As Complex pointed out in their premiere today, we’ve seen it happen now time and time again: A boy band debuts, skyrockets to impossible heights, then comes crashing down to the ranks of nostalgia acts, allowing its individual members to embark upon solo careers of varying success. It happened with Robbie Williams and Take That. It happened with Ricky Martin and Menudo. It happened with Justin Timberlake and NSYNC. And, just give it 5 more years — we’ll have that Harry Styles record soon enough.
The same goes for The Jonas Brothers, the massively successful (and talented!) trio of brothers that peaked in the mid-to-late ’00’s. (And really, they were more of a band than an actual polished pop boy band.) At one point, they were inescapable. But by the end of last year, they’d formally called it quits. #Drama? Yes. But that’s done now. And the real fun begins again: The solo careers.
Granted, Nick Jonas isn’t new to music as a solo artist. He had a #3 record at the top of 2010 with his band, The Administration. But this time around, he’s not with The Administration, nor the Brothers Jonas — it’s just Nick.
Out of nowhere, the former JoBro dropped his Island Records debut today called “Chains,” crafted alongside Jason Evigan, the songsmith behind Demi Lovato‘s “Heart Attack” and David Guetta‘s fantastic new single, “Lovers On The Sun.”
The track sees Nick wandering into a darker, murkier R&B direction while wrapped in chains — a visual that, I’m going to guess, not too many people mind.
“Gave you my heart but you took my soul,” he soulfully aches above tripping beats. And then, that massive hook of chorus: “You got me in chains,” he declares above a clapping beat that builds before falling headfirst into a dirty, grinding beat drop. “Tryna break the chains, but the chains only break me…” It’s like a less indulgent Justin Timberlake song, or a male version of Rihanna‘s Rated R in 2014.
I wouldn’t change this love either, Nick — you’re onto something good.