You can hear it in the first electric moments of “See No More” – Joe Jonas has discovered his new voice.  His debut single as a solo artist is as infectious as it is heartbreaking, danceable as it is soulful and comes at you with a sound that is not what anyone expected.  Co-written with Chris Brown and producer Brian Kennedy, “See No More” has already earned solid reviews from both fans and music critics with Entertainment Weekly saying “the JoBro lead heartthrob sheds teen-pop tremors for sensitive-guy cool on this sultry midtempo torch song.” After six years writing and recording with his brothers Nick and Kevin, Jonas says that working on an album on his own was “liberating…in a way, but also a challenge, to finally be able to say 100% of what I wanted in a song.”

 

Jonas started working on solo material in early 2010 with the intention of combining the sounds and atmospheres of music he loves the most – Pop/Dance, Hip-Hop, Techno and House Music. “I wanted to make this album something a club DJ would listen to,” says Jonas. He teamed up with hit-making producers Danja (Britney Spears, Madonna, P!nk) and Rob Knox (Leona Lewis, Rihanna), who helped Joe create a sound that reveals his true musical personality. Sometimes that means he’s ready for a night out, as heard on harder-edged tracks like “Blacklight” and “Fast Life.” Elsewhere, on rhythmic ballads including “I’m Sorry” and “See No More,” his soaring voice is built over dramatic melodies to reveal a vulnerability not heard before from the 21-year old singer.

 

Throughout the year and into the Spring of 2011, Joe traveled to Miami and New York to work in the studio with Danja, and would return to Los Angeles to work with Knox and songwriter James Fauntleroy.  “I’ve written with everybody,” says Fauntleroy, “and a lot of them have no clue what to write – they’re not really music fans or they’re not analyzing why a song sounds a certain way. But Joe, he can WRITE.  Working with him, the songs come so fast and easy.” Adds Knox, “Joe knows what he wants, which really made this not a job at all.” The three hit it off so well that they’re talking about writing songs together for other artists.

 

When they weren’t busy recording, Jonas would find inspiration checking out DJs in Los Angeles and Miami and immersing himself in club culture. “We’d go out and just experience what every club was about,” Joe says. “We’d listen to certain DJs and see how they worked the crowd.  It was so new to me.  What was so cool was that the music and vibe would vary from city to city – Miami clubs and LA clubs are totally different.  But with this project, I wanted to find a sound that was universal.”

 

Jonas acknowledges that turning 21 last year had a huge impact on the sound and direction of the album. “It has a lot to do with coming of age,” he says. “You’re older, you’re able to go out with your friends, kick back, dance, whatever you wanted… but just get out there and have a good time. And this is the music I associate with that feeling – it’s the sound that lifts me up.” Jonas says that when he tours as a solo artist later this year, he hopes to bring the energy of a nightclub experience on the road with him. “I want the live show be a party, as if you could bring that kickin’ club vibe to everyone coming out to the show,” he says.

 

The biggest breakthrough he had during the past year working on the album was realizing he had to be willing to take chances. “Being able to grow as an artist is really key,” Jonas says.  “I actually got to meet Mick Fleetwood in Hawaii recently and the piece of advice he gave me was: ‘Take your fans on a journey, musically, and always test yourself by trying new stuff, so your fans ears will be accustomed hearing fresh things.’ That really stuck with me when I was making this record. I thought, ‘I’m not going to be nervous about trying new things, and I tried to keep that in mind the whole time.”

 

Jonas says he knew he needed to push himself when it came to writing lyrics as well. It was time to step out and truly say what was on his mind.  “I realized that music is my one opportunity I have to just get out there and say something that I’ve been holding back.  A song is like a safe zone, and if I need to get something off my chest, music is what I turn to. So I’ve been forcing myself to write really honest lyrics, which is not always easy. But this time, there’s holding nothing back. This is what I’m all about now.”