The Tragic Truth About The Jonas Brothers
The Jonas Brothers have undergone quite an evolution ever since they rose to fame as Disney heartthrobs nearly two decades ago. Nick, Kevin, and Joe Jonas launched into the music industry in 2005 after signing with Columbia Records. They started rising the ranks by opening for artists like Kelly Clarkson, The Cheetah Girls, and fellow boy band The Backstreet Boys before dropping their first studio album in 2006. Three years later, the brothers would film the first installment of the Disney "Camp Rock" franchise, making them a household name.
At the time of their signing, Kevin was 17, Joe was 15, and Nick was 12. Since that day, the brothers have experienced heartbreak, breakups, solo careers, and marriage, all while millions of fans have followed their every move. They've managed to come out on top, and while they did briefly split up back in 2013, the brothers banded together again and released an album in 2019 and 2023.
With over 20 million albums sold worldwide and over 40 Gold and Platinum records on their resume, the Jonas Brothers proved their talent as Disney stars would carry them into the big leagues. But it wasn't without their fair share of hardship and challenges that the trio would become the respected artists they are today. Kevin, Joe, and Nick's personal lives haven't been easy, despite what their rockstar lifestyle may lead fans to believe. We're breaking down the tragic truth about the Jonas Brothers.
Their shocking 2013 break up almost ruined their relationship
In the world of boy bands — does anything last forever? We've seen countless guy groups call it quits after immense success, whether it be bad blood or the looming possibility of a solo career. Boy bands often split up and go their separate ways, and while they may reunite, nothing remains as it was. The Jonas Brothers rolled the dice in October 2013 when Nick, Joe, and Kevin decided to part ways in their career. The band announced the unanimous decision to People, with Kevin admitting, "It's over for now."
At the time, Nick had growing concerns regarding the group's direction, leading to the decision to put the pause button on the Joe Bros. Kevin focused on being a father in the following years while Joe and Nick embarked on successful solo careers. The group came back together in 2019 to release the album "Happiness Begins," but they still haven't forgotten the strain the breakup caused at the time.
In an interview with "CBS Sunday Morning," Nick admitted he never thought he and his brothers would sing together again after 2013. "I feared ... they would never speak to me again," he said. Despite the rift, the three brothers ultimately felt they were given another chance at making music. "I think it was, it was kind of, I guess you could say destiny, whatever it may be, but yeah, we got a do-over, and I think this time around we're going to do it right," Joe shared.
Nick Jonas' difficult journey with Type 1 Diabetes
Nick Jonas has gotten candid about his Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis and just how much his family's support helped him get through his health struggles. The singer released a joint Instagram video in November 2023 with the organization Beyond Type 1, citing the changes in his health that led him to get checked for the disease.
The video opened up with his mother, Denise, sharing that she found out her son had diabetes in the mid-aughts before switching to show Nick, sharing signs to look for in a potentially diabetic person. The "Camp Rock" star revealed he had been dealing with several symptoms, including frequent urination, excessive thirst, exhaustion, and weight loss. "Nick was very enthusiastic as a child," Denise said in the video. "He was very driven, so when he started to exhibit these signs, I was alarmed, but I think I was in denial."
Thanks to his mother, Nick says he got checked and learned of his diagnosis before it took a serious toll on his life. "I was lucky enough to have this incredible support system around me that noticed these signs, helped me make the decision to get checked, and ultimately saved my life," he admitted. In partnership with Beyond Type 1, the "Jealous" singer hopes to increase education about screening so more individuals can get the help they need. "As a new father myself, I understand how important it is to be on the lookout for these signs as my daughter grows up," he wrote.
Nick Jonas' performance at the 2016 ACM Awards left him in shock
Nick Jonas has made some mistakes over the years, but nothing left him quite as embarrassed as one specific solo with Kelsea Ballerini. The "Close" singer admitted that he completely dropped the ball while performing a duet with the country singer at the 2016 ACMs, and the incident had lasting effects.
In a video of their "Peter Pan" duet posted by Billboard, Jonas' work on the keys seems more squeaky than smooth. After about 10 seconds of less-than-perfect notes, he seems to stop altogether before Ballerini starts the chorus. Jonas recalled the flop during an episode of the "Armchair Expert" podcast with Dax Shepard, admitting that the shifty performance led him to seek professional help. Calling his solo "really tragic," he admitted, "In retrospect, I can kind of laugh about how big I thought it was. But it did travel more than I wish it would have, and it did cause me to go to therapy."
The video of Jonas' solo went viral, and he attempted to block it all out. "To this day and hours after unpacking it, I can't really figure out exactly what happened, but I was rushed to a car and rushed to a plane right after it, and I looked at my manager and said, 'I think that was bad,'" he revealed. Ultimately the "Sucker" singer got his groove back, calling it a "healing" experience that allowed him to evaluate "the pressure I put on myself to be perfect and to always be on."
Kevin Jonas was bullied as a child
Kevin Jonas may have had adolescent years unlike many of his peers, but that doesn't mean he was always treated like a rockstar. The "Camp Rock" star revealed his fair share of problems in school growing up, including being the victim of bullying when he was just a kid.
In the Jonas Brothers' documentary "Chasing Happiness," the singer admitted he struggled with his identity as a kid and was often picked on for his lack of nice clothes or his extracurricular interests (via Daily Mail). Jonas recalled growing up with little to no money, which only fueled his peers' insults. "I became a target," he said. "Kids are cruel at that age. They would call me gay; they would call me a f*g. They would break me down."
The "Only Human" artist shared that being the victim of bullying led to conversations with his brothers about his place in the band. After the group's 2013 split, he felt there needed to be a healthy dynamic within the Jonas Brothers for them to be successful in their reconciliation. "They were all from a place of love, as well; it wasn't hate or anger; it was truly just us working through it," Jonas said, admitting that he struggled to find his "unique identity" in the trio. Jonas has since put his platform to good use. "I hope sharing my experience brings awareness to how hurtful bullying can be. #ChasingHappiness," the singer tweeted in 2019.
Joe and Sophie Turner had a public falling out
After four years of marriage, Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner filed for divorce in 2023. As with many celebrity couples, their breakup became fuel for the tabloids, and it seems anything but amicable. While they released a joint statement saying they "mutually decided to amicably end our marriage" in September 2023, their public fallout was brutal.
The "Game of Thrones" star sued Jonas a few weeks after they released their statement, calling for "the immediate return of children wrongfully removed or wrongfully retained." At the time, Turner requested that she and Jonas' two children be returned to England, which she and Jonas had previously agreed would be their home. According to the court documents, the actor claimed Jonas "refuses to return the passports to the Mother and refuses to send the children home to England with the Mother." In response, a representative for the singer responded to the suit by saying, "This is an unfortunate legal disagreement about a marriage that is sadly ending ... The children were not abducted."
Turner later dropped her "wrongful retention" claims, and the two came to a temporary custody agreement that lasted until early 2024. "After a productive and successful mediation, we have agreed that the children will spend time equally in loving homes in both the U.S. and the UK. We look forward to being great co-parents," the former spouses shared in a statement.
When Joe pooped himself on stage
Joe Jonas may be a big star, but even the biggest A-listers experience some of life's more humbling moments. The "Cake by the Ocean" star opened up about one of the most embarrassing moments in his career, and it happened in plain sight — unbeknownst to a sea of screaming fans.
During an interview for KIIS FM's "Will & Woody" show in 2023, the singer admitted he pooped his pants while performing on stage four years prior. When asked to share a story he had never shared with anyone before, Jonas said, "I was with a few friends yesterday, and we were just talking about [how] there is a point in your life where, as an adult, you can remember the last time you s*** your pants." The singer added that he immediately changed clothes backstage to hide the mishap, joking, "It's fresh, but I've been able to work through it; a lot of therapy."
For trolls who want to relive Jonas' embarrassing memory, the singer admits that "If you go in the archives, there is a wardrobe change halfway through the show, and it was maybe a little bit like, 'Oh, that was an interesting choice to change clothes that quickly.'" It takes a certain type of person to own up to pooping in public, and the "What A Man Gotta Do" singer isn't alone when it comes to his embarrassing slip. Even Ed Sheeran has admitted to having "misjudged a fart" while mid-set. Sheesh, someone get these men some Depends
Joe sobbed after Nick landed a job on 'The Voice'
What's the Jonas Brothers without a bit of sibling rivalry? On an episode of the "Armchair Expert" podcast with Dax Shepard, Nick, Joe, and Kevin revealed that while they continue to support one another's individual careers, sometimes news of one brother's gig can sting a bit.
Joe recalled the instance when he found out about Nick's stint as a judge on season 18 of "The Voice" and was moved to tears. But they weren't exactly tears of joy, but jealousy. Nick broke the news while the two were enjoying a Fleetwood Mac concert, and it wasn't the emotional track that started the waterworks. "It was at the most picturesque setting, it was at the Fleetwood Mac show at [Madison Square Garden], and as they're playing 'Landslide,' I found out that he was going to be a judge on 'The Voice,'" Joe said. "I was so jealous I cried my eyes out to 'Landslide.”'
While he admitted that he supported his brother's opportunity, it did sting a bit, especially since Joe had already participated in "The Voice Australia" as a judge. "It was bittersweet, of course, 'cause I'm super happy for him, but I'm also bummed 'cause I want that f***ing gig!" he joked. Nick and Joe were in a similar situation when they both tried out for the 2024 film "Wicked," but luckily, no one was reduced to tears as they both didn't get a callback.
Kevin Jonas' wife 'feels less than' around Nick and Kevins' wives
Being on the arm of a Jonas Brother may not have been such a big transition for actors Sophie Turner and Priyanka Chopra, but for Danielle Jonas, she had to take quite a leap. The mother of two met her future husband vacationing in the Bahamas in 2007, and she had no idea who he or his brothers were. Jonas revealed that she has a "love-hate" relationship with Kevin's fame, and she doesn't always feel like she fits in with Joe's ex-wife, Turner, and Nick's wife, Chopra.
"I feel like I am torn," she said on an episode of the "LadyGang" podcast. "Finding my place in it, because the two boys married somebody who, they're actresses, they're out there, everyone knows them. And I feel like I'm Danielle, you know, and it's hard."
Danielle runs her own jewelry company and keeps herself busy raising two daughters, but the entrepreneur admits she sometimes feels like she needs to be doing more. She often compares herself to Turner and Chopra's status, given their critically acclaimed acting careers, and feels like the odd one out. "It's also that, like, I'm out there celebrity-wise because I've married you," she explained to Kevin. "And that's where it's like, 'Oh, I wanna have something else to my name too' ... 'Cause then when I'm with the other girls, I feel just less than sometimes."
Nick Jonas' daughter was placed in the ICU
Nick Jonas found his match in Priyanka Chopra after the two started dating in 2018. Just two months later, the pair were engaged and were married by the end of that year in a whirlwind relationship that began with social media DMs.
The spouses are parents to their daughter Malti Marie Chopra Jonas, born via surrogate in January 2022. Their journey as parents wasn't without its hardships, however, as Malti was placed in a neonatal intensive care unit for over 100 days after her birth. "I realized very, very early that I did not have the luxury to be scared or to be weak because she was scared and weak," the actor told Today. "And I had to be her strength as her mom. I needed to make her feel at every given moment that she's not alone ... that we've got her."
While it's unknown why their daughter was in the NICU, her health struggles are behind her. The singer took to Instagram to share a photo of his family in May of 2022, writing, "Every family's journey is unique and requires a certain level of faith, and while ours was a challenging few months, what becomes abundantly clear, in retrospect, is how precious and perfect every moment is." Jonas and Chopra have since been seen out with their little one, debuting Malti in public for the first time in January 2023. At the time, Chopra brought her along to celebrate the Jonas Brothers' Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony.