The year 2019 just got a little brighter for 20-somethings across the nation, and students at California Baptist University are no exception. The announcement that the Jonas Brothers are reunited and creating new music has many young adults reminiscing about their childhood years spent listening to the musically talented brothers.
The Jonas Brothers have been busy since their comeback. The brothers released their newest single, “Sucker,” on Feb. 28 and have since hinted there is new music coming.
Dr. Lance Beaumont, associate dean of Graduate Studies and Program Development and associate professor of music, noted that many bands reunite for monetary reasons.
“I don’t say this as a bad thing. Artists in the record industry are living a feast-or-famine life. Additionally, record deals are not lucrative for the performers. To make money you have to tour,” Beaumont said.
Jatzel Garcia, junior biology major, said she has been a fan of the Jonas Brothers since she was in the fourth grade, more than 11 years ago. Even as a long-time fan, Garcia still could not believe the hype over their reunion.
“I had just gotten out of my internship when I found out the Jonas Brothers had gotten back together. I did not realize how many people were fans of the Jonas Brothers until I saw it on everyone’s Instagram stories,” Garcia said.
Amanda Ruiz, sophomore communication sciences and disorders major, said she had major doubts when she heard news of the reunion.
“Everyone heard the rumors, but I told them don’t get your hopes up because this happened once before and they canceled,” Ruiz said.
Both women said their love of the Jonas Brothers first started as a way to connect to older family members.
“My older sister and cousin both loved the Jonas Brothers. It definitely gave my sister and me something to ‘fangirl’ about, and I just wanted to be with them as I was younger than them,” Garcia said.
Ruiz said her 13-year-old cousins were big Jonas Brothers fans and she started listening to the Jonas Brothers because she just wanted to be like them.
“They would go to all the concerts and everything, but I was only 8 years old and my mom told me that I was too young so I couldn’t go with them,” Ruiz said.
Garcia said she is excited for this new chapter in the Jonas Brothers’ careers.
“Ten-year-old me was a little sad knowing I will never marry any of the Jonas Brothers, but 20-year-old me is super-hyped for the new music,” Garcia said.
The Jonas Brothers have been busy promoting their new music and sound, and they spent the week of March 5 as special guests on “The Late Late Show with James Corden” for the affectionately titled #latelatejonas week.
Beaumont said he believes their new music will be very successful.
“The largest consumer for pop music is still the 16- to 25-year-old fan. So, in some ways, their fanbase has not changed,” Beaumont said.
“The fan base that grew up listening to the Jonas Brothers will most likely enjoy their new music, but overcoming the sense of nostalgia will be difficult for those fans. If you see them in concert, you will want to hear the hits, those songs you enjoyed as a younger fan,” Beaumont said.
Ruiz recently attended a one-night-only Jonas Brothers concert in Los Angeles and the “Isn’t it Romantic” movie premiere, where she got to meet Nick Jonas.
“Now I play their newest single on repeat. When I met Nick Jonas, he was so nice and I love their music. They just seem like such nice people,” Ruiz said.
Garcia also said she is already a fan of the new music.
“‘Sucker’ could not have been better. It was the perfect choice to start this new chapter. Everything behind the song and music video was amazing,” Garcia said.
Jonas Brothers fans such as Ruiz and Garcia have a lot to which they can look forward. While the Jonas Brothers are still sticking to music the fans know and love, there is a new vibe now that they are grown and married that mirrors the life changes their listeners are also going through, as seen in their new hit single, “Sucker.”
The Jonas Brothers are now signed with Republic Records and will release a new documentary with Amazon Studios at an unannounced date later this year.
