Sunday Sitdown with Willie Geist

Guest: Nick Jonas
Episode: Nick Jonas on New Solo Album and Reuniting with “Jonas Brothers”
Date: March 1, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode features an in-depth conversation between Willie Geist and Nick Jonas at New York’s Tavern on the Green. The focus is on Nick’s new solo album, Sunday Best, examining its themes of family, faith, and returning to musical roots, as well as the evolution of his career from child performer to Jonas Brothers stardom, solo success, and renewed collaboration with his brothers. They explore personal milestones, creative risks, and the perspective gained from 20 years in the spotlight.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Release of 'Sunday Best' – Meaning and Sound

• Album Eve Emotions
  • Nick discusses the anxious thrill of releasing a new album, even after years in the business.
  • "It's a bizarre feeling... you want to celebrate it, and it feels like an event, like a life event for me still... I've been really sort of honest in this work, and I hope that... people feel connection to it in their own way." (Nick Jonas, 05:20)
• Musical Influences and Spirituality
  • The sound draws from his upbringing singing in church—gospel, strings, and soul.
  • "The sound is definitely influenced by early days growing up singing in church... a gospel soulful sound." (Nick Jonas, 06:38)
  • Lyrical and thematic nods to his father’s role as a pastor; family and faith run deep throughout.
• Creative Freedom and Evolution
  • Nick reflects on the balance between pleasing long-time fans and exploring new artistic directions.
  • "We've all grown up together... The fans that were there when we were teenagers... are still there but now with their kids. There's this generational effect." (Nick Jonas, 08:06)

2. Songs Rooted in Family – Writing About Fatherhood

• Writing 'Princesses' for His Daughter
  • The deeply personal nature of expressing fatherhood through music.
  • "I've written a lot of songs about love. 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." (Nick Jonas, 09:31)
• Family Involvement in Music
  • Priyanka Chopra and their daughter get first listens in the studio; his daughter sings on the mic.
  • "Our daughter even got on the microphone... She was like, that's cool, dad, but I'm gonna [sing]." (Nick Jonas, 10:57)
  • Sweet anecdote: his daughter calls the Jonas Brothers “the Donut Brothers” because she can’t pronounce “Jonas” yet (11:32).

3. Broadway Beginnings & Hair Salon Legend

• The Hair Salon Story
  • Confirming the now-famous origin: singing in a salon at age six led directly to Broadway auditions.
  • "I do remember it very clearly...I was basically in the hair salon with my mom...singing. And the woman next to my mother was like, hey, my son is on Broadway...your son could do it." (Nick Jonas, 17:06)
  • Early lessons: discipline, professionalism, and passion for performance established on Broadway.

4. Rise, Setback, and Breakout With Jonas Brothers

• Struggles Before Disney
  • After being dropped by their first label, the Jonas family faced serious financial hardship; they persevered through self-funded efforts.
  • "We were maxed out on credit cards from self-funding our career...writing music, telling our stories about things...relevant to us at that time...It really was about survival." (Nick Jonas, 21:55)
• The ‘Disney Faucet’ Phenomenon
  • Disney’s marketing machine changed everything, leading to rapid rise from small venues to stadiums.
  • "We had a song...it hadn't really worked per se, but the minute we signed with Hollywood Records...they said, who do you want to work with?...They empowered us to really believe in ourselves." (Nick Jonas, 24:16)

5. Navigating Teenage Fame and Staying Grounded

• Coping as a Teen Idol
  • Importance of parental support and a stable team for groundedness during sudden global fame.
  • "Gotta give all the credit to our parents, you know, they did an amazing job and I think we all turned out relatively normal for the most part." (Nick Jonas, 28:39)
• Family Bond and Mutual Support
  • The brothers’ approach to checking in with each other and making time for family.
  • "You just gotta find time each week to just do something for you guys where it's not work related." (Nick Jonas, 29:52)

6. Going Solo – Risks and Rediscovery

• Leaving the Group: Necessity for Identity
  • Nick describes the need to separate and find himself outside of the group dynamic.
  • "It was probably more about me needing as a person, even less as an artist...to sort of find my identity..." (Nick Jonas, 31:00)
• Facing Uncertainty as a Solo Act and Actor
  • Admits fear stepping out alone and challenges breaking past the “Jonas Brother” stigma in acting.
  • "There was, at that time, somewhat of a stigma around it...it was exciting to dig in and start to say, what are some shots I can take that feel unattainable at this moment...I was relieved because I was like, oh, I can do this. But I was always sort of missing that feeling of the magic that came with the brothers." (Nick Jonas, 32:49)
• Return and Newfound Strength as Brothers
  • Time apart allowed each brother to grow, resulting in a more sustainable and joyful partnership upon reuniting.
  • "Each of us found that, which I think is why it made sense to come back and why it was better than before...some of those tough conversations were long overdue and were finally had." (Nick Jonas, 31:00–32:31)

7. Reflection, Joy, and Looking Ahead

• Generational Fanbase and Continued Relevance
  • Marveling at fans who’ve grown with them—and now bring their children.
  • "It's, I think, more gratifying at this stage than ever...that multigenerational effect." (Nick Jonas, 34:49)
• Pursuing What Matters
  • Less concerned with outside validation, more focused on making music and projects that fulfill him and his audience.
  • "We chased validation for a long time from certain establishments that we felt like would make us feel like enough. Then at some point we just started saying what makes us happy and what's going to make our fans happy." (Nick Jonas, 35:35)
• Pride and Perspective
  • Emotional highlight playing MetLife Stadium, close to their childhood home.
  • "To look out and see that sea of people in our home state, in our hometown stadium was incredible. We took a moment after the show and just kind of looked at each other and said, how did we get here?" (Nick Jonas, 37:01)

8. Future Chapters – Still Just Beginning

• Creative Ambitions Beyond Music
  • Aspirations to write a musical, and further TV/film projects in development.
  • "I definitely feel like I'm still very much at the start of my journey, which is frightening and also...encouraging..." (Nick Jonas, 38:44)
  • Quotes themes from Sunday Best: nostalgia, community, and returning to roots.
  • "You don't have to have been in that hair salon or at MetLife to know what it's like to want to get back in touch with your inner child..." (Nick Jonas, 40:00)

9. Album Title: ‘Sunday Best’ – Returning to Faith and Foundations

• The Significance of the Title
  • Title lyric sets the tone for the album—an invocation of faith, family, and musical beginnings.
  • "Sunday Best was one of the first lyrics I wrote for the album...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...It had a big impression on who I became." (Nick Jonas, 41:13)
  • Emphasizes the album is “not a religious record,” but grounded in spiritual roots and nostalgia for formative experiences.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On writing about his daughter:

  "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."
  – Nick Jonas (09:31)

• On the Jonas Brothers' first massive hit:

  “It was honestly kind of desperation...Going down there and writing music, telling our stories about things that were relevant to us at that time…It really was about survival."
  – Nick Jonas (21:55)

• On family as a foundation:

  "Gotta give all the credit to our parents, you know...our team's been the same forever...they all sort of were responsible for helping us become the people we've become."
  – Nick Jonas (28:39)

• On returning to the group:

  "Each of us found that, which I think is why it made sense to come back and why it was better than before."
  – Nick Jonas (32:31)

• On stadium success and putting it in perspective:

  "To look out and see that sea of people in our home state, in our hometown stadium was incredible. We took a moment after the show and just kind of looked at each other and said, how did we get here?"
  – Nick Jonas (37:01)

• On the meaning of ‘Sunday Best’:

  "Back when I was young, my faith was on fire in my Sunday Best, sing with my chest while the band played again, full revival."
  – Nick Jonas (41:13)

Important Timestamps

• 05:20 – Nick’s emotional process of releasing an album
• 06:38 – Gospel influence and church roots in the new album
• 09:31 – Writing songs about his daughter
• 10:57 – Family listening session; daughter’s singing debut
• 17:06 – Confirming the famous hair salon story
• 21:55 – How the brothers rebuilt after their first label dropped them
• 24:16 – “Disney Faucet” launching them to stardom
• 28:39 – Parenting and support system during teenage fame
• 31:00 – The need for solo exploration
• 32:49 – Fear and excitement of solo success
• 34:49 – Multigenerational audience and family dynamics today
• 37:01 – Playing MetLife Stadium as a career milestone
• 41:13 – Meaning and inspiration behind 'Sunday Best'

Episode Tone & Takeaways

• Warm, candid, nostalgic—Nick shares with vulnerability and a clear appreciation for his family and fans.
• The album Sunday Best marks a return to personal and spiritual roots, celebrating the power of music to both ground and uplift.
• The conversation offers rich insight into the complexities of fame, the importance of creative risk, and the joys of renewed brotherhood.

For anyone interested in the journey from aspiring Broadway kid to global pop icon and back to the heart of family and faith, this episode is a must-listen.