Joe Jonas is the latest Something About Magazine cover star, featuring in their Spring/Summer edition.
As well as taking part in a photo shoot, the DNCE front man also opened up for an interview with Something About. From finding it hard to perform personal songs, to preferring being in a band rather than a solo artist, Joe got candid about music and what he’s learnt in the industry so far.
DNCE released their self-titled debut album at the tail end of last year, after the release date was pushed back on numerous occasions. Speaking about this, Joe said: “At first we were frustrated because we didn’t like to see the reaction of the fans being bummed out that we were putting the album back. It’s hard to explain that it’s a good problem. If my favourite band said that, I would probably just say, ‘Oh you guys aren’t ready’ or, ‘The album doesn’t sound good’. But it started to become a joke for us. We’d look at each other and be like, ‘Hey, guess what guys? The album’s been pushed back again’. It got pushed back five or six times. We were joking around like, ‘Are we gonna leak this?’ But it’s a good thing and we all look back and we’re all so thrilled with how well the songs did and we’re riding that wave.”
Overall, the album is a feel-good, up-tempo offering although there are also a few vulnerable songs on the record, such as ‘Almost’ and ‘Truthfully’. Joe admitted that he sometimes finds it hard to perform those songs, but it also allows him to relate with his fans. He said: “It can sometimes be uncomfortable, but you know that this could be a fan’s favourite song or it could have gotten them through something. That’s at least what you hope for. I’ve caught these eyes of certain fans on this tour. I could tell that was their song – maybe that was their break-up song. That’s the beauty of music – you can find a way to relate with artists and fans.”
Having been in the industry for over ten years, Joe reflected on what he’s learnt so far. “I think the biggest thing I’ve learnt is to look up and enjoy every minute. It can fly by so fast, like it did for ten years. I remember a lot of it, but I was on Jimmy Fallon last night and we were showcasing photos through the years. He was like, ‘Do you remember this photo?’ and I was like, ‘I have no idea’. It’s not always easy, with the bigger stuff it’s important to look up and say ‘Wow, I get to do this for a living’ and that’s what it’s all about for us.”
Joe first became known as part of the Jonas Brothers, before he tried his hand at a solo career. Later came DNCE, and the rest is history as they say. Having spent time as a solo artist and in a band, Joe revealed why he prefers to be in a band. “It can be pretty stressful and overwhelming, and I think there’s a lot more competition when you’re solo. I’ve always felt comfortable being surrounded by really talented, hard-working individuals and I’ve been lucky to meet three of them again in my life who love this and work just as hard as me, and also have just as much fun. That’s key for us.”
Looking back on his previous music career, Joe also opened up about the freedom he and his fellow band members, Cole Whittle, JinJoo Lee and Jack Lawless, had when making their record. “I would say that this was the first time that I really got to take free time with making this album. Usually you’re kind of rushed into a box of a few weeks or a month or two. This was the first time that we really got to spread it out through touring and grow as a band musically and really be selective with the type of songs and music that we want to put in there,” he said. “It felt like it was brand new again. I think we all felt this new excitement and I think that’s what we’re going to try and continue with our next album.”
DNCE recently confirmed that they’ll be releasing a new single on Friday – ‘Kissing Strangers’, which is a collaboration with Nicki Minaj. Whilst we’re already excited for that, Joe also teased that the band have continued to make more new music. “We’ve been working on lots of new music. We don’t have a set idea of when and what we’re going to release because we’re still vibing on this first record, but we’ve been excited to get something out there and continue to create. On tour it’s hard to find studio time and our few days off we end up passing out. But it’s not too far away that people will be able to hear new stuff.”
We don’t know about you, but we’re already hyped for the new era of music from DNCE! ‘Kissing Strangers’ featuring Nicki Minaj is out on Friday.
The full edition of Something About Magazine is available on Thursday.