When the Jonas Brothers possessed an unavoidable hold over popular culture, attention was centered on what they didn’t do.
Famous for their promise rings and clean-cut presentation, the brothers Kevin, Joe and Nick piqued curiosity as rapidly as they cultivated fame. Were they really as straightlaced as their marketing suggested? If so, how did they manage to resist the temptation associated with life as heartthrobs? If not, what were they like when the cameras stopped rolling?
Now that his band is broken up and his bubblegum image is in the rear view, Joe Jonas narrated a piece for New York Magazine.
Overflowing with intriguing confessions, the piece investigates numerous realms of his ascent as a pop star. From looking at the pressures of maintaining his public image, to the challenges of working under the Disney umbrella, to the constraints that affected his solo career, Jonas’ commentary serves to demystify conceptions regarding life in the realm of superstardom.
Most readers, however, will find their eyes drawn to specific sections of the piece.
One, concerning his flirtations with drugs and alcohol, identifies two fellow Disney stars–one of whom he famously dated–as his points of introduction to marijuana.
“The first time I smoked weed was with Demi (Lovato) and Miley (Cyrus),” noted Jonas. “I must have been 17 or 18. They kept saying, ‘Try it! Try it!’ so I gave it a shot, and it was all right. I don’t even smoke weed that often anymore.”
Jonas, who currently identifies himself as a casual drinker, also identified a meaningful incident involving alcohol.
“My 21st birthday, I fell down a flight of stairs. I was unconscious that time, and my whole team was scared to death that somebody was going to get a picture,” said Jonas.
Elaborating on his romantic relationship with Lovato, who notoriously dealt with demons during her Disney heyday, Jonas explained that his perceived need to care for his “Camp Rock” co-star masked his unhappiness in the relationship.
“One relationship that meant a lot to fans was the one I had with Demi Lovato, who I’ve known for years,” wrote Jonas. “I really got to know her and got to see the ins and outs of what she was struggling with, like drug abuse. I felt like I needed to take care of her, but at the same time I was living a lie, because I wasn’t happy but felt like I had to stay in it for her, because she needed help. I couldn’t express any of that, of course, because I had a brand to protect.”
He also commented on the alleged incident in which a paranoid Lovato punched another girl on a plane.
While the Lovato relationship did not succeed, Jonas did fare better at other turns. When he was twenty, he lost his virginity to a girl he claims was “the right person.”
“We decided to take the rings off a few years ago,” said Jonas. “I lost my virginity when I was 20. I did other stuff before then, but I was sexually active at 20. I’m glad I waited for the right person, because you look back and you go, ‘That girl was batshit crazy. I’m glad I didn’t go there.'”
Jonas, who referred to his publicly documented relationship with “Twilight” actress Ashley Greene as his first serious one, added that he has dated and hooked up with girls–including fans–whose identities remain under wraps.
As Jonas prepares for life in the wake of his band’s breakup, he is “genuinely excited because now I can go back to the studio with those people who I used to work with.”
“I don’t have to rely on anyone else’s opinion, whether good or bad, and hear them say, ‘No, no, you can’t go write with them. That’s too weird for us.’ Because weird works. Look at Lorde.”