest hits. And he really took us to school musically. And the Bee Gees were always, to your point about singing. Brothers and harmonies were always a huge inspiration to us and, you know, just the music, you know, that helps shape our sound. And about seven years ago, I was in Nashville doing some songwriting for our album called Happiness Begins. And I was working with this guy, Julian Bonetta, who's an amazing songwriter and producer. And we started kind of jamming on this Bee Gees sounding track. And eventually the chorus melody became Stayin Alive. And we're like, oh, we'll never get cleared. So for those that don't know, if you want to use or interpolate a song, you have to get it cleared by the artist or the publisher or the estate or whatever. And so we just kind of put

[Joe Jonas]

it on the shelf.

[Nick Jonas]

And then we were shooting something at the end of last year, and I was listening to a bunch of music that's just in the vault. Songs that have been written years ago that never saw the light of day, that I'm still like, I think this is good. We should finish it. And played it for them, and they loved it. And basically within a few weeks, we had finished the song and sent it to Barry Gibb and his team, and he approved. And, you know, he had come to shows with his family down in Miami a few times. So, you know, there was a real sense that it would be warm. But who knows? You know, it's a Legacy song and obviously legacy artists and. Yeah. So to get a collaboration basically with the Bee Gees on this album is pretty meaningful and full circle for us.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Yeah.

[Nick Jonas]

You know, one of the other things that I think we were all excited about in naming the album Greetings from youm Hometown, is this notion that your hometown isn't always great. Your experiences, we touched a lot on that today and feeling sort of pushed out and told that we don't belong. But there's also moments we've walked those same streets and looked around and gone, wow, this is the place that built us. This is a part of our DNA. And no matter what the exit was like or what some of those negative experiences were, so much of this time that we spent here helped show who we became and who we become. And I think that's true for anybody in their life. And one little extension to that is that we're fortunate enough to be blood, to be family, and we feel like our fans are an extension of that family. And if you come to a Jonas Brothers show, you really feel that warmth and sense that they've chosen this family. It's an amazing thing to look out and see this now sort of generational effect. You know, parents who brought their kids when they were teenagers still want to come with their now adult kids. And those adult kids are bringing their, you know, their kids. Wow.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Three generations.

[Kevin Jonas]

Yeah.

[Nick Jonas]

It's just a wild thing. And it's cool to see it sort of represents our family, too. Our dad and my mom still come and, you know, sit now with our daughters and watch the show. And it's just a crazy feeling. And yeah, we're really fortunate. Just felt like it was the perfect title to encapsulate kind of all the thoughts.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

It is such a good title. There's a track on the album called Can't Lose, which I was thinking is such a good hype up song. And Joe, I know you released a song not too long ago called Honey Blonde, which you had said is like you had written it for a perfect. Like a day city biking in perfect weather, which I loved. Just that visual.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

It's a great visual.

[Joe Jonas]

It's a little sarcastic, but yes, it's true.

[Kevin Jonas]

Not like it's funny.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

Maybe my game doesn't work.

[Joe Jonas]

No, no, I'll go with you. Let's go.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

But I wanted to play a quick game. If you are all down.

[Joe Jonas]

Sounds good.

[Kevin Jonas]

Games.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

I want to go down the line, rapid fire, and give you each a scenario. And I want you to tell me it can be a Jonas Brothers song. It can be not a Jonas Brothers song. What song you think is perfectly written for that scenario?

[Joe Jonas]

Cool.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Are you down?

[Nick Jonas]

Only Michael.

[Kevin Jonas]

Oh, I love it. I like that extra challenge.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

For the record, I cannot do rapid fire, so.

[Kevin Jonas]

Yeah, I'm not very good at it either. I'll do my best.

[Joe Jonas]

Bring it on.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

Okay. Okay.

[Kevin Jonas]

Very good at this.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

Okay, we'll start with Joe. Joe, Red Eye Flight. What's the perfect song on?

[Joe Jonas]

Ooh, Red Eye Flight. Just pull up the playlist right now. There's a full playlist for this.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Oh, really?

[Joe Jonas]

I don't know.

[Nick Jonas]

Red Eye Flights.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Yeah, Yeah.

[Joe Jonas]

I don't know exactly what you platform you use. There's a sleep playlist going to go a little something like this

[Host - Penn Badgley]

anymore. We can't afford it.

[Joe Jonas]

Yeah. So essentially a sleep playlist. I'd say if you're going to be on a red eye trying to sleep,

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

then you're sleeping on a red eye.

[Joe Jonas]

Or a good podcast, maybe. Pod crushed.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

Yeah. Kevin, a hype up song.

[Kevin Jonas]

I'll go with I can't lose. Janine's Jonas Brothers song. She said it, Nick. Yeah.

[Nick Jonas]

Yes.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

Yeah. We can attribute that to me, Nick. Summertime drive with the windows down.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Ooh.

[Nick Jonas]

I'm gonna go with the way you make me feel.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Good.

[Nick Jonas]

Yeah.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

Okay, one more for each of you.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Michael, that's my Joe.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

Sad song that makes you feel sad, but also good because of how sad it makes you feel.

[Nick Jonas]

It's like every Pixar movie.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Probably the first 15 minutes.

[Joe Jonas]

Yes. Yeah, probably. Sparks by Coldplay.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

Okay, Kevin, a big romantic moment.

[Kevin Jonas]

Three by five, John Mayer.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Interesting. Was that his first record?

[Kevin Jonas]

Yeah. Room for Squares.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Yeah.

[Kevin Jonas]

Kind of like the one that, like, made me, like, want to understand show.

[Nick Jonas]

No, no, he didn't actually.

[Joe Jonas]

He was never a 12 year old. That's why he was never 12.

[Kevin Jonas]

Yeah, that song.

[Joe Jonas]

You must have been 12.

[Kevin Jonas]

Must have been 12.

[Joe Jonas]

He famously isn't 12.

[Kevin Jonas]

Yeah, true.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Not those licks. Those were never 12 years old.

[Kevin Jonas]

Never 12 of those licks. That song is the one I was like.

[Nick Jonas]

Oh.

[Kevin Jonas]

Understanding metaphor in song was like the first time in songwriting. I was like. It blew my mind.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Whenever I think of that record, I

[Kevin Jonas]

just think, sky blue gets dark enough.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

You know, just such a.

[Kevin Jonas]

He started it.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Yeah. That's why it's in my head. Yeah. Yeah.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

Okay. This is the last one, Nick. The end credits of your life.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Oh, jeez.

[Joe Jonas]

I like it.

[Nick Jonas]

The Hozier yell.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

Oh, yeah, yeah, Good.

[Joe Jonas]

What song is that?

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Nice.

[Joe Jonas]

All right, now I got three for you. One, two, three.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Great.

[Joe Jonas]

Okay. Anybody can hop in and you really have to use the bathroom. And there's a really long line.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Oh, I'd want something to really slow things down. I said it earlier. And so my mind is on Radiohead. I'm just thinking, like, just play the moon shaped pool record. It's like, it's contemplative, but it's very engaging. So I'm just. If I got a. Wait, that's the one.

[Joe Jonas]

Great.

[Nick Jonas]

It's a good call.

[Joe Jonas]

Okay. Okay. For the school teachers in the house, you have a bunch of rambunctious kids and you need to put your headphones on and listen to something that's going to just take you to a different place.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Switch Foot Awakening. I love that song.

[Kevin Jonas]

Wow. Great.

[Joe Jonas]

Nice.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Didn't they mention Switch Foot earlier?

[Kevin Jonas]

Yes, we did.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Yeah.

[Nick Jonas]

We have a song.

[Kevin Jonas]

A song on this new album with Switch Foot.

[Nick Jonas]

The title track is called Greetings from youm Hometown with Switchfoot.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Oh, I don't think we heard that

[Host - Penn Badgley]

one anywhere near from where you're from or.

[Joe Jonas]

No, no, they're from San Diego coast

[Nick Jonas]

to coast, but they were like our biggest influence.

[Joe Jonas]

Okay, I got one more.

[Nick Jonas]

Do one more.

[Joe Jonas]

Feel free to pitch in here.

[Nick Jonas]

Yeah, this is final Boss.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

Actually, I was making my husband come up with some scenarios yesterday because I couldn't come up with the last one. And everyone he came up with, I was like, actually, you're not very good at this.

[Kevin Jonas]

All right, what's your.

[Joe Jonas]

Okay? Well, you're like. It wouldn't be guilty pleasure because I don't think. I don't think guilty pleasures are really a thing anymore. But what's your, like, favorite. Your song? You're like. You've. It's always top of your. You're like. You're wrapped. You're like. This always sneaks in. And it could be anything for me. It's Mr. Blue sky by ELO. I just always will have that ready. It's always in the top 10 somewhere.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Well, mine Cake by the Ocean is always in my like top three. Really?

[Joe Jonas]

Larry's fishing. Just kidding. No, that's great.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

I love it.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

You know who always sneak. Sneaks into my. My rap is Olivia Rodrigo.

[Kevin Jonas]

Fantastic.

[Nick Jonas]

Mine is the. The entire Brad Paisley Fifth Gear album.

[Joe Jonas]

Oh yeah. I thought you were gonna say, like probably also Moana.

[Nick Jonas]

Oh, well, yeah, now.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

Oh yeah, now it's a happy song by Imogen.

[Kevin Jonas]

I do not have it with my top Spotify rap that makes sense anymore.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

It's like I actually started a different account so I could try and retain some.

[Joe Jonas]

Yeah, we had to do That I needed that too.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Some autonomy. I don't know if there's a question here. It's maybe just unabashed praise, but maybe there's a question. But I saw. I was. I loved the series Songland, which I don't think is. Is out anymore. But you guys had an episode and I wasn't as. I'm older than, like your demo when you were younger, so I wasn't as familiar with your work and I didn't know what kind of band you were, but when I saw that episode, I think you guys had a song called I don't know why I'm saying Green Light is one of my favorite songs. I listen to it all the time.

[Joe Jonas]

Become like our fans.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

I don't know.

[Kevin Jonas]

We've never played it live.

[Joe Jonas]

We played it live once. Yeah.

[Kevin Jonas]

Did we?

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Oh, my God, it's amazing. Anyways, you guys produced on the spot. Like, I watched every episode of that show and I really. I honestly texted people, like, oh, my God. I didn't know the Jonas Brothers were so brilliant. Like, such brilliant producers. I, at that time, didn't know you were so hands on in your music. And I felt like that episode really stood out.

[Nick Jonas]

That show was great.

[Kevin Jonas]

Yeah, I love Ryan Tedder, did a great job on that.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

But anyway, Greenlight, amazing. And you guys as producers and so creatively involved in your music, it was really revealing to see that.

[Joe Jonas]

That's cool.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Yeah, thanks.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

So we want to respect your time. So we have a classic last question.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Wait, wait. I have one more question before we get to that one. You guys did a roast, and I can't imagine ever subjecting myself to that. So I'm curious, Jonas, why. Why did you do it? And which joke hit each of you the hardest?

[Joe Jonas]

So oddly, we had a perfectly. I shouldn't say oddly. We had a perfectly planned holiday break after that, work wise. So we didn't see each other for a week, which was, like, kind of good, I think. But we were approached by Netflix and they were like, hey, would you guys want to do a roast? And we're like, yeah, let's do it.

[Kevin Jonas]

We pretty much.

[Joe Jonas]

So let's do it. But then once we started getting in the writers room for doing it, we're like, yeah, I don't know when I go there. And they're like, I don't know why people are like, well, it's. Somebody made this joke before. I'm like, but that coming from my mouth is different.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Yeah.

[Joe Jonas]

If I'm saying that this is Joe again. If I'm saying That to Kevin or Nick. And I'm like, I just. There was a kind of a code of conduct behind the scenes of being like, hey, this is off limits. Like, you can make fun of it, but I don't want to be talking about. I don't make fun of this. Like, whatever. Like, don't make fun of something that I can't. It's out of my control. And so that was kind of known. But the one that I think. I can't really think of one that hurt the most or, like, got me the most, but let's try to find

[Host - Penn Badgley]

it and bring it back up here.

[Joe Jonas]

Well, it's gonna be hurt.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

It's just, like, hit the hardest. Like, could have been your favorite. Just when they.

[Joe Jonas]

I think the. There's a comedian from. What's his name? From England that came up with that.

[Kevin Jonas]

He's so funny.

[Nick Jonas]

Yeah.

[Joe Jonas]

Why am I blanking on his name?

[Nick Jonas]

Whitehall. Yeah.

[Joe Jonas]

Jack Whitehall. He's hilarious. If you don't know his work, you should check him out. He's so funny. And he. He, like, did the brilliant. Pete Davidson was really funny, too, but he did the brilliant thing of, like, as a comedian. He was coming into a situation where the audience wasn't too familiar with his work, so he pretended to be an obsessed fan.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

I like that.

[Joe Jonas]

And it was. Just came off creepy and funny. And the things he would bring up, even though they were cringy to us, he was like, no, I'll tell you why. This is cool.

[Kevin Jonas]

So that. I think it was, like. It was very clever. It was a very clever comedy.

[Joe Jonas]

And that. That, to me, I think, stood out. He was a standout. And Pete Davidson came in for like, five minutes and crushed it. I think he was kind of defending Kevin the whole time.

[Kevin Jonas]

That was great. I loved it so much.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Sounds good. I kind of.

[Joe Jonas]

There's moments that were good, and there was even stuff that never made it. Cause it was so bad.

[Nick Jonas]

Yeah.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Well, honestly, hats off to you guys for being willing to do that. Cause I think there's something in comedy where. I don't know about those roasts anymore, to be honest.

[Kevin Jonas]

I don't know.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

So if you're comedian, I suppose fine. Because you've entered into that pact with the relationship to the world and your career. And I think often comedians have a lot more agency. Well, no, they do. I mean, they just do.

[Nick Jonas]

They can get away with a lot more than they do.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

They have more agency just in the way they started. It's a different. Comedians are their own thing. I don't know About.

[Kevin Jonas]

So, anyway, yeah, I agree. It was, like, weird. I felt like I was doing something wrong all the time there.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Yeah.

[Kevin Jonas]

Yeah, it felt weird.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Yeah.

[Kevin Jonas]

It says a lot about me, but.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

No, but it also says a lot about comedians.

[Nick Jonas]

No, I'm kidding.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Nick. How did you feel about the rest?

[Nick Jonas]

You know, I think it was a great exercise in being able to laugh at yourself. I don't think I would ever want to do it again. Yeah, it's the real.

[Joe Jonas]

It's kind of like they asked us who we want to roast next, and we're like, no one.

[Nick Jonas]

Yeah.

[Joe Jonas]

I just don't want to do this. This is not fun.

[Nick Jonas]

Was a negative experience by any means. And I think actually, as an actor, you know, it better prepared me to be, like, more free and have more fun and not take myself so seriously than I realized. But, you know, there's just things that you just feel like, man, that's that funny to you?

[Joe Jonas]

Still laughing.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

So if you think it's funny, then that means you think it's true. Exactly, yeah.

[Joe Jonas]

Oh, my God.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Penn, I swear. I'm gonna let you go to the last question, but I wanna ask one more thing about your album. Is there one Jack Whitehall over here?

[Kevin Jonas]

I love it.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Joe's best fan ever since Greenlight. What song from your new album do you each connect with the most?

[Kevin Jonas]

If there's one.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Yeah, that's a good one. Sure.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Great question.

[Joe Jonas]

This is, Joe, a song called when youn Know. It's featured on our live album that came out a couple months ago as well. And, yeah, I don't know if there was a why there, but it's. I think it's a beautiful song about knowing when to stay, Knowing when to go. Heartache, heartbreak healing. It's like. It's a beautiful song that came out of a writing camp that we did in Miami. And some of our favorite people were there that we've worked with over the years. Actually, Justin Trainer, who I wrote Cake by the Ocean with, was a part of that song. And. And Alexander, 23, who I worked on. We worked on this new album, and he's worked on a bunch of my solo album that came out recently, and.

[Nick Jonas]

Blush.

[Joe Jonas]

Blush.

[Kevin Jonas]

Blush. Yeah.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

So there's a.

[Nick Jonas]

That's my favorite song, too, to be honest. Probably one of my favorite songs I've ever been a part of writing.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Wow.

[Nick Jonas]

I'm really excited for the world to hear it. And I didn't mean to interrupt you. Sorry, but you stole my answer.

[Joe Jonas]

So it's Nick talking.

[Kevin Jonas]

I'll say something different, but Mirror to the sky is like one of my favorites.

[Joe Jonas]

I honestly forget what's on the album now. I forgot that song was on the album too. You're like, oh wait, yeah.

[Kevin Jonas]

It just like makes me feel like I'm 16 again. Sitting on our bed listening to music for the first time.

[Joe Jonas]

We had separate beds, by the way.

[Kevin Jonas]

I said my bed.

[Nick Jonas]

You said our bed.

[Kevin Jonas]

The proverbial way in our bedroom. My bed in our bedroom.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

So actually that's an impression. Perfect segue. Back to our classic last question and we'll just sort of. Maybe we'll start with. We'll start with youngest this time, Nick. If you could go back to 12 year old Nick, what would you say or do if anything?

[Nick Jonas]

I would say take a deep breath, start therapy now.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Also you have diabetes.

[Nick Jonas]

Just pure empathy and diabetes.

[Joe Jonas]

Actually that is what I said.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Just go down. Like just avoid the.

[Joe Jonas]

Do a physical.

[Nick Jonas]

Do a physical.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Yeah.

[Nick Jonas]

But just to take some of the pressure off myself. Yeah. I feel like I lost like so many great moments because I was anxious and I was dealing with things. I didn't realize it. And also I think that, you know, I'm sort of on the borderline age wise of like, like when it became okay and in culture to talk about therapy and like, you know, mental health. And I'm glad that I'm like, I'm right there. Cause these two are so messed up.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Thank God.

[Nick Jonas]

But yeah, I think it's come a long way and it's great to see because I'm sure there's a 12 or 13 year old kid like gearing up to go on some crazy life journey like we had who is probably gonna be better prepared because they're gonna have some tools to kind of work. But that's what I would say.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Thank you.

[Joe Jonas]

Thanks.

[Nick Jonas]

This is Joe.

[Joe Jonas]

Little child here. I'm assuming I'm next.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Okay.

[Joe Jonas]

I would probably tell him all the little quirks and funny things that you think are embarrassing you keep in hiding. Like you're going to be celebrated one day for those things and people are going to think those are so cool and they're all going to come back around. I would say hold on to those Pokemon cards, my friend. One day.

[Kevin Jonas]

You never know.

[Joe Jonas]

He knows what's gonna happen.

[Kevin Jonas]

Yeah.

[Joe Jonas]

And then I think probably, you know, you're doing great. You're like, good for you. And I think the idea is that you're gonna, you know that when so many different journeys throughout my life thus far and learned something from each of them and you know, I think really Protect your relationship with your brothers as best as you can. Treasure those memories. Treasure those memories that you, like, don't even know that, that you're making. I mean, there's so many amazing times when we were 12 or whatever age, riding our bikes all day long, playing outside, having each other and then sometimes rolling your eyes like, I wish I could hang out with other people. It's like, really treasure that.

[Kevin Jonas]

Love it. I think I would tell myself that some kids picked a keychain instead of a purity ring and maybe do that

[Host - Penn Badgley]

same commitment less and more on casual broadcast.

[Kevin Jonas]

Maybe that. But at the same time, I would say just don't forget that the people around you will always be with you for the rest of your life. So, like, treat them with kindness. Like everyone that we work with is still working with us.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

That's cool. That's a testament.

[Joe Jonas]

There's that one guy, Neil Yammo.

[Kevin Jonas]

Can't win them all.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

That one guy.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

You know, we ask that question to every guest and we get often repetitive answers, but you each gave an answer we've never gotten before. Nice.

[Kevin Jonas]

Thank you.

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

Well done.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

It was so nice to meet you. Thank you so much.

[Kevin Jonas]

Come see us on the road.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

That'd be awesome.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

You can check out the Jonas Brothers new album Greetings from your hometown everywhere. You get your music starting August 8th and you can follow them online at. Jonas Brothers

[Host - Nava Kavilan]

Podcrushed is hosted by Penn Badgley, Nava Kavilan and Sophie Ansari. Our senior producer is David Ansari and our editing is done with by Clips agency. If you haven't subscribed to Lemonada Premium yet, now's the perfect time because guess what? You can listen completely ad free. Plus you'll unlock exclusive bonus content like the time we talked to Luca Bravo about the profound effect that the film into the Wild had on him. The conversation was so moving and you are not going to hear it anywhere else. Just tap the subscribe button on Apple Podcasts or head to laminata premium.com to subscribe on any other app. That's lemonadapremium.com don't miss out. And as always, you can listen to podcrust ad free on Amazon Music with your prime membership. Okay, that's all.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

Bye Joe. While Nick uses the restroom, I'm gonna take this opportunity to tell you, obviously huge fan DNCE is amazing. But amongst your many huge fans, There is an 81 year old man, my father, who Cake by the Ocean is one of his all time favorite songs.

[Kevin Jonas]

Oh wow.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

And he makes me put it on every playlist we go on road trips together, every playlist, so it's always on my, like, most repeated songs.

[Joe Jonas]

There's, like, never been a year that it's. Thank him for me. That's so cool.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

His name is Tommy.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Yeah.

[Host - Sophie Ansari]

And he's always like, joe is a genius. Dnce oh, my gosh. That's one of the best songs of all time.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

I also just want to say that this is a man of, like, I think, of, like, refined taste. He's like. He's from another era. He's like a presenter on a performance. Feels like from another era.

[Joe Jonas]

So cool. That's a huge compliment. Thank. Thank him for me and thank you. I appreciate Tommy.

[Host - Penn Badgley]

Shout out to Tommy.