Credit: Melissa Ruggieri
Credit: Melissa Ruggieri
She’s the candid personality and robust vocalist who released her fifth studio album, “Confident,” last fall.
He’s the muscled solo star of a beloved brotherly trio who earlier this month unveiled his third studio album, “Last Year Was Complicated.”
So the summer seemed like the ideal time for Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas — both 23 — to join musical powers and team for a tour.
They both progressed into adult careers after years spent in the Disney incubator, and now the professed best friends, label mates and business partners are launching their four-month joint outing dubbed the “Honda Civic Tour: Future Now” at Atlanta’s Philips Arena on June 29.
The pair recently hopped on a conference call with reporters to discuss the upcoming road show. Here are five things we learned from them.
Why this seemed like the perfect time to tour together:
Jonas: "I think Demi and I both sort of looked up about nine to 10 months ago and said how amazing both of our individual careers have kind of taken shape in a whole new way. And with our ability to become business partners as well, there are just even more layers of our worlds being intertwined and feeling like we're both at a place where, if we were ever going to do this again, it was right now … and knowing that we could put a really great show together for our fans, separately, but also as a whole night of music. So the opportunity just felt perfect, and once the creative conversations started, I think Demi and I were both on the same page in a lot of ways."
Lovato: "We chose now because our careers have really taken off over the past couple of years. Since we were younger, we made that transition from the kind of tween/teen world to the mainstream world and now that we've both been able to do that and we also started our own record label together, Safehouse Records, we thought it would make the most sense as not only label owners but label mates. And of course, we're best friends as well, so we thought it made perfect sense to go on the road together."
What fans can expect from the live show:
Jonas: "I think the focus is less on big gags and production elements because, you know, for Demi and I both now, that has less importance. But it's about building content that is unique and speaks to what we've gone through in our lives and isn't just straight down the middle. Musically, (we're) just really elevating ourselves and making sure all the arrangements are dialed in and are exactly the way we see it and imagine it. It's going to make for a really special night, so instead of just doing separate sets, we're going to make it a night of music — the first set and then it kind of seamlessly goes into Demi's and then mine, together, moments where feeling really personal and connected to the audience and more broad sort of big scope moments to create a real dynamic in the show."
Credit: Melissa Ruggieri
Credit: Melissa Ruggieri
On how life is different now:
Lovato: "My days now consist of doing things that are going to better myself. Right now, I'm actually at the gym and just took a break from my workout to do this interview and basically I have a great environment here and I take my meetings here. I do whatever I need to and then I go back and I work out some more and then I go to the studio. So my life right now consists of gym, AA meetings and the studio. And I love it."
Their decision to cancel their North Carolina concerts because of the HB2 law (known as the “bathroom bill,” it has been widely perceived as discriminatory against gay and transgender people):
Jonas: "I think that Demi and I felt it to be really important and it's a tough call to make. We obviously feel disappointment ourselves knowing that our fans that were looking forward to the show were disappointed, but there are these moments when something is as important to you as this issue was and is, where you kind of have to make a strong stand and hope that your fans unify with you. But it is just an overall disappointing situation, and hopefully there are artists that are always willing to make bold choices to stand for what they believe in."
On the connection with the LGBT community:
Lovato: "Well, for me, I've always been kind of an outsider when I lived in Texas. I never fit in and I didn't agree with a lot of the opinions down in the South, and when I got out to California, I just saw a whole new world and I thought, I have no idea why this isn't like the rest of the United States and the rest of the world, to be honest. So, I'm just standing up for what's right."
