October, 2008
The Jonas Brothers
It's seven in the morning. An alarm clock beeps and three brothers struggle out of bed. Everything is pretty normal except for the fact that this scene has been viewed more than 800,000 times on the internet. It's part of a Youtube video entitled, "A Day in the Life of the Jonas Brothers". The three brothers, Kevin, Nick and Joe Jonas make up one of the hottest young bands in the music world today.
While there are many siblings who formed their own bands, the Jonas brothers are among of the few who consider their brotherly bond a big part of their identity as a group. The brothers joke around and behave like most siblings. They're not shy about their family's influence on their career. "We have such a family connection," said 20-year-old Kevin in an interview. "We really love being brothers, but beyond that, we love being one big family." Definitely not the usual thing you hear from a rock band.
Homework at 11
Viewing their video is like watching a typical family morning ritual. Eighteen-year-old Joe goes for a jog. Mom makes waffles. Kevin turns on the television. Dad reads the papers. Perhaps it is only the youngest brother, Nick, who reminds us that we're not watching an ordinary home video. After eating breakfast, the 15-year-old goes back to his room to write new songs. But, he has to stop by 11am because that's the time they do their homework. It is easy to understand why the Jonas Brothers are so appealing: in a way, they're just like their fans.
Each of the brothers also has his own unique talent and personality. Kevin is the most skilled at guitar and Joe is the crazy one. Nick , although the youngest, is the "old soul" among the three.
Although each brother had his own interests and personal dreams, they eventually found a common love for creating music. "It feels like the most natural thing we could be doing," said Kevin. "When we write a song, we get in a triangle. I start playing the chords that we've chosen over and over and then we'll keep going around in a circle until we've figured out the lyrics for our song."
Rapid rise
The Jonas Brothers was officially formed in 2005. The band released an album called It's About Time and toured the United States with other young performers such as Aly & AJ and Jesse McCartney. Their big break came when their video, "Year 3000", began receiving frequent airplay on the Disney Channel. After that, things just took off.
A new release from their second album, "SOS", is now the number one song on iTunes. The brothers have played for Radio Disney and the Meet the Robinsons soundtrack. Their most recent milestone is an appearance at the American Music Awards, where they performed alongside superstars such as Beyonce and Lenny Kravitz. The biggest highlight was seeing pop diva Celine Dion backstage, singing along to their songs!
Unlike most of their counterparts in the pop music scene, the band composes and writes all its own songs. On their official website, they cite a "lifetime of influences" that inspired their music, from My Chemical Romance to, of all groups, the Backstreet Boys.
Wide appeal
Perhaps, this is why the band's music has such wide appeal. With the brothers owning a whopping 29 guitars, you're assured that these kids know their music. They try out different styles, from dance rock to pop to punk. It's hard not to be impressed, especially when Nick and Joe are not even done with secondary school yet.
Of course, critics may doubt whether such young musicians can possibly pen meaningful songs about life. The band's songs cover a range of themes such as falling in love, breaking up and moving on. Their first hit, "Mandy", is actually about Joe’s ex-girlfriend while their current hit, "SOS", talks about a relationship that's not working out.
The Jonas Brothers also stand out because of their wacky sense of humour. Their online videos include a whole range of antics from a mock* tai-chi session featuring the band and their crew, to Nick showing off his "awesomely clean" closet (which really is quite organised, by the way).
When asked whether their parents were supportive of the brothers' career, Joe replied with a straight face, "Uh, you know, they don't even know we're in a band. It's kind of a secret. We actually tell them we go to school every day."
By YASMIN ORTIGA
* mock. Say "mok". Adjective. Pretend or imitation. A "mock leather" jacket is made of fake leather. When used as a verb, it means to make fun of someone by imitating him in an insulting way. For example: "The bully mocked the new student’s foreign accent."
While there are many siblings who formed their own bands, the Jonas brothers are among of the few who consider their brotherly bond a big part of their identity as a group. The brothers joke around and behave like most siblings. They're not shy about their family's influence on their career. "We have such a family connection," said 20-year-old Kevin in an interview. "We really love being brothers, but beyond that, we love being one big family." Definitely not the usual thing you hear from a rock band.
Homework at 11
Viewing their video is like watching a typical family morning ritual. Eighteen-year-old Joe goes for a jog. Mom makes waffles. Kevin turns on the television. Dad reads the papers. Perhaps it is only the youngest brother, Nick, who reminds us that we're not watching an ordinary home video. After eating breakfast, the 15-year-old goes back to his room to write new songs. But, he has to stop by 11am because that's the time they do their homework. It is easy to understand why the Jonas Brothers are so appealing: in a way, they're just like their fans.
Each of the brothers also has his own unique talent and personality. Kevin is the most skilled at guitar and Joe is the crazy one. Nick , although the youngest, is the "old soul" among the three.
Although each brother had his own interests and personal dreams, they eventually found a common love for creating music. "It feels like the most natural thing we could be doing," said Kevin. "When we write a song, we get in a triangle. I start playing the chords that we've chosen over and over and then we'll keep going around in a circle until we've figured out the lyrics for our song."
Rapid rise
The Jonas Brothers was officially formed in 2005. The band released an album called It's About Time and toured the United States with other young performers such as Aly & AJ and Jesse McCartney. Their big break came when their video, "Year 3000", began receiving frequent airplay on the Disney Channel. After that, things just took off.
A new release from their second album, "SOS", is now the number one song on iTunes. The brothers have played for Radio Disney and the Meet the Robinsons soundtrack. Their most recent milestone is an appearance at the American Music Awards, where they performed alongside superstars such as Beyonce and Lenny Kravitz. The biggest highlight was seeing pop diva Celine Dion backstage, singing along to their songs!
Unlike most of their counterparts in the pop music scene, the band composes and writes all its own songs. On their official website, they cite a "lifetime of influences" that inspired their music, from My Chemical Romance to, of all groups, the Backstreet Boys.
Wide appeal
Perhaps, this is why the band's music has such wide appeal. With the brothers owning a whopping 29 guitars, you're assured that these kids know their music. They try out different styles, from dance rock to pop to punk. It's hard not to be impressed, especially when Nick and Joe are not even done with secondary school yet.
Of course, critics may doubt whether such young musicians can possibly pen meaningful songs about life. The band's songs cover a range of themes such as falling in love, breaking up and moving on. Their first hit, "Mandy", is actually about Joe’s ex-girlfriend while their current hit, "SOS", talks about a relationship that's not working out.
The Jonas Brothers also stand out because of their wacky sense of humour. Their online videos include a whole range of antics from a mock* tai-chi session featuring the band and their crew, to Nick showing off his "awesomely clean" closet (which really is quite organised, by the way).
When asked whether their parents were supportive of the brothers' career, Joe replied with a straight face, "Uh, you know, they don't even know we're in a band. It's kind of a secret. We actually tell them we go to school every day."
By YASMIN ORTIGA
* mock. Say "mok". Adjective. Pretend or imitation. A "mock leather" jacket is made of fake leather. When used as a verb, it means to make fun of someone by imitating him in an insulting way. For example: "The bully mocked the new student’s foreign accent."