Recommended tracks: “Sweet To Me,” “Gut Punch,” “The Greatest”
Artists you might like: Shawn Mendes, ZAYN, Charlie Puth
2016 really is back — pop music is once again at its peak, and Nick Jonas has just released his latest solo project, Sunday Best. Jonas dominated the charts a decade ago with his second solo album, Last Year Was Complicated, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, and with Sunday Best, he could find himself right back at the top.
Now in his thirties, Jonas has entered a new phase of his life — marriage, fatherhood, and a 20 year career with the Jonas Brothers, and so much more. While Sunday Best still delivers a pop-leaning sound, it feels more intentional this time around, with nods to the soulful, church-rooted influences that he grew up with.
This is as open and vulnerable as we’ve ever seen the 33-year old, sharing moments from his family life, personal battles, and his experience living with Type 1 Diabetes. Jonas kicked off the Sunday Best era by confronting his own inner critic on “Gut Punch,” which currently sits at No. 141 on the iTunes song chart. The single has even had its own viral moment on TikTok with over fifteen thousand posts using the lyrics, “If you find that inner child / Haven’t seen him for a while / Let him know he’s doing fine.”
If there was a perfect opening for the album, Jonas found it in “Sweet To Me.” He reconnects with the things that once made him joyous and fearless as a child, even as adulthood and its responsibilities have slowly pulled him away from that childhood innocence. “Knowing your neighbors / Small towns with just one main street, mm-hmm / Iced tea with two Splenda / Oh, that’s too sweet / It’s just too sweet.”
Between “I Need You” and “You Got Me,” Jonas celebrates the love he shares with his wife, Priyanka. “I Need You” is a tender piano ballad, with Jonas singing about her being “proof of heaven” and imagining a love that could last “’til the decades turn to centuries.” In contrast, “You Got Me” is playful and lighthearted, with lines like “You’re like ice cream and coffee / Blue skies and apple trees,” capturing the simple, joyful moments that make love feel effortless.
Nick reunited with Joe and Kevin on “The Greatest,” showcasing the harmonies that have defined the Jonas Brothers’ sound for two decades. As the only collaboration on Sunday Best, it stands out as a moment that puts family at the forefront, highlighting the album’s themes of love, connection, and personal reflection. With lyrics about leaning on each other during heartbreak, the song becomes an emotional anchor and a reminder that, no matter the challenges, they always have one another.
The LP closes with a love letter to his daughter and the power of imagination. “Becoming a parent shifts your world view on everything,” he reflects, and on “Princesses,” Jonas captures that sense of wonder and curiosity. I couldn’t think of a better way to wrap up an album than with something filled with love and the joy of watching someone experience the world for the very first time. “I get so caught up in doing my job / Put food on my table, been missing the plot / But you left me speechless the moment you started to talk.”
Keep up with Nick Jonas: Website // Instagram // TikTok // X
