Some say artists could lose their spark if they're gone from the spotlight too long. In the case of Jonas Brothers, their three-year hiatus only served them well, giving rise to both a musical and personal rebirth.
A more confident and mature trio faced the local press on Oct. 18, in a huddle tendered for their first-ever Philippine concert. In those three years, they followed their respective passions: Joe, 23, released his solo record "Fastlife" and judged-mentored on "The Next;" Kevin, 24, got married with Danielle Deleasa and starred in their own reality show, "Married To Jonas;" and Nick, 20, formed his own band, Nick Jonas And The Administration, had his West End debut via "Les Miserables" (where he worked with Tony awardee Lea Salonga) and wrote and produced songs for other artists, including international sensation Charice ("One Day").
The brothers also took the time to learn other music, artists, and trends in the business.
"To have the time to live life and grow, helped us in the creative process in making our new album, and on stage," Nick said.
Kevin added, "We needed to live a little bit of life so we could write about it and talk about it. And I definitely think it's true and goes for all of us."
Of course, they were only temporarily "apart" career-wise, because as brothers, "we're always hanging out." But with their break, "there's less about the music for a little while and more about a better bond together," said Kevin.
Having graduated from being Disney teen idols into mature artists, the three agree that their transition came naturally. It helped that their fans, to whom they owe a lot, grew up with them as well, so there were no fears as far as having taken time off was concerned. According to Nick, "we're even more than ready to jump back in and go for it."
Indeed, this is the best time for their comeback, with the public's renewed and heightened passion for boy bands like One Direction.
"It's kind of amazing how things always come in cycles, and luckily we've been able to be a band that's been making our own music and creating our own destiny that we're excited about. But those guys (One Direction) are amazing, they're making great music and it's definitely fun to see the world accepting that kind of style again," said Kevin.
The youngest Jonas likewise emphasized that though they're big fans of "great pop music," as a seven-year-old band, artistry is their main priority.
When they returned to the studio six months ago, the boys brought with them new insights and inspirations that will definitely be reflected in their soon-to-be-released fifth album.
"It's also an evolution… We sort of are grounded in our main influences like Stevie Wonder, Johnny Cash, Prince, The Beatles and all that, but taking that and adding new sounds, a new perspective in the sound and quality, it's been a fun journey," related Nick.
The Philippines is the JoBros' first overseas stop post-hiatus, following a comeback show in New York last week. The boys have added three new songs in their set list. Will this include the heartbreaking "Wedding Bells"---the one that Nick is said to have written for his ex and soon-to-be married woman, Miley Cyrus?
Well, this much we know about the brothers' songwriting direction, offered by no other than Nick himself.
"I think musically we've been inspired by a lot of things recently that played a big part into it… It's the kind of process where you have to dive into things that are personal and mean a lot to you, but I think that's so important when you're creating music as an artist. We control our destiny now, how we write, record, and release music. So we're in a great position to be able to give as much music to our fans," he said.
Presented by That's Ntertainment Productions, "Jonas Brothers Live In Manila" takes place on Oct. 19 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay City and Oct. 20 at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino, Cebu City. Serving as front act is the "Jonas sister," Filipino-American singer-actress, Anna Maria Perez de Tagle.
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