Some celebrities’ on set riders are truly over-the-top — think all green M&Ms or a dozen white candles. The Jonas Brothers, on the other hand, have just one thing on their list.
After two decades in the spotlight, they have only one ask for their People cover shoot on a Sunday afternoon in October at the Thompson Hotel in Houston: a TV in the room so they can watch football. But Kevin, 38, Joe, 36, and Nick, 33, who will soon have the crowd at the 19,000-seat Toyota Center scream-singing every word to every song at their concert, barely have a minute to sit down. The New Jersey natives (and Giants fans) whip through various photo setups and ask for the score even when the answer hurts (the Giants lost to the Broncos in a 33-32 nail-biter).
An anything-but-lazy Sunday is typical for the Jonas Brothers, who were everywhere this year. They hosted a JONASCON fan convention in March to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their debut as precocious teen pop-rockers. In August, they launched their seventh album, the critically acclaimed Greetings From Your Hometown, and kicked off the massive 75-date JONAS20 tour (which they’ve extended until the end of the year). And now, they’re starring in their first holiday movie, A Very Jonas Christmas Movie, on Disney+.
Peter Yang
While nostalgia is an undeniable draw for the millennial fans who’ve loved them since they had flat-ironed hair and sang about a girl named Mandy, they’re also winning over a new generation of devotees. “We’re making stuff for our fans—and our fans have kids themselves now,” says Nick.
So do the brothers, all devoted girl dads. Kevin has Alena, 11, and Valentina, 9, with wife Danielle; Joe has Willa, 5, and Delphine, 3, with his ex-wife Sophie Turner; and Nick has Malti, 3, with wife Priyanka Chopra Jonas.
As they gear up for another busy year, the brothers reflect.
How would you describe your 2025?
KEVIN JONAS It has not stopped.
JOE JONAS It’s been full-on.
NICK JONAS It’s been a year of surprises.
Peter Yang
What’s it like being on tour 20 years into your career?
NICK It’s still baffling to us that we’re doing this at this level and that fans are supporting us in the way they are. The practical aspect is that we are getting older and don’t have all the energy we had when we were in our teens. Now it’s a little bit of a slower start in the day to wind up for the evening.
What are your preshow rituals?
JOE We have TVs in our dressing rooms where we can watch people enter the venue to see their excitement.
NICK I’ve been finishing a solo album while we’ve been on the tour. The writing process backstage has been a really good way to stay energized. (Sunday Best will drop Feb. 6.)
KEVIN I’ve been spending a lot of time going through homework on FaceTime. I’ve learned a lot about how math is now taught. New math is not for the weak of heart.
Peter Yang
On social media, fans are showing just how emotional they get at your shows. What are you doing to make them cry?!
NICK [At the start] I say, “It’s not just the three of us up here. It’s each and every one of you. You’re a part of the story.” Bringing Franklin [their youngest brother, 25] and our parents [Denise and Kevin Sr.] out at the end of the show to re-create the Jonas family living room is a moment that even makes me emotional.
Joe, what do you think of the flirty signs your fans hold up for you while you’re performing?
JOE I think it’s hilarious. As long as it’s playful. You’re going to a concert—have fun with it.
A Very Jonas Christmas Movie feels surprisingly personal as your characters face their insecurities. And we even see some of your daughters in it!
JOE It’s been a bucket list item for us to do a holiday film. We were like, “Do we just go all humor, or do we go all personal?” It’s always a little difficult when you’re playing versions of yourself.
NICK We wanted to give the audience a real look at our life. But what I love about this is that it comes at a really important time for us in our careers, but more importantly, as parents.
Peter Yang
Speaking of growing up alongside your fans, what was it like to shoot the upcoming Camp Rock 3 — 17 years after your original Disney Channel hit?
KEVIN It was wild. We got to the set, and we saw cast members from the original movies on the Camp Rock Final Jam stage. Thank God those movies happened. Thank God Joe got cast, and they decided to put me and Nick in it as well.
JOE I was flooded with emotion again. I was like,“Oh man. I didn’t expect to be hit like this.”
NICK It’s a pretty special thing to think back to when we made the first Camp Rock back in ’07 and how crazy our life was at that moment.
How do you guys support each other during challenging times?
NICK It’s important to be there and just be able to listen when someone’s going through something. Not to think that it’s your job to give them advice or to fix their situation. When we’re on tour, we’re on a bus together; we live together. So we’ve had to get good at giving each other space.
You’re all girl dads. What have you learned from your daughters this year?
NICK I have learned a lot about princesses. I have learned so much. It’s incredible when you get to the “why” phase of parenting, which we’re in now, where everything’s “Why?” You have to actually look at things as an adult and go, “Yeah, why?”
JOE I’ve learned a lot more about [KPop] Demon Hunters than I ever anticipated knowing. I’ve learned so much about being a dad from my little girls. They have no schedule. They’re not like, “Can you hurry up?” So being present with them and being able to just act like phones and time don’t exist—that is most important.
KEVIN I second that. The time and the presence. Putting the phone down and being in the moment.
Peter Yang
What do you hope to teach them about love and relationships?
JOE To be a kid as long as they possibly can. That they can talk to me and their mom about anything. That they feel the most safety and comfort they can possibly feel. Whatever that has to do with. I’d rather they look at me like a friend and talk to me.
What do you hope that they inherit from you?
NICK I hope she adopts a lot of my wife’s traits. She’s my favorite person in the world, so if I could have two-ish versions of them, that’d be pretty special.
JOE Hopefully, kindness and understanding and trying to see the best in people.
KEVIN I am impressed every day with how independent they’re already becoming. When I’m traveling and touring, Danielle does such a great job with them, empowering them to be themselves and make decisions.
Peter Yang
What traits do you hope not to pass along?
KEVIN How long is this interview? I’m a reactive person. It’s just who I am. I work on it very much, and I’ve been talking to a therapist about it for a long time. So hopefully that’s something we can not pass genetically down.
JOE Wait if you are going to think about music or the entertainment industry. Just give it a couple of years.
NICK I’m not great at math. English I loved. I’m hoping that she gets it and is acing things.
Can you all do a French braid?
NICK Our little girl has curly hair like me, so it’s a process, but I’m getting it down.
JOE Oh yeah.
KEVIN Yes, and I’m working on the fishtail now. It’s what all the girls are doing on their soccer team.
You’re being inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame. (The ceremony took place Nov. 21.) Is there any other honor you’d love to get?
NICK Rock & Roll Hall of Fame one day would be pretty sweet.
JOE A rest stop [named after us] in New Jersey.
KEVIN That’s the one for me. That’s all I need.
Peter Yang
Nick mentioned his solo music. Kevin and Joe, do you have anything in the works?
KEVIN I’m excited about the song “Changing” [his debut single] and wherever it leads me.
JOE We went to New York and had a week at one of the most incredible studios. We have four rooms going at once at some points. You just step in, and it could be Nick’s solo song, or it could be a solo song for me or DNCE [Joe’s band] or the brothers. I have a bunch of stuff in the works.
KEVIN The stuff they’re creating is the greatest music that I’ve heard from them both, ever.
What are you looking forward to at year’s end?
JOE A quiet day. Around the holidays, to have a quiet morning and familiar faces, that’s what it’s about.
NICK I’m excited to build a fire. Putting logs on a fireplace and sitting there with my family, listening to our favorite holiday music.
KEVIN We’re in a new house, so our first Christmas in this house, that’ll be really cool. Let there be snow and a fire pit. Nothing better.
