Podcast Summary: The Squeeze – "Kevin Jonas: Embracing Change"

Host: Taylor Lautner (and co-host Taylor Lautner)
Guest: Kevin Jonas
Date: November 19, 2025

Overview

This episode of The Squeeze dives into mental health, personal growth, and navigating change with Kevin Jonas of the Jonas Brothers. Kevin opens up about the challenges of identity, burnout, and family while living life in the spotlight—including his journey into solo music, reconnecting with therapy, raising kids, and the meaning of “success” after years of fame. The conversation is rich with vulnerability, humor, and behind-the-scenes stories.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Touring, Burnout, and Balancing Family (00:11, 23:09, 25:45)

• The demanding logistics of touring and the evolution of the Jonas Brothers’ approach as they’ve matured.
  • [00:13] Kevin Jonas: “When we were younger, we did not understand how to celebrate the wins. It was always the next thing. And that’s part of the young, young hustle.”
• Kevin details the relentless pace of early career: waking up at 5:30 a.m., radio stops, meet-and-greet marathons, and back-to-back shows without pause (24:28).
• Burnout: Kevin addresses recognizing signs of burnout, especially as a parent separated by tour life, and his strategies for “hard resets” and prioritizing family time.
  • [26:06] Kevin Jonas: “Not everyone can breathe at 30,000ft, right?... The burnout is real. You have to prioritize your time at home.”
• How technology (like FaceTime) has helped stay connected, and the conscious choice to not make his daughters’ lives revolve around his work.

2. Identity, Change, and Mental Health (13:00, 29:55, 38:29)

• Open discussion about the confusion and loss of identity during and after the Jonas Brothers’ breakup.
  • [29:55] Kevin Jonas: “I didn’t know I could have depression. And I did, because I didn’t know my identity outside of this band... Who am I?”
• The importance of seeking therapy, especially after the emotional come-down from tours and long stretches away from home.
  • [38:29] Kevin Jonas: “I actually sought out a therapist after our last tour, to be honest. I came home from Europe and I just was not in a good spot…The serotonin drop was maybe too much.”
• How Kevin and his wife Danielle benefit from having the same therapist, allowing for individual and collective growth.
  • [39:57] Kevin Jonas: “Sometimes I feel like therapy, if it’s only one sided, is like—well, aren’t you only getting half the story?”

3. Parenting & The Spotlight (34:33, 34:48)

• Navigating celebrity parenthood, letting children explore acting or performing but cautioning about rejection and pressures.
  • [35:55] Kevin Jonas: “I will support. ... But at the same time, I will let them understand there’s more rejection in this than there is in anything in your life.”
• Reflections on his own parents not knowing fully what the entertainment business entailed, but that openness to risk set the stage for his career.
• The role reversal—his children are now super fans, organizing their own experiences at Jonas Brothers shows.

4. Creative Projects & Camp Rock Legacy (14:00, 14:11, 34:48)

• Kevin shares about wrapping the new Camp Rock and a family Christmas movie—his entire family, including his daughters, have roles in these projects (14:11, 34:48).
• He reveals the “passing of the baton” to a new generation in Camp Rock, marveling at the talent of young performers raised on TikTok and YouTube.
  • [15:24] Kevin Jonas: “These kids are so talented. I think it has a lot to do with like TikTok and the way they can dance and perform. They’re like light years ahead of us.”

5. Vulnerability, Performance Anxiety, and New Music (42:23, 42:59, 44:05)

• Kevin gets candid about nerves leading up to his first solo performance at Fenway:
  • [43:08] Kevin Jonas: “This moment, my God. I was an anxious—oh. I spoke to my therapist four times that day.”
• The vulnerability of stepping into a lead vocal role, battling inner doubt, and ultimately finding the right song.
  • [49:18] Kevin Jonas: “And then I saw the video of Danielle seeing it happen and that’s when it—like, I was in tears after.”
• On his shift toward solo work:
  • [49:37] Kevin Jonas: “I’ve cut more music with the same team. I’m working on more stuff. Not sure what it will be or what I’ll do with it, but as of now, I am.”
• The creative process and need for the “right song” as a catalyst.
  • [47:16] Kevin Jonas: “Honestly, people ask, so why now? Why are you doing it? I’m like, honestly, because I found the song.”

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Dealing with Burnout:
  “The burnout is real... I have only missed two days at home on non-days off on this entire run on this tour.”
  — Kevin Jonas [26:06]

• On Therapy and Change:
  “How about you just, like, take a whole week off of all your phones, electronics, and just be, be hyper present... By the end of that week, I didn’t think about anything else other than just being part of everything.”
  — Kevin Jonas [40:00]

• On Impostor Syndrome and First Solo Performance:
  “Not knowing if I was ever feeling like it was right or if I could do it. Just being honest, like, I didn’t feel like I was good enough.”
  — Kevin Jonas [45:51]

• On Identity Crisis After the Band:
  “Who am I?... I’ve been doing this since I was 15 years old. Who am I?”
  — Kevin Jonas [29:55]

• On Parenting in the Spotlight:
  “If you can’t handle that, and if we can’t work through the highs and lows together, then we shouldn’t be doing this.”
  — Kevin Jonas [35:55]

Fun & Human Moments

• Camp Rock Audition Story
  Taylor Lautner shares he almost landed the Camp Rock role that Joe Jonas eventually played, making it to the final three—despite not being able to sing or dance. The story leads to laughs and bonding over “what-ifs” (17:24).

  • [18:59] Kevin Jonas (jokingly): “Should we help you find therapy? ... Instead of saying you broke my heart, you can just say thank you.”
  • [21:23] Kevin Jonas: Details how the Jonas Brothers as a band were cast for Camp Rock after initially turning down a solo offer for Joe.

• On Spontaneity in Shows
  Kevin recounts their on-tour tradition of letting fans request songs spontaneously, sometimes playing for 30 minutes straight based on requests (50:19).

• Family Cameo in Christmas Film
  “The whole family’s in the movie at certain points... My youngest is like, I want to be in movies, I want to be on TV, Dad.”
  — Kevin Jonas [34:48]

Timeline of Key Segments

• 00:11 – Tour life, band dynamic & origin of identity crisis
• 13:00 – Family discussion, moving back to New Jersey
• 14:11 – Camp Rock & new movie projects
• 23:09 – Effects of touring, then vs. now; burnout, family balancing
• 29:55 – The band's breakup, depression, and reinvention
• 34:33 – Parenting, daughters’ aspirations, and supporting their interests
• 38:29 – Therapy journey and tools for mental health
• 42:23 – First solo song: nerves, process, and aftermath
• 45:51 – Vulnerability around singing lead
• 47:53 – New solo music and creative direction

Episode Tone & Style

The conversation is candid, warm, and self-aware, with the Lautners' signature down-to-earth empathy. Kevin Jonas is vulnerable yet hopeful, balancing humor and honesty about mental health, family, and the realities of pop stardom.

Summary Takeaways

• Even in the “lime-est” limelight, struggles with self-worth, change, and family balance are universal.
• Therapy and vulnerability are crucial components to Kevin’s ongoing growth.
• The Jonas Brothers’ journey continues to evolve, now including new solo work, family collaborations, and a commitment to mental wellness.
• Support systems—partners, friends, colleagues—are essential to thriving through the transitions and “hard resets” that come with fame, parenthood, and change.

Listeners leave with reassurance that no matter how bright the spotlight, “you are not alone.”