The Modern Icon: Nick Jonas

In just two years, Nick Jonas has married actress Priyanka Chopra, reunited with his bandmates and brothers, the Jonas Brothers, released a new album, "Happiness Begins" , starred in Roland Emmerich's film " Midway "and embarked on an international tour. Such is the career of the twenty-seven-year-old star, who emerged as a pop phenomenon in the days of "Hannah Montana" - remember the Disney sitcom with Miley Cyrus? 

But it hasn't always been smooth sailing: The discovery of his disease in 2007 (Nick is suffering from type 1 diabetes), the break up of his band in 2013, combined with an at times tumultuous relationship with his brothers, had all but removed him from the spotlight.

 In 2014, however, Nick rolled up his sleeves and achieved critical acclaim with his self-titled solo album, which includes the triple platinum and number 1 hit in the United States with the single "Jealous." He also bagged the prestigious "Hal David Starlight Award" of the Songwriters Hall of Fame dedicated to songwriters, and co-write a song entitled " Home" for the film " Ferdinand "(FOX Animation), in which he received a nomination for the Golden Globe 2018. 

His popularity on Instagram is ever rising, where he has a reach of 29 million followers with whom he talks to regularly, such as the announcement of new projects, most recently his role as a coach of " The Voice ", or little moments of private life.

What did you feel when "Sucker", the song that marked the return of the Jonas Brothers, reached the top on the Hot 100 on the Billboard chart?

We understood that it was still us. The emotion was incredible, we were afraid that we would not have been well received, that producers and collaborators would not have wanted to work with us. But no, and it was a good boost of faith, even for our personal paths. Thanks to the support of the fans, our return was a very special one.

You recently concluded the "Happiness Begins" tour with your brothers, what was it like being on stage?

It's a fantastic feeling. We have found a balance between the songs of the past and the new ones. We opened with "Rollercoaster", from the new album, because the roller coaster represents the most difficult moments emotionally, a carousel from which you get on and off, which is comparable to our career at the bottom. It's a fun and energetic song, and there is no better way to start. It makes us feel grateful for what we have. One of the songs that I enjoy playing most lately is "What a man gotta do" which we sang at this year's Grammys.

About "What a man gotta do", can you share with us the meaning behind it? In the music video we also find your wife Priyanka, actress Sophie Turner and Danielle, Joe and Kevin's wives ...

The song is about love and everything you do to win someone's affection. The spirit of initiative, the courtship, and even the dance indeed! It was exciting to shoot together with the family, as had happened with "Sucker".

 In the first sequences, there is an evident homage to "Sky Business", the scene in which Tom Cruise dressed only in a white shirt, terry socks and sunglasses, dances and sings Bob's "Old Time Rock and Roll" Seger. Director Joseph Kahn had created a carefree visual, where a reference also appears to "Grease". We shot half the day just for my scene where I danced around, a rather long time to be in shirts and underpants.

How do you see your career as an actor, producer and future director?

I want to continue acting and find new projects to work on. I have been acting in "Jumanjiˮ for the past two years. What matters to me is to think about the impact it will have on the public and to choose well the team to work with. I chose to produce the Netflix series "Dash and Lily" with my production company, Image 32, together with Shawn Levy, executive producer of "Stranger Things", I joined forces to create a new story based on the novel "Dash & Lily's Book of Dares" (in Italian, "How do you spell I love you"), written by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan. They are the same authors of the book "Nick & Norah: everything happened in one night", from which the 2008 film with Michael Cera and Kat Dennings was born.

What was it like being on the set of “Jumanjiˮ for the two films“ A New Worldˮ and “The Next Levelˮ?

The pressure of being associated with the original film with Robin Williams was eased when I learned that it was not a reboot or remake but a new adventure of "Jumanji", so we could rewrite our own story. There is a whole new set of characters and the board game becomes a video game. We took what we loved from the first "Jumanji" to a new generation in a new and current way. The veteran actors trio, which can be intimidating, is made up of Jack Black, Kevin Hart and The Rock (Dwayne Johnson), but they all made sure we had a great time, and I think it shows. Strange they didn't kick me out of the set, I laughed all the time.

Can you tell us more about "Chaos walking" directed by Doug Liman, what is your role?

The filming dates back to three years ago, and once you're done shooting you don't always have all the information you need. The release date is not yet certain, but it should be around January 2021. It is a sci-fi thriller based on the novels of Patrick Ness. It tells of a dystopian world where there are no women and creatures can hear the thoughts of others through a projection of images, words and sounds, called "Noise". My character is Davy Prentiss Jr, a young soldier led by jealousy. He is the son of the main antagonist, played by Mads Mikkelson. Mine is a not particularly good character, and is a longtime rival of the protagonist Todd Hewitt.

Can you tell us about the new project with Amazon Prime, which also involves your wife as part of the couples who are getting married?

The idea came to us having tried the Sangeet experience. They are the feasts and rituals that are celebrated in India the day before the wedding. It is a traditional rite, which involves singing and dancing, with a purpose of uniting and strengthening the bond between families. With Priyanka we thought, why not make it a show? I launched a contest/casting which can be accessed via my Instagram profile link. It is a tribute to love, a way to document everything behind the union of two people. I consider myself very lucky because my wedding was a  full on party, with double celebrations in America and India, where my wife's family welcomed me warmly, and an entire nation that even gave me a nickname "Jiju", which means sister's son-in-law or husband. And married life is fantastic!

Fashion has become a part of your daily routine, how do you coordinate your style with that of your wife? What do you like and how do you dress in your free time? What are your favorite brands?

I discovered that I am willing to experiment more than I did before, perhaps also because it is fun to do it with Priyanka and because despite having different styles, we always manage to be in tune, albeit with individual choices. I start from classic and simple pieces, but I always try to insert an element that really stands out in the look. I also believe that my style reflects my creative path, it is my way of expressing myself. I like brands like Ralph Lauren, John Varvatos, Dior and Louis Vuitton. I took my first steps into the world of fashion by launching my third fragrance with John Varvatos, which is called JVxNJ Silver Edition.

What other interest do you cultivate in your spare time?

I love playing golf! And I'm honing my interior designer skills; my wife and I had immense fun in furnishing the house together, designing, and choosing each piece of furniture.

Photography Ricardo Abrahão
Words Giorgia Cantarini
Styling Pablo Patanè
Hair & Makeup Charley McEwen and Frank Agency @ charley. McEwen
Location Rossendale Holiday Cottages, Dean Lane, Rossendale (Special thanks to Amanda and Mike @rossendaleholidaycottages)
Production Dreamers & Makers @ wearedreamersandmaker
Assistant photographer Aaron Hussein