Jonas Brothers Discuss Hollywood Records Exit, Songwriting & New Album Sound
The Jonas Brothers stopped by the Z100 studios in New York City to talk with JJ about ‘Married To Jonas’, their next album, playing Radio City, sibling fighting, borrowing Alicia Keys’ piano, acquiring the rights to all of their old music, and more.
On meeting Danielle’s family for the first time, Kevin said, “It was cool. I come from a big family as well and most of them are Italians as well, but this was like New Jersey Italian in a great way. It was really cool to meet everybody the first time. It was a little intimidating, but it worked out for the better.”
Talking about the initial reaction from Kevin’s brothers on his engagement, Joe said, “I’m pretty sure we listened to him, but at the same time we’re like take your time, because we want to make sure this is the right girl.”
Nick added, “We had the real conversation that all families have. I think all brothers that are close and best friends, whatever setting you’re in, it’s important to ask the serious questions. Once he answered them with real heart and sort of understanding of the situation, we’re like great and it all worked out in the timing. There definitely were the questions.”
Quizzed about the baby talk at the dinner table seen on the E! show, Kevin said, “It’s funny. We have conversations all the time that we’re nonchalant about I guess, because we’re family and we just talk about it and it’s just the way it is. At the same time, we were gonna save those conversations for us, but look, that’s what family does. They just get into each other’s business.”
On their Kevin Sr. looking so serious on TV, Joe said, “Our dad really doesn’t like to be on camera, so that’s probably why. He wants to be the guy always behind the camera.”
Discussing the brothers’ collaborative songwriting process, Nick said, “The funniest part about our process that you see on the show, I think until you watch it back you don’t even realize that it happens, it’s that you just sort of say these crazy sounds. It just comes out. You’re singing a line, we’re writing a song called ‘Meet You in Paris’, and it just sounds crazy, and outside of it I think you’d have no idea what we’re doing and we’re speaking a different language.”
As for whether there were arguments while songwriting, Nick said, “We used to get really mad at each other at the beginning of our songwriting career.” Joe conceded sometimes their arguments got physical early on. “We used to like, we’re brothers, so we used to wrestle and fight, but that was when we were a lot younger.” Nick then talked about how Kevin flipped him over his shoulder one time and broke his collar bone.
Discussing their move from Hollywood Records to go on their own, Joe said, “I think more relieving and exciting at the same time. For us, we’re our own bosses for the first time in a long time.” Nick added, “There’s also a real season of change and growth for us. I think as people alone but also our music and where we want to go with that. Hollywood was a good home for us for a while, but now it’s time for us to take it in our own hands and do all we can do with it.”
Talking about what to expect from the new album, Nick said, “I think that putting sort of a description by using other artists is difficult because right now it’s sort of a mesh of a lot of different things, but I think the core of it is our same songwriting style from years past in the sense that it is us creating it and it’s our heart that’s within it. I think we’re being influenced by some current artists, which is cool for us, because usually it’s been people from the past that have played an influence. We felt that it was important to really dive into what’s happening now. I think people like Frank Ocean are an inspiration. People like Gotye. Obviously Adele’s last record, capturing artistry and great music that people can connect with is crucial these days. I think that if we had to find a place to put it, it would be in that zone, but also much that we really like and enjoy. That’s the goal, to make music we want to listen to.”
Watch it via Z10.com below.
