We’re all just living in the Nick Jonas era. The 22-year-old singer has emerged from under the long shadow cast by the Jonas Brothers, his former band, into a formidable solo artist.
Mega-hits like “Chains” and “Jealous” still get considerable airplay, and a new single, “Levels” (he performed it on the 2015 Video Music Awards red carpet, accompanied by female dancers in space helmets), is blowing up Billboard and Twitter. Jonas is also an established television and film actor with a growing list of credits, including the recent thriller “Careful What You Wish For,” his first movie role as a leading man.
Jonas brings his North American solo tour to Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville on Friday, Sept. 11, at 8 p.m., with BeBe Rexha opening.
CTNow: What are you most excited about with this tour?
Nick Jonas: It’s a chance to bring some of this music to life in a live setting. A lot of what I’ve done has been one-off shows, and I haven’t had the chance to bring much of a production with me or to really expand on the music. It’s a great opportunity to really dig deep and find ways to tell these stories with visuals and with real performance elements. I can’t wait.
CTNow: The music must really take on a different color and flavor for you when you do it live.
NJ: Yes. Every night is different. Every feeling and emotion that you can bring to life in that setting is really different and influenced by the audience and how they’re reacting to you and what that whole experience is like. I think it’s about trying to be as present as possible in a performance and be willing to feel everything the audience is feeling and go on that journey with them.
CTNow: When you’re pacing a show like this, what are some of the factors you have to consider?
NJ: What I’m really conscious of is that interaction with the crowd and embellishing on moments where there’s a real back-and-forth, whether in the music or in the performance, whatever makes sense. But expanding on whatever’s already in the music that lends itself to the live setting. There’s no better feeling than having people sing the words of your song back to you. That exchange is one of the best things in the world.
CTNow: What sides of you as a performer will fans get to see on this tour that may or may not surprise them?
NJ: As I’ve grown more and more as a solo performer this last year, I’ve been able to focus on my movement, my natural movement, and finding ways to dig a little deeper in that way. I’m coming out with a new single [“Levels”] and the music video is the first time I’m doing a bit of dancing. It’s important to make yourself uncomfortable and to make yourself vulnerable at times, because that’s when you’re doing your best work. With the tour, it’s just about opening up a bit to the dance and movement sides of things and always making it feel natural and authentic, but also pushing myself as a performer to go a little bit deeper.
CTNow: Does dancing come naturally to you, or have you always had to find your way into it?
NJ: I come from a more traditional dance background as a kid. I did that when I was young, and then there were a number of years when I didn’t do it. It’s always something I have to focus on and think about, but over the last year it has become more natural and effortless, which is good.
CTNow: Chart success is so unpredictable. As an artist, what have you observed about what goes into a hit song?
NJ: More than anything, I think it’s about having a great team, both in the creation of the music and in the execution and production, and also a great promo team, people who will help to take your vision and what you’ve created and bring it to another level and make more people aware of it. The other part is creating something simple enough that people can connect to it, and not being too concerned with overwhelming people with too much information in a song. The best songs of all time are simple enough to where the concept is really broad and involved. There’s something about it that feels like very human experience and less of an ordeal. It’s about keeping it simple and trusting your team.
CTNow: You’re part of an elite group of singers who also has had some success in the acting world. Does one pursuit — music or acting — take precedence over the other?
NJ: Not really. I’ve been asked many times to choose which one I love more, and the reality is that I’m in a great position where I don’t have to. I can pursue both acting and singing. Sometimes there are decisions over whether it’s a movie or a tour, and it’s about just discerning what’s the best thing for that moment. But I’m very grateful to be in a situation where I can do both and find projects that I’m excited about on the acting side that have pushed me to make me better, and to be growing as a musician as well.
CTNow: What can we expect from the show?
NJ: Connecticut shows are always a great time. It’s one of those things where, if you’re from the New York/New Jersey/Connecticut area, it feels like home. Having grown up in New Jersey, I feel a real connection to the Northeast. They feel like hometown crowds, and I’m so thrilled to get up there and play. I’m going to be having a great time and not only bringing this music to life but what I hope is a show that, even if people are just becoming more familiar with my solo work, that they’ll leave really feeling as though they had a great time. That’s the goal.
NICK JONAS performs at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville on Friday, Sept. 11, at 8 p.m., with BeBe Rexha opening. Tickets are $41. Information: mohegansun.com.
