Sunday Sitdown with Willie Geist

Episode: Nick Jonas on How Faith and Fatherhood Inspired His New Album “Sunday Best”

Date: March 1, 2026
Location: Tavern on the Green, NYC
Guest: Nick Jonas
Main Theme: The personal, familial, and spiritual journey behind Nick Jonas’s new solo album, Sunday Best, exploring how faith, fatherhood, and reflection have shaped his music and life.

Episode Overview

This episode finds Willie Geist in conversation with Nick Jonas as he prepares to release his fifth solo album, Sunday Best. The discussion centers on how Jonas’s familial bonds, upbringing in the church, personal faith, and experiences as a father have deeply influenced his songwriting and musical direction on this new record. The setting—Tavern on the Green in NYC, a meaningful spot for Jonas and his family—grounds the conversation in themes of home, belonging, and growth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Launching Sunday Best: A Landmark Moment

Timestamps: 04:15–05:37

• Nick’s Emotional State on Release Eve:
  Nick describes the anticipation and nerves of releasing a new album, noting it always feels like a “life event.” He emphasizes the vulnerability tied to sharing personal work:

  “You want to celebrate it, and it feels like an event... But with that being said on top of just getting it out and being excited for people to hear it, there’s some nerves and that feeling of, okay, I’ve been really sort of honest in this work, and I hope...that they feel connection to it in their own way.” – Nick Jonas (04:34)

2. The Gospel, Soulful Roots of the Album

Timestamps: 05:37–06:51

• Returning to His Church Upbringing:
  Nick explains the gospel/soul feel of Sunday Best as a natural extension of his early experiences singing in his dad’s church:

  “The sound is definitely influenced by, you know, early days growing up singing in church... That feeling of just those early days singing in church on Sunday morning and what that meant to all of us... I love having that soulful kind of gospel element.” – Nick Jonas (05:52)

3. Taking Creative Risks and Trusting the Audience

Timestamps: 06:51–08:26

• Audience Evolution and Artistic Growth:
  Nick reflects on growing with his fans and resisting the urge to simply repeat past hits:

  “Sometimes, you know, lightning strikes and it’s just a great moment... But what I love seeing at the shows now is the sense that, you know, we’ve all grown up together... it really has become like a family event.” – Nick Jonas (07:20)

4. Fatherhood & Writing from the Heart

Timestamps: 08:26–10:03

• Writing Songs to His Daughter:
  The track “Princesses” is highlighted as the first love song he’s written from the perspective of a father:

  “I don’t know that I’ve ever written a love song quite as profound as this one of, you know, a dad’s love for his little girl. And I don’t know, it was really, I think the freedom I felt with my collaborators to walk in and say, hey, this might sound like a weird title, but I want to write a song today called Princesses.” – Nick Jonas (08:45)

• Family in the Studio:
  Nick shares that his wife Priyanka and daughter attended a listening session, and his daughter even took to the mic to sing her own song:

  “She was like, that’s cool, dad, but I’m gonna...” (10:28)

5. The Power of Place: Tavern on the Green

Timestamps: 11:21–12:49

• NYC as Emotional and Creative Ground:
  Jonas reveals how Tavern on the Green represents cherished family togetherness in the midst of their busy lives:

  “...just coming to the tavern and sitting and having a meal and being kind of a family for just those little moments was, was precious.” – Nick Jonas (11:33)

6. Jonas Brothers: Individuality, Family Ties, and Creative Health

Timestamps: 14:34–16:12

• Writing Camp Dynamics:
  The synergy of creative independence and brotherly support keeps their relationship strong:

  “We kind of were supporting each other, but with a wall between us...having these individual musical outlets is a really good thing for us. It keeps us kind of sane.” – Nick Jonas (14:43)

7. Origin Story: The Hair Salon Moment

Timestamps: 16:12–18:34

• From Jersey Hair Salon to Broadway:
  Jonas recounts the fateful moment a fellow salon patron suggested Broadway for him after hearing him sing:

  “The woman next to my mother was like, hey, my son is on Broadway right now in Les Mis. And your son could do it.” – Nick Jonas (16:44)

8. Early Struggles, Work Ethic, and Disney Stardom

Timestamps: 20:54–25:56

• Getting Dropped & Starting Over:
  The Jonas family’s resilience after losing a record deal:

  “We were maxed out on credit cards from self funding our career. And it was a tough moment...so went down to the basement and started writing songs.” – Nick Jonas (21:23)

• The Disney “Faucet”:
  Disney’s support was pivotal when the Jonas Brothers signed to their label:

  “We know what to do with, with these three teenagers. We’re going to turn on the faucet and market this the right way.” – Nick Jonas (21:23)

9. Surviving Fame as Teen Idols

Timestamps: 27:40–30:12

• Staying Grounded as a Teen Star:
  Nick credits his parents, long-time team, and his brothers:

  “They did an amazing job and I think we all turned out relatively normal for the most part...we checked each other a lot of the time too.” – Nick Jonas (28:07)

• Advice for Other Bands:
  The importance of making time together outside of work:

  “Just taking a second to sit down and not talk about work... keeps the relationship intact.” – Nick Jonas (29:21)

10. Going Solo: Identity, Anxiety, and Fulfillment

Timestamps: 30:12–33:48

• Why Step Away:
  Nick needed to find his identity outside the group:

  “It was probably more about me needing...to sort of find my identity... It wasn’t the driving force, even though then I probably would have said it was.” – Nick Jonas (30:29)

• Fear and Validation:
  Facing industry skepticism and public pressure:

  “It was very scary...to come back and do it as an adult was a totally different thing because I was met with a lot of closed doors, people saying, oh, I don’t want a Jonas Brother for this role.” – Nick Jonas (32:17)

11. The Brotherly Reunion: Stronger Than Ever

Timestamps: 33:48–36:30

• Coming Back Together:
  Rediscovering the magic post-hiatus, multi-generational fandom, and continuing to grow:

  “It’s I think more gratifying at this stage than ever, you know, to look out and see...that multi generational effect.” – Nick Jonas (34:18)

12. The Next Chapter and Lingering Faith

Timestamps: 37:49–41:51

• Looking Forward:
  Nick outlines a “frightening and also encouraging” feeling that much of his journey lies ahead, including musicals and TV:

  “I just want to keep chasing kind of truth and giving people a window into my life and my journey as a person...” – Nick Jonas (38:12)

• Sunday Best as Testimony:
  The record’s title and message come full circle:

  “It was literally the first line I wrote...I want to set the stage for what it was like sitting in that first pew in my suit, singing as loud as I could...and my faith has changed and evolved...but it'd be impossible to ignore that some of those roots are in there.” – Nick Jonas (40:42)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the legacy of the Jonas Brothers’ ride:

  “We took a moment after the show...and just kind of looked at each other and said, how did we get here? And how does it keep leveling up and getting bigger and more exciting and honestly, more fun? And the answer is, I don’t know. But I’m glad it did, and I’m glad I’ve gotten to do all this with these two guys who I absolutely adore...” – Nick Jonas (36:30)

• On fatherhood and the next generation:

  “There’s this generational effect and the parents that used to bring them when they were teens still want to come.” – Nick Jonas (07:20)

• On chasing validation vs. serving joy:

  “We chased validation for a long time from certain establishments...then at some point, we just started saying what makes us happy and what’s going to make our fans happy.” – Nick Jonas (35:49)

Timeline of Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | Notes | |------------|----------------------------------------|------------------------------------------| | 04:15–05:37| Album Release Nerves | Nick on vulnerability and honesty | | 05:37–06:51| Soulful Sound, Church Roots | Early gospel influences | | 06:51–08:26| Artistic Evolution with Fans | Growing up together | | 08:26–10:03| Writing about Fatherhood | Creating “Princesses” with meaning | | 11:21–12:49| Tavern on the Green | Place and memory in songwriting | | 14:34–16:12| Sibling Collaboration and Boundaries | Old and new creative processes | | 16:12–18:34| The Hair Salon Story | Origin myth validated | | 20:54–25:56| Early Career Struggles and Disney Boost| Fight to survive and rise to stardom | | 27:40–30:12| Managing Teen Fame | Family, teamwork, and advice | | 30:12–33:48| Solo Career Lessons | Identity, risk, fulfillment | | 33:48–36:30| Jonas Brothers Reunion and Maturity | Renewed connection with fans | | 37:49–41:51| Nick’s Future & The Meaning of “Sunday Best”| Looking ahead, faith and roots |

Final Thoughts & Takeaways

• Sunday Best is rooted deeply in Nick Jonas’s personal journey as a son, brother, husband, and now father, as well as his ongoing relationship with faith and the legacy of his family.
• With honesty and warmth, Jonas articulates the pressures and joys of stardom, the value of creative independence, and the evolving meaning of home, family, and belonging.
• His message to listeners: Authentic connection—whether through music or moments together—is the through-line of his art and his life.

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