Nick Jonas: A Pop Star Who Needs to Be Challenged

October 2013 isn’t that far back in the past—in pop terms, it was the month of Bangerz, Prism and “Royals”—but for Nick Jonas, it's already a lifetime ago. 

That was the month in which the Jonas Brothers abruptly scrapped a comeback tour over “creative differences,” and then called it quits. Looking up to his brothers Kevin and Joe, Nick said that he felt “trapped” by the trio; from doing what, we weren’t sure at the time. The youngest Jonas had already headlined an unsuccessful project, Nick Jonas & The Administration, in 2010. Perhaps he desperately needed his inner artiste to shine, but did Nick really think that flying solo was more promising than continuing the best-selling pop-rock bro-band?

Apparently he did, and now we look like idiots for doubting the move. Jonas’ 2014 self-titled solo debut boasted two endlessly listenable Top 40 hits, “Jealous” and “Chains,” that simultaneously redefined the now-grown-up Jonas as a swaggering heartthrob (and if the singles weren’t convincing enough, the beefed-up, shirtless press shots certainly drove the point home). 

“Jealous,” in particular, is exactly the type of pop track that solo stars crave for their arsenal: simple, slinky pop-R&B, catchy enough to command a karaoke room but innovative in the way it unlocked the hidden strengths of his voice. Nick performed it with a gospel choir; he performed it at the Kids’ Choice Awards; he performed a countrified version of it at the CMAs. A tireless worker who’s been part of the major label factory since the age of 12, Jonas recognized a high demand for a song like “Jealous,” and supplied it to awards ceremonies, late-night shows and pride parades for a full year after its September 2014 release.