by Emily Siansky ‘22

Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas, the childhood heartthrobs of the early 2000s, reunited in early March after a six-year hiatus with the release of their new album, “Happiness Begins.” From August to December, the brothers will tour the U.S. with some shows in Mexico. I attended shows in Hershey, Pennsylvania on August 31 and Baltimore, Maryland on November 30. Both shows demonstrated to how the band has taken steps to shift away from the stereotypical “boy band.”

When the lights turned off, everyone shouted and rose to their feet. The wait was over; everyone was finally going to see all three of the Jonas Brothers live. In both concerts, fans sang along to new songs including the opener, “Rollercoaster” and hit “Sucker” along with some blasts from the past like “That’s Just the Way We Roll” and “Lovebug.” Songs “Gotta Find You” and “Play My Music” from the Disney Channel Original Movie, Camp Rock, excited the crowd. Nick and Joe Jonas also sang hit “Jealous” from Nick’s solo career, and “Cake by the Ocean” from band DNCE with Joe as the lead singer. Overall, the hour and thirty minute setlist was quite impressive. 

There was also a huge video board behind the main stage that played pre-shot media of three little boys that portray Kevin, Joe, and Nick, respectively. This added feature made the transitions between songs smoother and more entertaining. There were also clips of the current brothers looking down on their younger counterparts. It was if they were reflecting upon their younger selves, and moving on from who they used to be. 

In the Jonas Brothers’ prime, they were teenagers, and so were their fans. They were the typical teenage boy band that every girl was obsessed with. However, upon their reunion, their fan base demographics have switched. At the concerts, there are fewer teenagers and more adults. Where I was sitting for the Baltimore show, I overheard a group of young women in their mid-twenties talking about the last time they saw the Jonas Brothers live. They said that their parents had to drop them off at the concert and wait for them to be done. Now, they all drove to the venue by themselves. 

They have matured not only as people but as a band. Their songs are more emotional and relate more to older people. Their newer songs deal with heartbreak and true love as opposed to their earlier songs about spontaneous teen love. So why do younger people still listen to them if they cannot relate as much? Their songs still have the catchy lyrics and beat that anyone can vibe to. 

The Jonas Brothers will always be a band where crazy fans argue over who’s the best member, but as they’ve grown up, so has their subject matter and of course, their fan base. They have strayed away from the teen boy band, and have turned into a band that has meaningful songs that will be relevant forever.