I’m Nick Jonas, and I was in a sibling boy band. Ask me anything.

Thanks for doing the AMA. Not a huge fan, but I still respect your career.

I'm not being snarky when I ask this, I'm seriously curious.

Was the whole purity ring thing a part of your marketing to families and young kids. Or were you seriously about abstaining from gettin' down and it was just publicized to give you guys a cleaner image?

Did you just bail on it once a bunch fine women started throwing themselves at you? Or you still trying to be pure and whatnot?

I'm just trying to understand because you should be able pull like Leo no problem.

u/WakaFlakkaSeagulls, thanks for the question. And I don't think you're being snarky, I think it's a very good question. I'd like to start by saying this: I came from an incredibly religious home, growing up my dad was a pastor, and much like The First Family or people in front of the public eye, we were highly scrutinized as a family within the church and looked at as, well I guess you would call an example of what that family image should be. So long before our career started in music, that was what we were dealing with.

There was a person in the church who at one point demanded that all the kids in the youth group put these purity rings on and make this commitment, so without a full understanding of what we were stepping into, we all made this commitment.

But as you do, you grow up, you live life, you gain some world perspective and you develop your own views and opinions as it relates to faith, as it relates to sex, and everything that falls under the bounds of what your parents teach you and what comes from religion and you get to make your own choices.

So I started making my own choices, fell in love with somebody, made the choice to have sex with them, and from that point on it was about me being a man and being okay with my choices. And then it related to my art and people's view of me and the public eye.

I think it's always about being comfortable and confident in who you are. I've got a lot of perspective and real care about sex from those days and specifically because people were watching us, because it was such a strange thing to a lot of people to wear these purity rings especially as young men in a pop boy band. But I think when I'm looking back on it, although it was challenging to live with that, to be seen and have that attached to our name was very tough. I think it was a good thing. It gave me a really good perspective to where as now my main thing is about being okay with who I am as a man and the choices I've made, and I think everyone should have a good and solid conversation with either their parents or loved ones about sex and about what they want to do with their life, because it shouldn't be taboo. It's a big part of who we are and what makes us human, and if we can't address these things head on, then I think that it can really be challenging.

How did you feel about the South Park episode where Mickey beat the shit out of one of you guys and made you wear the purity rings?

When it first came out I didn't think it was funny to be honest, but probably because I was actually living all of that in real time and so it just made it harder to come and live your life as a young person and have all that going on. But years later and once the purity rings were no longer around, it was very funny to me and I've actually watched the episode a few times.

What's it like in the year 3000?

Well, not much has changed, but they live underwater, and your great-great-great-granddaughter is doing fine.

What was it like being in Hansen?

Almost as good as being in the Bee Gees. ;)

This is actually a fantastic response. Respect level increasing.

I'm glad to hear you say that. My respect level for you has been very high from Day One.

Thoughts on your ex Miley's new(ish)... persona? Have you talked to her lately?

Also, what is one thing about being a Disney channel star that would surprise people (not meant to be shitstirring, just something about the industry that people wouldn't know about)

To answer the first part, it’s been a while since I spoke to Miley, but I think that the persona is awesome and I think that she is living proof that you can continue to evolve as an artist and a creator. And I'm a huge Woody Allen fan, so I'm looking forward to seeing the show that she's doing with him.

As far as one thing people don't know, I think the main thing is that it does actually give you good perspective on work ethics. People confuse being a young Disney star with just the pressures that you face which is one piece to it, but it's more than just that.

Do you recognize people from meet and greet shows? My girlfriend has at least three different pictures with you backstage and swears you look at her at every show. She's at every one of your MD/DC based shows in the front row. She's gotta love you more than me to be honest.

I do my best to recognize people. I do meet a lot of people so it can be tough. But I recognize faces all the time and I'm not entirely sure if I'm looking at her during the show, maybe? Hopefully I see them at another meet and greet.

I think that's very kind. She can love us the same, how about that.

Hey, Nick! I've been Type One for almost 13 years and my question is how do you cope with it now, compared to when you were a kid? Because no matter how positive you be, everybody gets down about (ex. I went to my endo yesterday, and my a1c is 7.9, and hasn't been that high since 5th grade, and I'm in 10th now). Thanks!

Coping with diabetes is tough, regardless of what you do and how busy your schedule is. I've had challenges over the last couple years managing it. Thankfully I've got a great doctor, and great tools that I use that help me kinda keep it all together. And you know, your A1C is gonna go up and down, so I'd just say try to stay encouraged, and if you check it as much as you can and you have a CGM, that's really helpful as well, and just kinda stay on top of it.

As an 8.6 A1C, I envy you!

Well stay encouraged, all my diabetic friends. I'm in the 7 range and trying to get my numbers down. It is tough, but just stick with it. Do your best to stay on top of your blood sugar and we'll get our numbers down together.

Okay, Nick. Time for the most important question so far. Why not let your curls grow out again?

I like the short hair! It's easily manageable, and, I don't know...I don't even know if I grew it back out, if it would be curly again. My hair went back and forth a lot as a kid, being curly and not. So, I don't know. It could just come out straight, there's no way of planning these things.

Also the fact that I think there's an association with me as a young person with that hair; it needs to be a little while before I have it again.

Hey Nick! Did you keep your promise to Jimmy Fallon and watch those gangster movies he gave you? :)

I can't wait to see you and Demi on tour in Washington DC! I've seen both of you in concert before and am so excited to see you together.

I did keep my promise and I watched them all, and next time I go on the show I plan on answering every question with a quote from the gangster movies.

Hey Nick,

Thanks for doing this AMA, love your music. Do you have a favorite gas station snack?

Yes, turkey jerky for sure. The teriyaki flavor is my favorite.

Ex-Disney Channel star prefers inferior jerky product. More news at 11.

I’ll be sure to tune in. 11 you said?

How was it to shoot the slightly NSFW video with Tove Lo, and how was she to work with?

Shooting the video itself was amazing. I knew that she would be famous when it came to the visuals for this video, which made the whole thing feel a lot better, because we do basically strip down to our underwear and roll around on the ground together. Which was...a little painful at times! But, a really fun video to shoot, and I loved seeing the reactions.

Hey, What's something you can't do anymore because of your fame?

Well I've been doing this for a long time, so there's not really a whole lot of things that I was doing before that I can't do now. But it's kinda like just about thinking ahead, so I guess I can't really just go to a basketball game. And I can't just show up there, I have to have a security guy, and a car, and a whole situation to make sure it's all smooth, because you never know what's gonna happen.

Has anything ever happened to made you thankful your security guy was there?

Yea, there's been a few people jump on stage and get too close for comfort because you never know what people's intentions are. Also times when you open your hotel room for the first time and there is somebody in there who's not supposed to be, so that can be scary.

And there was one other time we were in a mall in Milan doing a signing and more people showed up than they expected and we had to make a run for it and our security guy was on top of this gang and got us out of there safely.

Boxers or briefs?

Speaking of sexy, I wear boxer briefs. The combo package is the best package to hold the package.

Hey Nick. I'd like to know how Jay Z helped you on your album's title?

Basically I went to play the music for Jay Z, who's now partners with my manager, Phil McIntyre. When he heard the record, I said, "I think I have a title picked out," and I told him. And he said, "After hearing all the music, I don't think it's quite right. I think you should try thinking of some other things. Can you just tell me what this year of your life was like?" And I said, "Last year was complicated." And he said, "That's it."

So he kinda helped me pick out the title, and having Jay Z in the corners was a good thing.

Nick, As a chick who was too old for the Jonas Brothers, you've recently grabbed me with your funky beats and great singing in your new album. What is your target demographic when you're singing/writing/putting together a song? Do you intend to make ladies feel sexy and to put the moves on to their SO's?

If you could be any other profession, what would you do?

Thanks for the AMA!!

I don't really go for a specific demographic when I'm writing music, I think it's more about just doing what comes naturally for me musically and melodically. It's been great to see people respond to music that weren't familiar with my work and with my brothers or were not fans of it and now it's transitioned to them just being a fan of me. So I think it's just about staying true to what comes to you and being, you know, kind of invested in that way.

If I could be any other profession, I'd like to be a professional athlete of some sort. Either a baseball player or a golfer. I don't know if that's still in the cards for me, but that would have been it.

Nick, I'm a huge fan and also happen to be gay. You seem to be very "gay friendly" and embrace your LGBT fans. Have you ever gotten any negative feedback for doing that?

I love all my fans, and to be honest, I really see no difference whether they're gay or straight. To me, it's all the same. If they come to my show, and support what I do, I'm incredibly grateful. And the LGBT community as a whole have been so amazing to me.

You know, I play a gay character on Kingdom, the TV show that I do, and that's been an honor, in a lot of ways, to tell this young man's story, who's really struggling to feel okay with who he is in a world that's incredibly macho - the fighting world. So, it comes with a lot challenges; it's a complex character, and faces a lot of really human issues.

So I think I see it all as an honor, and I'm thankful to have fans from many different walks of life, and their support means the world to me. More than anything I'm just grateful to be in the position to get to be in a spot where I can be comfortable with who I am, embrace all my fans, and love them just the same.

My wife and I both have a "Celebrity hall-pass" where we each chose 1 celebrity we can sleep with if the opportunity ever came up (Mine is Jennifer Lawrence...probably no chance, lol) Hers is you!! Since she doesn't Reddit I feel it is my husbandly duty to ask...Want to sleep with my wife?

So this is not the first time someone has mentioned the celebrity hall pass thing to me, and in reference I guess specifically to me being the hall pass of the couple. It's incredibly overwhelming to think about that and to think about the fact that that's actually a conversation that's been had and then they meet the person. So I don't know if I want that pressure, haha. And good luck with your hunt for Jennifer Lawrence. You know, anything could happen.

How is your dog elvis doing?

u/thesilverbullet007, cool name by the way! My dog Elvis is doing good. He's living with a family friend right now while I'm busy and traveling and doing all that. But he's awesome. I get regular updates, and he's just the man. Very handsome. But he's getting older, so, you know, he's almost 8.

What do you find is the most challenging aspect of songwriting? Also, what do you find most rewarding?

I think the most challenging aspect is getting the right group of people together to collaborate, in terms of nailing that chemistry and overall goal for the day. The most rewarding? There's no better feeling than writing a song and people connecting to it and then getting on stage performing it and hearing them sing it all back to you. It's just one of the best feelings in the world.

Hey Nick, what's with you and cold brew?

Me and cold brew have a really beautiful relationship. It's always been there for me and it's been a really really good friend in times of need.

So what is the deal with these buzzwords you keep doing on snapchat? They are adorable and hilarious but where did this come from haha

First of all, I'm going to snap simultaneously.

u/tuckerlvr asked what's the deal with the buzzwords. Buzzwords are all about making a huge impact on a viral scale. And really integrating synergies together to create something strategic, organic and authentic.

Hey Nick, my girlfriend is a huge fan, she has even made me a big fan of yours aswell.

What has been the biggest difference from being in the Jonas Brothers to being on your own?

I think the biggest difference has been in the ability to create my own destiny and really step forth, and probably my personal music inclinations and intuitions. I think that the evolution has been fun over the course of a couple years, and I'm really excited about these next steps and continuing to grow.

hey Nick,

What is a tuna fish sandwich artist?

-Marily

It's hard to explain, but basically I approach everything I do with a certain level of care and excellence. I feel like it's important to really be fearless when approaching any art form. And that's not limited to making tuna fish sandwiches. So, sometimes it's about really applying yourself, pushing that experience into this piece of art, so that each bite is overflowing with true care and excellence. Thank you.

Why was last year so complicated? Favorite cigar (type, brand)? What exactly is Champagne Problems about? What are you going to perform on SNL besides Close?

Last year was complicated, because no matter who you are or what you go through in your life, we all deal with the same human issues. I started writing the record and then had a breakup that became kind of the main thing that the songwriting was about. And actually, to answer the third question, Champagne Problems is a song about sharing a bottle of champagne with my now ex as we were breaking up to kind of close that chapter. It was sad and slightly sweet at the same time. It was a range of emotions and feelings and I think this song, although it sounds like a party song, actually has some of the deepest lyrics on the record.

And then cigars? I love a lot of different cigars but the EK52s are some of my favorites, and Party Gifts series D5 reserve 2008s are really good. I feel like I'm speaking a different language right now, but it's good stuff. I wouldn't mind being on the Cigar Aficionado cover, but I think they have a rule that you have to be 35, just like running for president, which is bullshit because I also want to run for president, haha. Look out Kanye. No, I'm kidding.

Last question: I want to keep that a surprise actually. But I can say that I will be performing Close with Tove Lo and I believe it's one of our first or first live TV performance, so I'm pumped.

What has been your most vulnerable song thus far in your career, and what do you believe is the most vulnerable song on Last Year Was Complicated?

I think up until this point, A Little Bit Longer has probably been one of my more vulnerable songs. But, I really pushed myself on the writing for this new record to go deep, and talk about things that were incredibly personal for me, and even uncomfortable at times.

And so, I think the song Chainsaw, people will see is incredibly vulnerable and personal. It's about walking back to the house you shared a lot of memories in with somebody. All the feelings that come with that, and kind of working through some of it, and I think that everyone has something in their life that they need to let go of, and Chainsaw represents that way of letting go. And it's actually been helpful for me, and hopefully will be helpful for other people.

We both saw Hamilton recently and I can't stop listening to the cast recording. Do you have a favorite song from the musical?

Thanks for doing this AMA!

Yes, the show is incredible, one of the best things I've seen on stage and I think Satisfied is probably my favorite song on the cast album and in the show. It's just amazing.

Any dream collaborations you have with any artist?

And also do you listen to rap? If so which rappers are you into right now?

I'd love to work with Kanye, and at some point in time Prince would be amazing as well. I had the chance to perform with Stevie Wonder at the Grammys with my brothers and play with Paul McCartney at the Whitehouse, so Prince is kinda like the completion to my Holy Trinity of music.

I do listen to rap. I love the J. Cole album from last year and obviously Kendrick is amazing. And then of course everyone's loving Panda by Designer right now.

Hey fellow snowboarder here!

Do people ever recognize you in the winter gear? Also what's your favorite resort?

No, people usually don't until I get to the bar and I have a beer, and I take my helmet and stuff off, and then I'm no longer in hiding. But, I would have to say I've got a soft spot for Mammoth because my brother and I have a place there. Also, Vale is amazing, and specifically the Sebastian Resort and Hotel there is incredible.

Since being on the show "Kingdom," have you become a fan of MMA? If so, favorite fights? Fighters?

Yes, I became a big fan of MMA. Naturally, being around real fighters and training MMA has kind of given me a totally different perspective. But, the Conlon brothers are really amazing to watch. I really loved watching people like Urijah Faber, when he fights it’s pretty entertaining to watch. Obviously Nate Diaz was pretty incredible.

But I hope that Rhonda comes back at some point in time. I always love seeing a champ come back and do their thing. So, hopefully that happens.

The only AMA I've ever been early for. I still have friends who will reminisce on the Jonas Brothers concerts they went to in high school. What's it been like doing a solo career compared to the days you were in a band with your brothers? Has it been hard to break into the main stream and being taken seriously since you were in a Disney supported boy band in the past? Thanks for doing an AMA!

Yea I think any time you transition from one career to another, specifically going from being a young child star to building an adult career it can be tough. There were a lot of challenges my team and I faced when we first launched my solo career. But I'm the kind of person that likes to attack things head on and just try to be as aggressive as possible with really setting up the next chapter and doing something different. I was thrilled when it actually connected with people and it made an impact.

Who is the smelliest Jonas brother?

Probably Frankie, the 15-year-old. He's awesome, but sometimes he does get a little bit of that stank on him.

if you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Pizza. I don't eat a whole lot of pizza because I try to stay pretty clean with my food, but occasionally I'll get into a pizza pie and just go to town. I'll do pepperoni, possibly some sausage, obviously some truffles from time to time.

Hey Nick! I'm such a huge fan (my first concert was a Jonas Brothers concert when I was 14!). So my questions is, would you rather fight one horse-sized duck or a hundred duck-sized horses?

I would rather right one hundred duck-sized horses, I think. Just seems more manageable. One larger object would be tough, I think.

What's your favorite drink?

I'm constantly switching it up with cocktails. There was a time when I was really into this thing called a Bombay Dream, which I created, which is basically Bombay Sapphire, sparkling water or club soda, a little bit of pineapple juice, and two limes. That's a solid drink, very refreshing.

And then, you know, I kind of regressed to just the regular Tito's vodka and soda with lime. And then for a minute there, it was a little bit of just tequila on the rocks. And now I'm kind of feeling club soda, tequila, and a touch of grapefruit juice. That's my go-to right now.

But then, all of this is trumped by my true love for Coors Light, the world's most refreshing beer. The silver bullet. Keeping it classy with Coors Light.

Hey Nick! Huge fan of your solo music and your music with your brothers. I've been following you guys since '06. Really stoked for Last Year Was Complicated & loving the single Close with Tove Lo.

My question: what are some solo songs & JoBros songs that mean the most to you? I know you've previously stated A Little Bit Longer is a close one JoBros wise, but wonder if your song choices have changed being a couple of years away from the group now.

Thanks for doing this AMA!

I think "A Little Bit Longer" is still up there on my list of songs that are closest to me, but as time's gone on you know in my solo stuff there's more, and there's more on this new record that I'm really looking forward to people hearing. One in particular called "Chainsaw" and a song called 'Unhinged".

And then with the brother stuff, I constantly go back and reminisce about the music that we released together and touring and you know it was some of the best years of my life. So you know, thinking back to some of those records that we released and got to play was really fun.

How often do you have sex now that you don't wear a purity ring?

u/nonnymiss, how often do you have sex?

Here's the reality: being an open book doesn't always mean that you have to share every deep dark secret of your life. It just means that in interviews when people have questions for you that have been a part of understanding who you are, you can address it and be okay with your answers now.

But I think out of respect for myself, and the people that I've shared that with, I don't need to answer that question. Also, isn't it way better to leave it to the imagination...