Joe Jonas is opening up about making really personal music. On Wednesday, the Jonas Brother announced his solo album, Music For People Who Believe in Love,” is set to be released in October, following the release of his first single, “Work It Out.”
On Thursday, Joe, 34, appeared on SiriusXM’s Andy Cohen Live. and discussed the music, which comes on the heels of his divorce from Sophie Turner, and why it was important for him to tell his own story.
“Of course. This is the most personal music I think I’ve ever written really in a body of work,” Joe said about creating the music. “I think a lot of the times you get pitched songs, you have outside writers or producers that say, ‘Hey, here’s a cool idea.’ And then you’re like, ‘Great, let me make this make sense.'”
Part of telling his story is doing it as a solo artist and not in the Jonas Brothers with his brothers, Kevin and Nick, or his side group, DNCE.
“Also why I wanted it to be my voice and not three guys or DNCE is because I was like, it’s weird when somebody else is speaking from your experience sometimes,” he added. “You can make this like a generalization of saying like, ‘All right, this is kind of, this is what we all go through.’ We’ve all gone through something like this in our life, right? Whether good or bad or heartache and for me, I was like, this is something that I feel like it’s hard for me to just share that with anyone.”
Joe admitted that there was one song that his brothers like for their own project, but he had to tell his brother, Nick — who had a little trouble letting it go.
“It’s funny. Nick was like, a different song called ”Only Love’ that started this project, he was like, he said, ‘Look, I get what you want to do,’ because I had kind of a big conversation,” Joe said. “Nick was about to go do a movie with Paul Rudd. Kevin got another season of Claim to Fame, and then I was like, ‘Look, I also want to do music on my own for a bit and just see what that’s, no offense, but that song ‘Only Love’ that you really liked, that you’ve been listening to for the last like two weeks that you think is for us. Could I have that for me? Nick took a long pause and was like, ‘Damn but I get it. It’s all good,’ so I got their blessing. I didn’t, at first, I was just like thinking, I was like, I already had it in my mind that it was mine, but I still had to ask them.”
As for his second solo album, Music For People Who Believe in Love, Joe got candid about what fans can expect to hear in the music.
“This album speaks to the experiences of being a father, being a friend to oneself and others, and the happiness I’ve found in doing what I love for a living,” he said in part in a press release and in a social media post. “I feel incredibly fortunate to travel the world and connect with people through my music, as well as having had the opportunity to work with some of the most talented musicians, songwriters, and producers on this project.”
He added, “A director I once worked with had a handwritten note above his camera during filming that asked, ‘What do you want them to feel?’ This question still resonates with me every time I step on stage or create new music. The ability to perform, connect deeply with an audience, and evoke positive emotions, or even healing, is a gift I cherish. This album is a reflection and celebration of life. I hope it brings you as much joy as it brought me creating it. Please enjoy! With love and gratitude, Joe.”
Joe has a lot to sing about, as the last year of his personal life has been a challenge. In September 2023, the singer and his ex, Sophie Turner, announced their plans to divorce after four years of marriage. The exes share daughters Willa, 4, and Delphine, 2. In October 2023, the exes struck a temporary custody agreement not long after Sophie sued Joe for “wrongful retention” of their young daughters. In January 2024, she filed to dismiss the lawsuit.
However, their divorce, which Joe first filed in September, has not yet been finalized. In those court documents, obtained by ET, Joe said “the marriage between the parties is irretrievably broken.”
Sophie has since moved on with boyfriend Peregrine Pearson, while Joe had a brief romance with Stormi Bree.
“Work It Out” is out July 19. Music For People Who Believe in Love is out Oct. 18.
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