On Purpose with Jay Shetty - NICK JONAS: The REAL Story Behind a Lifetime of Fame, His Inner Critic, and How Fatherhood Changed Everything

Episode Date: February 4, 2026

What happens when success arrives before you truly know who you are. How do you learn to quiet the inner critic while becoming a better partner, parent, and person in the process? Today, Jay sits down with Nick Jonas for an intimate conversation about identity, purpose, and the inner work that comes with growing up in the spotlight. Nick opens up about what it was really like starting his career so young, dealing with rejection early on and growing up with the pressure of being labeled “the shy, creative one.” As the conversation unfolds, Nick shares how fatherhood, marriage, and health challenges have profoundly redefined his priorities. He reflects on the vulnerability of becoming a parent, the anxiety that comes with loving someone so deeply, and the grounding practices, movement, routine, and therapy that help him stay present. Through stories of his daughter’s early days, his evolving relationship with faith, and the inspiration behind his new music, Nick reveals how creativity became both a refuge and a mirror, allowing him to heal, grow, and speak more honestly than ever before. Jay and Nick discuss what it truly means to be a good partner, a present parent, and a kinder version of yourself, especially when life feels overwhelming. In this interview, you'll learn: How to Turn Life’s Hardest Seasons Into Creative Fuel How to Stay Grounded When You’ve Lived Life in the Spotlight How to Be a Present Partner Instead of a Defensive One How to Navigate Anxiety Without Letting It Define You How to Reconnect With the Fearless Version of Yourself How to Build Emotional Resilience Through Routine and Movement How to Show Up as a Better Parent by Healing Yourself First Wherever you are in your journey, know that it’s okay to slow down, ask better questions, and choose compassion over criticism. You’re allowed to evolve, outgrow old labels, and rewrite the way you speak to yourself.  Nick Jonas’ new album, Sunday Best, out February 6th: https://nickjonas.lnk.to/SundayBest With Love and Gratitude, Jay Shetty JAY’S DAILY WISDOM DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX Join 900,000+ readers discovering how small daily shifts create big life change with my free newsletter. Subscribe here.  Check out our Apple subscription to unlock bonus content of On Purpose! https://lnk.to/JayShettyPodcast  What We Discuss: 00:00 Intro 03:13 Who Is Nick Jonas Today? 05:02 Stepping Onto Broadway at Eight Years Old 07:00 What was It Really Like Growing Up in the Disney Spotlight? 08:40 Facing Financial Uncertainty as a Kid 11:08 Turning Deep Struggle Into Music 14:53 Finding Your Identity Beyond Labels 16:42 The Ongoing Journey of Self-Discovery 19:20 Why Early Exposure Became the Best Training Ground 22:16 Everyone Makes Mistakes 25:34 Recognizing and Quieting Your Inner Critic 31:53 Understanding the Unconditional Love of a Father 36:05 Staying Emotionally Strong for Your Family 40:18 The Moment He Fell for Priyanka Chopra 42:33 The Blending of Two Cultures  45:45 What His Wife Really Thinks 51:45 What Does it Mean to be a Good Husband? 54:50 Seeing the World Through a Child’s Eyes 58:06 The Fears That Come With Fatherhood 01:01:34 How Movement Helps Clear the Mind 01:03:53 Navigating Stressful Moments With Grace 01:08:04 Nick on Final Five Episode Resources: Nick Jonas | https://nickjonas.com/  Nick Jonas | https://www.instagram.com/nickjonas  Nick Jonas | https://www.tiktok.com/@nickjonas  Nick Jonas | https://www.youtube.com/user/NickJonasVEVO  Nick Jonas | https://x.com/nickjonas  Nick Jonas | https://www.facebook.com/nickjonas  Nick Jonas | https://nickjonas.tumblr.com/  Nick Jonas | https://www.snapchat.com/@jicknonasSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast, guaranteed human. I think that I sort of created a label for myself because I was being told that I was the shy one or whatever it was at that time or the sort of creative, moody one. And these labels, like, they do stick with you as you get older and you start to sort of subscribe to it as well. And then it becomes a part of your self-talk. Hey, everyone, welcome back to On Purpose. Today, I'm sitting down with Global, Global, superstar Nick Jonas, singer, songwriter, actor, from solo hits like jealous and chains to chart-topping anthems with his brothers, Nick has continually evolved both personally and creatively. Nick is set to release his fifth solo album, Sunday Best, out February 6th, 2026, an intimate project

reflecting his life as a husband, father, and the purpose he's found beyond the spotlight. Please welcome to On Purpose, Nick Jonas. Nick, it's great to have you here. Finally, I feel like I've been waiting for this moment. Long overdue. And that intro was amazing. Thank you. I'm very flattered.

I always have to say to my guest that you had to live it. And we were just talking. I mean, you've done thousands of shows since you started performing as a young kid. I was so lucky. I got to see you all at American Dream More last year, which was amazing. A few years ago, we were just reminiscing 2021. I got to, I think, travel with you and the brothers for like three shows. You were on tour properly with us.

I was on tour for three shows out of like the 100 you probably did that year. It was great to have you. Yeah. How did you and Joe meet? Me and Joe met, do you know what's crazy? We met online during the pandemic. Him and Lily Collins were hosting a charity event.

Yeah. And I was asked to come on and lead a meditation online. Got it. And Lily and Joe both messing me afterwards separately and said, can you teach meditation to us and our friends? Incredible. And that's how me and Joe met. And so it was one of the.

those surreal experiences where we had a two-year friendship online before I even met him in New York, which is then when I met him. Marks, you know, a time where most connections were made on the internet while everyone was staying at home during COVID. But he was so excited to have met you and then to be working with you and doing the group that you guys did. Was it every Sunday or? Yeah, it was like every Saturday or Sunday he would decide Zen Zone and it lasted 75 weeks. It's incredible. It's unbelievable. People got engaged from it. Yeah, married. People's lives were changed.

They got babies now, like Vanessa and Carl. And then I got to meet you and Kevin on that tour. And I was just saying to you, I was so impressed. First of all, you guys are the nicest people in the world. I remember we went out for dinners that time, you know, hung out. But more importantly, you were so calm and collected before you went on. You were such a good time before you went on. I was always like trying to be out the way and you guys just made us feel like part of the family.

And then you'd go out there absolutely crush it, you know, 25,000 fans. Sometimes in the middle of nowhere, just like going. crazy and it was so fun to be with you guys honestly it was great to have you and some really great conversations i remember some of the flights and just the dinners we had but that tour specifically was was a crazy one because it was during you know the pandemic and we were one of only a few artists that were really able to get out safely and and play some shows we love performing and that's why we do it as frequently as we do once our obviously our plans changed once uh code had happened and everyone had to be at home um we were we were really grateful that we caught a window

where we could go and safely play those shows. And they could come join us. Yeah, yeah. Be on the road, be a roadie for a few days. Yeah, yeah, it was amazing. I only lasted three shows, I think, you know. But Nick, I feel like I've been watching your interviews with the brothers, I've seen so much of what you've done.

But this is like the first time you've sat down separate of the brothers since you guys got back together and the band got back together. Who's Nick Jonas today separate of the Jonas brothers? It's a great question. Changes every day, I feel like. You know, I, for those. that don't know, that are watching or listening to this, you know, in the last couple of years, my life's changed quite a bit. My wife and I is, you know, my wife, Priyanka, we have a beautiful

daughter named Maltimari, Chopra Jonas. Parenthood has really changed my life in so many ways, but also my perspective and the way I view myself and, you know, as it relates to my work as well. Obviously, there's a huge influence there as well. And so I think I had a better sense of who I was prior to that and then everything shifted once she arrived. What's great is that I have this wonderful outlet in my songwriting and my music career where I can speak about some of these things that are happening in my life. And luckily, you know, our audience, both with the brothers and solo, have really grown with us and they're kind of going through some of the same life experiences. So it really is like speaking to peers and people that can understand kind of the

language, right, and understand just what you're going through. So I, I, I've felt some freedom to express myself even more in my work these days, which I think is reflected in my latest album, which I know we sent over before for you to listen to a track or two, just to get some context. But I'm really looking forward to people hearing this work and kind of listening to these lyrics and getting a window into my life. Yeah, I'm excited to dive into Sunday Best.

I booked out some of my favorite lyrics from some of the songs, So we'll get to that. But I wanted to ask you, like, go back a little bit. What you're saying is almost like you started performing at an age when kids don't even know who they are. Yeah. And your life was so public. What was that like now looking back? Like, what was that experience like?

Yeah, I started performing when I was professionally when I was eight. I was doing Broadway shows as a kid. You know, our parents, very musical people, our dad was a minister in New Jersey at the time. And we were, you know, close enough to New York City. this dream of mine to go and perform on Broadway stage was actually somewhat of a possibility. And I happened to be in a hair salon with my mom when I was like six or seven years old, just singing, as I always did, you know, some show tune. And the woman next to her leaned over and said, hey, my son is actually on Broadway right now on Les Mis. Your son could do it. You should

go see this manager. So a couple weeks later, they drove me and the brothers to go see this manager named Shirley Grant. She was this lovely older woman with all these photos of kid actors on her wall that she had made famous. And she was kind of a staple in New Jersey for kids that wanted to be in the business. And I went in and I auditioned for her saying, you know, all the songs I knew, which was mostly just pop music. And then she said, well, there's some signs here that we could have, you know, a path ahead of us, but you need to go learn show tunes.

So I spent six months devastated that it didn't just happen, you know, my very short-sighted seven-year-old mind thinking. my career was over. And I started learning show tunes with my dad and came back and auditioned for her again. And she started sending me on auditions. And eventually I was on the Broadway stage. And I've really not looked back since. Went from doing that for three or four years to recording music.

And then just the stars kind of aligning. And obviously me and the brothers had a song that we wrote. We were kids that someone heard that label and won't sign all three of us. And it just kind of went from there. Growing up on Disney in front of millions, like how did that shape your sense of self now when you reflect back on it? Being, you know, the first family of the church, right? My dad was the pastor, we were expected to behave a certain way, expected to be sat in the front pew of the church every Sunday morning with our tie and, you know, our suit on. And there was a lot of eyeballs on us, which I think was actually great training ground for what we would then experience on Disney so many years later.

We didn't expect that to happen. We were initially signed to a label that didn't really know what to do with us. And we got dropped after our first album came out. And we were, you know, hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt, credit card debt, money that we did not have. Because there's no money in ministry, really. We had to sort of figure something out. And thankfully, we got a call from Hollywood Records, which is, you know, under the Disney umbrella. And they said, we know what to do with the guys.

And a couple weeks later, they had us on the Disney Channel and things just started going. But the real head scratcher was, okay, what does it look like when it goes from just a couple hundred people in a church with all their eyeballs on you to millions upon millions of people where, you know, you're expected to sort of behave a certain way? I think our parents did a great job. We all turned out somewhat okay, I think. But, you know, you see the stories. We've all seen the stories of people that have really struggled coming out of that. or while they're in it. And I think it's a credit to their parenting.

Yeah, I've met your parents. They've been wonderful people. The best. Yeah, yeah, great energy. And you can see where you three get it from. But yeah, it's even that early failure. I mean, to be failing at that age, to be dropped from a record label, tons of debt.

Like, when I hear that, I go, okay, when you look at it from today's perspective, you're like, oh, yeah, of course. They made it anyway. It didn't matter. But it's like, at that time, I can imagine that being really heavy on your family, on was it quick enough a pivot where Hollywood Records came or was it, did you have to sit in that

pain for a little bit? You know, there was a couple things happening in our life at that time that made, you know, the career aspect of it almost feel less of a burden than some of the personal things that were going on. You know, our dad was at that church for 10 years. It was a real, you know, safety net for us and a place where we felt a part of a community. And, Some of the families that were there prior to our arrival did not like my dad and made it their mission to get him pushed out of the church. So effectively, he lost his job while also funding this band, this dream of ours. We had to move out of our home because we were living in the church parsonage, which is owned by the church. So we moved into basically a little house in a place called Little Falls, New Jersey.

the owners of the home were kind enough to let us rent it from them for basically nothing while we were in this transitional period. And around the same time, while we're on tour doing a school tour, basically we would show up at 8 a.m., load in our own gear and play a 30-minute assembly, basically. And then there was an anti-drug message at the end of it that our uncle Josh, who was our tour manager, would give. You know, around this time, I'm starting to lose weight. I'm thirsty all the time. I'm using the bathroom all the time and kind of just thought it was a gross spurt or that I was just going through puberty. Obviously, it wasn't that. It was a diabetes diagnosis.

So it all kind of collide at the same time and looked up and life just looked very different. And so it took a lot of faith and even questioning faith at that time, going from the safety and of the church to all of a sudden being sort of betrayed by them. and having to redefine relationship with God while going through some of your toughest moments. It's weird, weird time. But we came out of it, okay. And that phone call from Disney

kind of changed our life. Yeah. I mean, it's interesting that you put it into perspective that like losing a record deal compared to your dad losing his job, you know, the faith challenges that's happening, you going through diabetes. It's like, it's interesting when you look at your life like that

and everything's put into perspective. I just had a friend who's an author. she just had a book come out and she was talking to me about how before the book came out all she was thinking about was book sales and data and if she'd get on the New York Times and all this kind of stuff that you think about. And then she had a family go through a health scare and her partner went through a health scare and it was really serious and she was just saying that she was in one sense grateful that that happened before because it just completely made her zoom out and the perspective completely changed and she wasn't worried about all those things that we would

naturally be worried about. What did you do as a family and what did you do individually at that time to kind of keep that faith, as you said? What were those challenging questions you were asking? What were the things coming at you that you were then able to find your center or grounding? What helped you do that at that time? Writing music. Our parents got us say a V-drum kit, which is an electronic drum kit, where you could hook up your iPod and play along to the track. So it was kind of the way that I learned how to play drums and in that basement that that drum set was kept in. We also had a little guitar rig and a keyboard. And I was growing up going through life stuff, right?

First love, first date, all this kind of things that are a very good foundation to write music. You know, we had a good sense of what we wanted the next record to sound like. We didn't know if we'd be able to make one because things were not going so well. But we just kept writing. We went down there every day. and tried to write the best song we could. And we came out with a demo from that chapter of our sort of toughest windows of family,

nine to ten months, came out of the demo CD with 11 songs that would then become the self-title album that we released that connected and went on to sell millions of units and really redefined our career and our life. But it was born out of this incredible struggle that we were going through

and kind of desperation almost, which I don't think is a great way to write from, great place to write from, but sometimes it is the fire you need to sort of get over that hurdle. And when I listen back to those songs now, I still really resonate with some of the messages in there and even the age-appropriate writing. I think our dad was really great

and encouraging us to listen to the greats, the Eagles, the Beatles, Beegis, Stevie Wonder, but also to like what we liked. And at that time, it was 2004, 2005, the sort of emo, pop-punk scene was massive. And we really responded to, I think, some of the angst in the music, because we were teens who were going through this stuff

and also navigating, dating, and all those other things. And so we started kind of infusing that into our sound. And it really became a crucial part of the early records for us. and obviously as we've evolved, so has the sound. But I think back on those times, even amidst the struggle, with a lot of appreciation. Yeah. Just it always, I love learning that because it just constantly points to how,

when you're going through tough times, creating and building and doing something, and taking action is always half the solution in terms of like getting momentum, moving forward, We're trying to create, build, grow, do something just allows humans to break through these really difficult times that go on in life. Looking back, was there a challenge growing up as a Jonas brother and not just as Nick? Finding your own identity amidst a group is always tough. That's not unique to us.

That's any siblings, right? Go through something like that where they've got to find their own identity. And even, you know, their place in the family. for each of us being sort of labeled a thing because it's the easiest way for people to sort of digest a new band is to say, well, he's the this one, he's the this one. And it got tiring, you know, because I'm sort of inherently like a pretty reserved person. I think the people that know me best would say that I'm actually quite outgoing once you get to know me. But I think that I sort of created a label for myself because I was being told that I was the shy one or, you know,

whatever it was at that time or the sort of creative, moody one. And these labels, like, they do stick with you as you get older. And so I think when I got into my sort of late teens and early 20s, especially as I started to explore sort of my identity as a solo artist and as an adult, I tried to shed that. And when I look back on it now, as a person in my 30s, I can kind of like laugh at the stages of life and how those early labels, and trying to find my identity amidst this group,

you know, really shaped who I became. Yeah, yeah. And you see that across like musicians, actors, athletes as well where like they get a label and now you're almost playing the caricature of that label. Yeah. And having to because, A, there's some success attached to it. But like you said, you're just a young person still figuring out who you are. It's easy to be the thing that everyone thinks you are.

How do you think that that was limiting? and in what ways was it actually helpful? The ways in which it was limiting were that you start to sort of subscribe to it as well. And then it becomes a part of your self-talk. You know, I was not regularly in therapy in my teens. I think because our dad was from, you know, a ministry background, there was sort of a taboo around it. We would often, you know, refer to sort of therapy as more like a counseling session

with a person in the church. Throughout those years following our exit from the church, I really questioned faith and what relationship I would have to sort of organize religion at all, which is something that I can say now, knowing that my relationship with my God is totally intact and that my belief is totally intact. And I think it's important for everyone to go on sort of that journey of self-discovery. But during that time, I think we could have all benefited from sort of a more traditional mental health approach. So that's how it's limiting to answer that question. And then how it helped. It made me really tough. I have nothing to complain about in my life because I am eternally grateful for every thing that has been given to me.

Every experience I've been afforded. and I understand that I walk in privilege, and so I'm grateful for that. That being said, life does still throw you curb balls, and there are things that are challenging. I'm grateful for the grit that I had to take on because living a public life comes with these things. It comes with the very good,

the things that we all think are glamorous and amazing, and also with some shit that you've got to navigate. and whether it's family or friends or just sheer determination and grit, that's, I think, the positive I pulled from it. Yeah, thanks for saying that because I think what I'm encouraging all our listeners to do as well is think about how all life experiences are both limiting and helpful. And I think as humans, we have this ability to paint an experience all bad or all good. Yeah.

And the reality is, no, there's nuance there and there's gray, and it's good to be able to reflect on something that was tough and go, actually I've got a lot of great stuff from that too. Yeah. Like in so many ways, that's what's made me strong and resilient and ready for the future. At the same time, I'm aware that, hey, it would have been great to have some traditional therapy or, you know, some things at that time. And I think having that approach is so helpful.

What was romanticized about the Disney era that now you look back on and go, that was probably not that healthy? Well, I mean, it's global exposure. And when they turn, I call it the faucet. When Disney turns the faucet on, it just goes, right? And when they know they have something that has potential to be successful, they're the best team and company to market that to the audience that they've spoken to with such excellence for as long as they have.

At that time, you had a pretty incredible graduating class. I mean, if you look at the success that everyone from that kind of area has had, post-Disney, I think it says more about their ability to find talent that has legs, that has a potential for real adult success in addition to the success on the channel. What I romanticize about it and what I think back on is those elements, the idea that there's this big company that can just make things happen and it's exciting when it does. But also now, you know, being a part of a thing like a Camp Rock, for instance, is, you know, really incredible.

I think for a while, as I was trying to solidify myself as an adult performer and creative person, some of those things from our Disney Pass were, like, embarrassing, like looking back at a yearbook would be for somebody. Now, I'm just so proud to have been a part of something that had the global reach that that had or other projects we did with them. And it isn't until you're, you know, you're grown and, And you've sort of, you're on the other side of that, that you can see that perspective. And yeah, I just, I look at it and go, wow, those kids were fearless, all of us.

And really had no formal training or, I mean, it shows in some cases. But it's the best training ground there is. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. If someone said today, Nick, you're shy, you're moody, you're the creative one. How would you react to that? I would say you're right to some degree, but I don't know, you sit and break bread with me or have a drink, you'll see pretty quickly that I like to have a laugh. I am thoughtful in the way that I respond to questions and the things that come out of my mouth I know bear consequences or bear fruit, right? There's good to be had.

There's also times that you say a thing you didn't mean to say or you make. a joke that doesn't quite land right. And you know, you fall flat on your face. And we've all had those moments. Two things can be true. I can be the person I was as a team where I was given that label, but I can also evolve and become this other sort of more dynamic person that I strive to be. Yeah, absolutely. I'm glad you said that. And I feel like when we were at dinner, you were the one sparking off really thoughtful conversations and like, you know, getting us all kind of like discussing something interesting. And I'm like, and hearing you say that, I mean, I think about my experience in a much more

smaller way than you, but I've always felt that like because of what I do for work and because of my who I am online, which is who I am, it's just a part of me. I often feel everyone's like, oh, well, Jay takes life really seriously and he can't joke around. And I'm like, my friends, you know, be the best, know that all I want to do is banter and like rip into someone because that's who I am behind the scenes. And that's who I truly am. And obviously that isn't, it's not that it's missing. aligned with my work. It's just we're all these 360 degree people, but because we watch everyone

for 30 seconds on a TikTok or a reel, you kind of become this very simplified version of yourself. Yeah, it's so true. And there are times now I feel like I watch back certain interviews that I've done in the past. And I try not to be ultra-critical of myself. I am. We all are, I feel like. but I sort of have this yearbook that lives out in the world. You know, I can't kind of control that. That's just part of the thing. But I often will watch back interviews and go, hmm, I can see where I was like projecting what I wanted people to think of me.

Or, you know, I'm withholding a hot take or an opinion that I think might get me in trouble. I've been fortunate enough to have not misstepped in my life to in a way that, would limit my ability to continue to do what I'm doing, we are all capable of making mistakes. And I feel like, you know, having having the world get to sort of see into my life has been both wonderful and also really frightening at times. Yeah, yeah. So I try to live honestly and just, you know, lay it out for people now because I think it's just way easier to connect.

And so to your point about the dinner conversations, I love the freedom of having great in-depth, intense conversations with friends and having a laugh as well. I'm getting more and more comfortable, kind of fully being myself for the world to see as well. Yeah, I like the way you put it, though. It's like the world has access to your yearbook. Yeah. And that's a really interesting way to think about it. Based on what you just said, actually, I wanted to pull out a lyric here that I had from,

Yeah, so you were just saying there that often when you look back at your interviews, you can look back and we can be critical and negative. And you're right in your new single gut punch. I'm going to read your lyrics back to you, if that's okay. Sure. You said, hit me like a gut punch. I hurt my own feelings. How did I get so good at being mean to myself? I should turn the heat down, tell myself to chill out.

Damn, I really hate the way I talk to myself. Now, what would it be like if I just tried to be nice to the person that I'm seeing in the mirror? if you find that inner child haven't seen him for a while, let him know he's doing fine. And I feel like, like when I hear that, I'm like, yeah, I can relate to it. You've got a lot more material to kind of be critical of yourself for that's visible to other people as well. When did you first become aware of the inner critic that was so strong?

Like, when did you start to recognize? Wait a minute, I can be quite hard on myself. I think after I was diagnosed to type 1, diabetes, a major shift happened in my life where I never believed that I did anything to get diabetes. For those that don't know, type 1 is an autoimmune disease. It's not the same as type 2, which can be caused from a number of things, but porting habits, lack of exercise would be sort of the main cause of type 2. Whereas type 1, your body just decides it's going to stop making insulin naturally. and so then your glucose levels are it's not possible for them to be in range which has a number of major side effects and i think the biggest misconception which i've tried to be a part of you know educating people on because i know it's really just an education issue and and there's no bias per se

um just people don't know that it can be deadly if it's not treated so when i reflected you know this is when i first started doing therapy my early 20s. on kind of the way in which I handled living with this disease. I became very critical of how serious I was taking it or even the opposite end of that spectrum, which is, am I taking it too seriously? You know, at that time, there was a lot of noise made about it because I was sort of the only public person talking about

type one in this way as an advocate. And I became really discouraged by some of the feedback. This was the first time I recall feeling, and I'm going to use a big word here, and I don't mean for it to sound so intense, but feeling betrayed by people. In the sense that I wanted to just be a normal kid like everybody else and not be dealing with this thing. I wasn't trying to make a meal out of it. I'm just sharing my truth about this, and it was made to feel like, oh, he's making too big a deal. and it's not that serious.

And so I became very critical of like everything I was doing in that sense, whether I was doing enough to manage it or not enough. And then later on, you know, in my life, I was met with a situation where I really kind of fell flat on my face, not literally, but that would have been better actually than what happened. But I had a TV performance where this guitar solo moment that I was supposed to play as a feature on a Kelsey Ballerini track just didn't happen.

Like I went blank. I hit a bad note, and then I couldn't kind of recover. And I built up this skyscraper of, you know, this idea that music and being a musician was my whole identity. And it was it was unimaginable how important that was to me for that skyscraper to stay standing and not have any cracks in it or anything. And I had to sort of. relearn who I was if you took this thing away. It'd be like taking my singing voice away. Who am I? What do I do?

And it was just a really tough season of my life. And everything I did after that, I was just incredibly critical of myself. And then I started to do that thing where you make the joke before others can. You think it's already in the room before you arrive. So you have to, and no one was thinking about it. And that's been true a number of times in my life where I feel like something's happened. that didn't go the way I wanted it to and that everyone's talking about it.

And so there's that wrestle of like, am I just a narcissist thinking that this is as important to everybody else? There's even more judgment. Yeah. And then it's just a cyclical thing. And so the gut punch lyrics were really important to me because it's the first time I've been able to say this thing that I felt for a long time.

And it wasn't until we got to the bridge where I wrote that line. My co-writers and the song are amazing and really allowed for me. to be this honest. I felt kind of similar the way I do with you, which is that I can speak more freely

because you've created the environment for me to do that. It feels welcoming and warm to that. And they did the same thing. And I just started talking about, you know, I said, I think my hair stopped growing. Is that even a thing?

I haven't lost any of it, but something ain't the same. Maybe it's a metaphor. Is even that deep? I think my hair stopped growing, or is it me? And it was sort of like a poem that I had wrote in the mirror that morning. And it was funny at first. It made me chuckle.

And then I realized when we got to that, or is it me part? Like, oh, that's what it's about. Like, I actually was surprised that I was willing to be that honest. A thing maybe I didn't want to say out loud. Anyway, got to the bridge and that lyric is my favorite on the album, which is about the inner child because I feel like, as I mentioned, before, that kid was fearless and he was just doing it. And I'd love to spend some time with him again because I admire his grit, his fearlessness. I feel like I've reverted to like factory

settings or something and maybe I need to, I don't know, but he's cool. Yeah, yeah. Thank you for going there. It's so fascinating to me that we first judge ourselves for mistakes or things that we call mistakes, then we judge ourselves for, you. judging ourselves because then we're like, wait a minute, why am I judging myself for judging myself? That makes me even worse. Yeah. And now you're like three judgments deep on judging yourself for feeling shame and guilt and then judging yourself for the fact that you're judging yourself for having shame and guilt.

And it feels like a very, everything you just said feels like a very real emotion that each and every one of us can resonate with, right? I'm sure everyone who's listening right now can go, yeah, I've had moments like that when I didn't feel like I did the right thing and then all of a sudden everyone had a viewpoint on it and whether you have the world watching you or you have your 10 friends or 20 friends in school watching you proportionately it feels the same.

Yeah. You know, and it can be so challenging. And when you're saying that out loud to me, I'm like, what would you say to that younger self now if you could spend some time with him? And what would you not say to that younger self if you could spend some time with him? Yeah, I would...

Well, just to talk back to one thing you said. Please, yeah, yeah, of course. This music and these stories, they're all human experiences. It has nothing to do with it being specific to my life, other than it's my wife and daughter that I'm talking about or other situations. But I really wanted to make something that everyone could relate to in their own way. That's one thing.

And the thing I would say to my younger self is, you know, congratulations. You get to marry Priyanka Chopra Jones. that's pretty cool and also you know your daughter is incredible she's just she's magic in every

every sense of the word she just turned four a couple weeks ago blows my mind you know I look at her and I can see her future

like I just know she's going to do amazing things and I I'm all struck that I get to experience her magic. That's beautiful, man. We love hearing that. That's so special. And happy belated birthday. Yeah.

Thank you. That's so beautiful. I can see that got you a little... Yeah, for sure. What's going through your mind? No, she's just perfect in every way. And every parent says that. But, you know, this morning I was actually...

at her new preschool to sort of be back there in the context of being a dad, you know, it was just a wild thing. You know, she came to the world under sort of very intense circumstances, which I've not really talked about ever. We were expecting her to arrive in April the year she was born. And we get a call that it's going to be sooner. So we basically, you know, went into action and, um, she was born

be a surrogate and so we got to the hospital and she came out she was one pound 11 ounces and you know

purple basically they these angels at the NIC you kind of resuscitated her in that moment and you know

got her taken care of really quickly and intubated and everything else and so because it was COVID times, my wife and I would basically do 12-hour shifts at the hospital for three and a half months. I can still sort of like smell it.

You know, there's always visceral things. It was both comforting and frightening to be there every day and to see sort of other families going through similar situations. But she fought every day for three and a half months and slowly started to gain some weight. and after six blood transfusions, she was doing great. And we got to take her home after three and a half months. And I feel like she knows how she entered the world and what that first chapter of her life was like. And so every day is a gift.

And you can actually feel it on her in the way that she behaves and how exciting everything is. I don't know how much she remembers probably nothing, but spiritually, I believe that there's gratitude in her and, you know, she's incredible. I mean, thank you for sharing that with us. I feel like that's behind the scenes that no one has a clue about and, you know, we're not aware of. And talk to me about the conversations that you and Priyanka are having because I think the part

that people forget when you have a child that's going through any sort of difficult. is that you're obviously worried about the child, but then it also affects the relationship with your partner because you're both worried about the child. What were the kind of conversations you were having that was helping you both and supporting you both? We had a lot of tough conversations day and day out about caring for her.

Trying to care for each other and for her and focusing on not getting overwhelmed. It can all just feel so big and parenthood in general is it's a lot for everybody, you know, especially in those early stages of kids' life. And this just became about staying emotionally tough and being there for each other. If you need to cry, you know, that shoulder is there

and ready to cry on. If you need to just have a laugh for a minute, just to take your mind off, try to provide that for the other person. It's a lot of give and take from both of us. And, you know, my wife is just, as you know, she's a brilliant, brilliant woman with a ton of heart and perspective and the way in which she handled it was so inspiring to me. And, you know, allowing for those days to be tough, but to be tougher for our little girl was the focus.

Was there something you'd share with other couples who go through their own version of that that you think would be really helpful to them? The thing that helped us the most was being patient with each other. It is hard sometimes when you're feeling emotional to sort of access that logical brain to say we need to be patient, we need to just meet your person where they are in that moment.

And that goes both ways. And so, you know, being patient with your partner is crucial. Yeah. I can imagine those 12, hour shifts back to back for three months felt like they lasted forever. Yeah. I can feel like it didn't feel like three months. It must have felt like it was never ending. Well, it's not the kind of thing that you ever want to find a routine doing. You know, it's bizarre when you're when you're used to going to the hospital every day. You know, it's like a tough reality check when that- Because she had to

be kept in hospital, right? Yeah, she was in the NICU for three and a half months. Yeah. So You know, just driving there and back each day and seeing each other sort of as passing ships was a crazy thing. And I'll just say this about the NICU nurses. They are truly angels. And we've seen a few at some of our shows. Priyanka spoke about this experience once before in an interview. And so some people knew. And so there was some NICU nurses at a couple of the shows.

and it was hold up a sign and it makes me cry every time I see it because they're angels. And we actually got to have some of the nurses that were taking care of Malti Marie come out to a show. And I met them after or sorry, just before. And it was, yeah, incredible to see. And I got to show them a photo of her now. She's no longer one pound, 11 ounces. Yeah. Beautiful, healthy little four-year-old girl.

I love that. Has she been out to see some of you? She has. Yeah, she loves our song, Love Me to Heaven. She sings it to the top of her lungs. And basically, she's got the bug already. She wants to be on stage. And so Priyanka has to stand side stage with her holding her dress back so she doesn't run on the stage with us.

She doesn't quite understand that, you know, she can't join just yet. But I'm sure she will someday. Yeah, I love that. You spoke about how, you know, you congratulate your. your younger self for marrying Pryanka-Cham Progenus, which I love. And I think you guys have been married for, what, seven years now? Seven years. Seven years.

And I wanted to ask you because your relationship is so special, even from the outside in and for those who don't know you. I think everyone loves that. What did you know from the moment you met? Like, was it that early and that clear? Is it one of those if you know you know, you know? In some ways. You know, I was first kind of introduced to Priyanka.

by way of seeing her billboard on Sunset Boulevard for her show Quantico. And I was like, wow, she's stunning, is what I thought. And I was doing this movie with this guy who had just worked with her and he said, hey, you know, you guys would really hit it off,

but he never connected us. So after a few months of waiting to be connected, I got impatient and went on Twitter and saw what she followed me. Which she claims we followed each other. I didn't know. But I saw she followed me, so I DM'd her.

And we messaged for, for about a year before we kind of ever met in person. And then we finally met up for a drink in New York. I almost left because she was about 45 minutes late, which I now know is a thing. So I expect that. But thankfully I stayed and she sat down and we had a great conversation and went back to her place after to have.

another drink and as we walked in her mom was there watching Law & Order. So I met her mother on the first night that we met, which is perfect. It wasn't until about a year after that, after talking back and forth that I was like, we need to really give us a proper, proper go. When you're back in LA next, let's go on a date. That night, when I saw her walk in, she was wearing blue jeans, a white top and like a black leather jacket. And I just was like, I'm going to marry this woman. and I knew it right away.

I told her that I loved her after second or third date. And I called my mom the next day and said, I'm going to marry this woman I'd love for you to meet her soon. It was literally two and a half months after that that we were engaged and three months after that or four months after that that we were married. Seven years later, it's crazy. That's awesome. I love that.

Yeah. I love though. It is when, in that sense, when you know, you know, there's, I'm thinking about it as you're explaining it.

Like, you've, you know, as I was saying, people are obsessed about your guys' relationship, you know, analyzing it constantly. How have you protected that even when you're going through things like in the NICU, like, you know, everyone's excited for you guys to have kids. There's, you know, you're in the public eye, both of you, massive superstars. And how have you protected that relationship through all of that? For some people on paper, maybe at first it wasn't like the right fit. Maybe it's the fact that we do have an age difference. We're from different parts of the world. All those things are exactly why it's right and why it works and is so beautiful.

There's so much about the Indian culture, which I've gotten to know and love family and the importance of family and big families being, you know, at the center of that. And I really took to all the cultural differences and loves not just, you know, the family aspect, but the food and friends and just all of it. And so that was like perfect. Check that box. And then like our age difference was something that I think really bonds us. And I've lived a lot of life in, you know, 33 years. And so I think having someone who has real perspective and depth and wanted to build a life together with something that I was really drawn to.

And the way we protect it, I think is by finding ways to laugh through, tough moments, you know, not going to bed angry. And knowing that our ability to build life together and to have our privacy is on us. It's no one else's responsibility. And so, you know, we have to, we have to find those times to just be a family, to just have the three of us be together and have those quiet moments and really prioritize it because that is our only job as parents is to just create an environment or if she feels safe to grow and be herself. and it really starts with my wife and I building that. And it's for no one else but us.

Yeah, I was saying I love the way you've celebrated the culture together. I was saying that the Diwali party at yours. A few years back, you were throwing these incredible Diwali parties. Like the best Diwali parties I've been to and it would be like, I mean, first of all, you look great in a Qura too. So it's like, it helps. But then like I remember Joe being in a full Sharani too. And like you guys, it felt like a wedding,

but you had like the best Diwali food, best decorations, the candlelights. I mean, it was spectacular. And to celebrate that with you and for you to invite so many of your friends who may not be aware of Diwali in the culture and the way you both brought that in L.A. was so spectacular. Like I loved it. It was without a doubt one of my favorite divinely parties ever. We had the best time.

It was an amazing thing to bring a Dasey culture into L.A. like that and to feel so many of our friends who hadn't experienced it just having the time of their life. You know, I think Indians know how to do holidays way better than what we do here in the U.S. Well, well, based on that, I don't know if you know this, but Priyanka has sent some answers to some questions. Oh, really? That we asked her beforehand. So I'm going to ask you the same questions. And from what I know, I was telling the team when we were preparing for this, I was like, you know, Nick's really good at details. Like I was like, I've seen Nick talk about Priyanka. Like, he doesn't

miss a beat. And we share that. I'm like, I'm like, Like that when me and my wife talk, I'm like, I know all the details. I know what she was wearing. I know what date was. She has no clue. And so I was like, I can relate to Nick on that. But anyway, let's see who's right. So this game is called, what did your wife say?

And Priyanka sent her answers. So they're all real answers. They've been verified. So what was Priyanka's first impression of Nick? What would she say? Handsome. No. I think she probably thought that I was,

you know, sort of quiet as we discussed, you know, reserved, choosing my words carefully or whatever. I was surprised at how candid she was

and funny, you know, she's, to me at that point, I had seen her interviews and things and she's quite regal, right?

She has this real, like, presence about her. And so I, I don't know, expected to me, but I was, I think,

um, she would say that I was, like trying to seem more adult or something. Because she talks about how she thought I was putting on a bit of an act. Like, this is just who I am. Sorry. Is that?

So she says, it shows how well you know each other. She goes, he was acting older than he is. He took me to a bougie bar with an average age of 65. Yeah, that's true. That's true? That's true, 65? I mean, around that, it's a great bar. I've got a nice little jazz quartet.

I thought it was good. Okay. Second question. Where was your first kiss? First kiss was on the balcony at her hotel. Right here in Los Angeles. Yeah, she was very specific. She said the peninsula in L.A.

Peninsula number two. Yes. So if anyone wants to go and visit that site, you can be specific. The site of the first kiss. Yeah. Who said I love you first? I did. Yeah.

Yeah, she said, Nick three to four days in. Yeah. What was the moment you realized that Nick was the one? Oh. Maybe when I went to India with her over the first time? She said when he asked me to marry him and I said, yes. Oh, well, that's good timing. It's like, yeah, just in time.

Just in time. What would Priyanka say Nick was the most nervous about on your wedding day? To be honest, I wasn't that nervous about. anything on the wedding day. It was just, it was hot. I was nervous. I was going to be sweating and that I would look crazy.

But, no, I think when she walked out, she came down the stairs, I felt this overwhelming sense of peace like I was exactly where I was supposed to be. Yeah, she agree. She says he was so sure in control and never saw him nervous. So you hid the sweats well.

That's impressive. I know, don't. I know those Indian outfits get so hot. So hot. That is one thing they need to figure out. Every time I'm wearing a Kuroto, I'm like, this is so hot. I don't understand. Brutal. Anyone does in India.

What is Priyanka's favorite song of Nix? I think, I believe. She says close. Close. Oh, that's right. I didn't know that. Close. She loves close.

Yeah. So that's the only wrong one so far. This is really, this is going great. We've got a few more. What is Priyanka's favorite? favorite dish Nick cooks for her. I can't really cook that well. I make sandwiches sometimes.

She says tuna sandwich. Oh, yeah, that's what you're fixed. That's about all I can do. Yeah, me too. I can't cook to save my life. What is Nick's most annoying habit? I cannot think of what she's going to say for this. Oversinking.

Is that a fair answer? She goes, when he's talking to me on the phone and typing a text, loll. She does hate that. She'll ask me, hey, can you make sure to send this message to it? I'm like, yeah, yeah. So I'm doing it in real time so I don't forget. Yeah, totally.

She's like, I'm on the phone with you. I'm like, but you just told me, yeah, I don't want to forget. Something to write it down. I'm with you. I'm with you on that one. I'm on your side. It's a separate device. Yeah, absolutely.

You're just being productive and inefficient, yeah. What does Priyanka do that really annoys Nick? She will answer the phone and then be talking to someone else in the room for like 30 seconds before she then my thing is always just like just call me back if you're in the middle of a conversation but it's like

literally we'll be talking and as if I'm on the phone with what she's connected but we're still talking and she goes hey what's up I'm like hi it's not like a real

annoying thing it's just funny yeah she goes interrupt him when he's talking but it's actually the other way around it's calling you and then talking to someone else I love that

what would Priyanka say is the thing Nick does that makes her laugh every time? Not a good answer, but I don't know. What is it? When he's being Desi, it's an endearing laugh. That's nice. And then final one, what is Nick way too competitive about? Most things, I would say. She said everything. Everything. Well, it's pretty good. You did good, Nick. I mean, you did him, I literally think you got like two wrong out of like 20 questions. Nice. That's pretty impressive. So you are competitive of everything because I am. You did pretty good. I love

that. But Nick, one thing that I think genuinely and even from the way you've talked today you're such a, it feels like you're trying to be such a present, good husband. I wanted to ask you, what is a good husband? What makes a good husband? What are you aspiring to be when you're trying to be a good husband? I think that being a good husband for me means being reliable, trustworthy.

Knowing that our daughter is watching and will one day hopefully find somebody that makes her incredibly happy and the way in which I treat her mother is incredibly important to who she becomes. So it is my responsibility to do all I can. can to make Priyanka happy, to feel safe, and to make her laugh, to know that life is a mixed

bag of emotions and experiences, and it can feel really disorienting and overwhelming sometimes, but it's a lot easier to traverse all that with a partner who you can rely on. Well said. Really, really well said. With your inner critic, where in your married life have you had to give yourself more grace? I can be reactive. It's part of being a sibling. I feel, you know, we all do that, right? And you kind of do it when you're growing up because you're fighting for your place in the dynamic of the family. And you share that space with these people as, you know, kids and teens. You kind of have to fight for yourself a little bit. and defend and being defensive, I feel like, is an area in my life as a whole, but also my marriage that I'm always trying to improve on. Thinking that a comment of any kind

is somehow a criticism of me. I'm supposed to just trust this person to care for me and yet I'm being defensive about a thing that's so insignificant. And what am I trying to protect is the thing I always think about? like and it's this guy this other version of me that I somehow believe is like perfect. I'm like, how stupid can I be?

That's not only impossible, it's just dumb. Like you just, and I've seen that the times in my relationship with my wife where I'm quicker to, you know, a hug as opposed to something defensive or trying to defend. myself, it's like just better. Life is better. Aren't we all? We can all relate to that. Yeah.

Always trying to protect my ego, protect my, you know, sense of self when in reality it's, yeah, it's this trying to protect this perfect version of me that definitely doesn't exist. And yeah, you're just, yeah, it's crazy what you could risk losing by trying to protect something that isn't even real, you know. So true. Yeah. I want to pick out another lyric that I loved. You write in your song, Princesses. I use my imagination for a living. I tell stories and build worlds. But I never wanted one more than this one with my little girl. I'm fascinated by your questions. I'm terrified to let you down. There's no one and nowhere that I'd rather be than with you here right now. And even when you started this interview, you talked about how your sense of self has changed so much since being a father. Yeah.

What has been the thing that surprised you most about yourself since having your daughter? If I'm being totally honest, which I want to be, the thing surprised me most is how easy it was to play, make believe, and to be silly and do a kid voice. I was never one of those people that did that kind of voice. And all of a sudden I'm just doing it. I always was embarrassed to be silly. And I'm not with her.

And I love the world that she builds with her mind and getting to spend time with her there is really incredible. And I think it's made me a better friend and husband and better creator. You know, as I approach my songwriting now and the work I do as an actor, I feel like I'm way more prepared for that because I've gotten to spend time in her world and it's this magical place where anything's possible,

you know, and it's such a wonderful, wonderful thing. What was both of your reasons for wanting to keep her out of the spotlight and keep her personal life pretty private? It should be her choice. I'm grateful that my parents supported our dream and that they never looked back or questioned it. They ran with us, which was wonderful. And we all knew this is what we wanted to do. She has not expressed that yet.

If she does, we'll support her, you know, and give her all the contexts that we have from the 20-plus years that we've both been doing. doing that might be helpful but it should be her choice and you know the world is is crazy too it's a weird weird world um and so i think it's it's better for her to take her time and and you know have have the privacy that that she needs to become who she wants to become we were talking earlier but as we get older we almost get more scared and you're talking about your younger self being so fearless what are the fears that came up after having a daughter and what were the fears that went away after becoming a dad? I have not been formally diagnosed with anxiety. I mentioned I speak to a therapist. She's wonderful and has given me a lot of tools that are helpful when I feel kind of overwhelmed

or anxious and naturally during the time that we discussed where our daughter was in the NICU. It was a stressful and overwhelming time. And I think having that as the sort of foundation for her entry into the world made me anxious about everything. Not just parenting and all that, but life in general. So I've had a few moments where I've had a few moments where I've. I've had flare-ups, I guess, where I was stressed to a degree that didn't feel comfortable. And I think a lot of parents can probably relate to that. You know, it's a you're basically when you leave the hospital, they ask you, are you ready to take your daughter home?

It's like, yeah, of course. I, you know. But it's a crazy. question to be asked. You're like, yeah, I am. I'm ready to take my daughter home. And that like meant more than just that moment. It was like her whole life suddenly. I'm like, I'm, I'm, I'm responsible for, you know, this person. So, yeah, that's the, the positive that I've taken is, as I mentioned, the ability to just be silly and carefree and see the world the way she does. And And all these experiences are so amazing again, things that can seem mundane as you get older and you just kind of, you know, glass is clear. Why is glass clear? It's one of the questions you asked me. And it's like, it's a fascinating question. Why? How? Find myself on Google, like, researching all this stuff that I just sort of accepted. And now this person, this little four-year-old person's like, why? And you get to ask the questions yourself.

and why are people mean? It's a great question, probably because they're hurting. And it's just everything gets sort of, it goes through this new filter that is really exciting. It's amazing on both the things you said are literally counter opposites in that one part of you, of course, has anxiety and care and fear for this, you know, child that you love and has gone through this, you know, very difficult. beginning to her life but has blossomed and, you know, grown so beautifully. And then at the other end, it's like, oh, but I'm also more carefree. And like, now I get to explore and now I get to be curious. And it's so fascinating how, like, life does that to you. Like, I'm just sitting here, literally reflecting on and listening to you going, how strange, like the same thing that

naturally you have a sense of fear and anxiety around is the same thing that's teaching you to be carefree and be, and it's like, how does a human even, you know, make sense of that? Like, how do you make sense of that in the human experience. It's, uh, with your anxiety, has that been something that you've, because that feels like more new, despite you having, you know, such a life in the public eye. We talked about all the events building up to even this point. But I think, yeah, having a kid and getting older feels like there's an anxiety that parents get around that, that's, you know, incomparable to anything they've experienced before. What, what's really helped you? What's worked for you as a way to say, this really helps me when I'm experiencing those

moments or phases. I think moving my body in some way always helps, getting physical, whether that's working out or taking a long walk, playing golf. I really enjoy playing golf. But when I was in New York this last year doing this Broadway show, I had about a 45-minute walk from our apartment to the theater each day. And it was so important to my routine. The show itself is incredibly intense. and, you know, the subject material was just, like, heavy. So I needed a way to process some of those feelings each day. And on top of that, it's just, it's a lot of work, eight shows a week, six days a week. So, it was a lot.

And so those walks were important. And then, you know, speaking to my therapist, it's not even like there's practices per se, but there's just, I think, real health in a routine and just talking. I used to judge myself and kind of doing that process, like talking with therapists and, like, am I being as truthful as I need to be to get the results I'm hoping to get? And I don't think that I always was as transparent as I probably needed to be. with this person that I speak to

it's great because I I do feel that freedom and that safety to speak and like there's real balance and for all the men out there it's important there is a stigma still for a lot of people and there shouldn't be and you're going to see

incredible results in your life if you do it yeah absolutely and it takes a second to get honest with someone. I mean, it's not, you know, it's hard to even sit with someone who's a stranger and doesn't know anything about your life and really be honest, especially someone like yourself who has such a public life and you can garner so much. I mean, I was thinking about like, I saw your response to everyone wondering what was happening at the Golden Globes and you responded saying it hit you like a gut punch. And I was like, what was that for you? What was happening at the

golden globes that you were going through? Yeah, so I, I was like the second time I mentioned this on this conversation, but heat, like, really gets me. And because I have a, you know, sort of physical aspect of that as well with my type 1 diabetes, it can just have an effect, right? So I was just really hot on the carpet, and then I started stressing that I looked like I was sweating. My hands were getting clammy and holding breakers. Like, everything kind of hit me at once. Then my sugar started to feel, or glucose started to feel a little low.

And so I just took a step. When outside, I got some fresh air. And, you know, it's funny. Like, we're all the same, right? Like, we get overwhelmed. We get hot. It's like, it's a lot happening. And so I just was like, you know what?

There's no harm. And just taking a beat for myself. That's what I did. I had a sip of water and was back in action. I'm glad you gave everyone else permission to do the same. Yeah, everyone, if you need a second, take a second. I'm so far away from this world. Obviously, I didn't grow up in this world.

And then when you, you know, get onto a red carpet and you just realize, especially for someone like yourself, Priyanka, et cetera, of just like the amount of people shouting your name, the amount of stops that you have to do, how quickly everything moves, like, you know, TV interview, video interview, this, that it's so chaotic those red carpets, especially at those big events, that I think there's, it's, it's hard to understand why it would feel stressful because it almost looks really glamorous in the pictures. And to some degree it is. Yeah, but it's. But it isn't as well. Like, you know. It can be a lot. I think more often than not, people feel quite anxious on red carpet. It's from what I've heard, at least, from talking to people.

Yeah. Yeah. Especially when it's like 95 degrees. I think it was a cold week in L.A. And they had it tinted thinking it was going to be cold. And it ended up being a really hot day. So it was just kind of cooking. And it was, you know, the only positive from that was that it was a really good conversation starter inside.

Yeah, yeah. Immediately it could be like, how hot was the carpet, huh? And it just sort of broke the ice. That's so good. Yeah. Yeah. that definitely does help. Yeah, that or if it's raining in LA becomes a great conversation.

Very rare to happen too. Nick, it's been amazing talking to you, and I really appreciate how honest you've been, how thoughtful you've been, just, I felt like I've laughed with you. You know, you've brought us all to really emotional moments of just like sitting with you through the journey you've been on. And I feel like as a man listening to someone who is speaking so openly about therapy, about self-work, about being a loving father, husband. And I think you're just setting a wonderful example and also a human example.

I think one that is real and isn't perfect and isn't coming across as this is how to do it. But it's like this is the reality of everything I'm trying to juggle. And I think as someone who I hope I get to be a dad one day, it's like it's nice to see the, you know, the thoughts that will probably go through my head too. And the realities of what it feels like when you're finally holding this human that you love so deeply and get to experience the carefree, but also the stress and the anxiety that comes with it. So thank you for giving us all the layers. Of course. Thank you for asking such thoughtful questions.

And you'll be an amazing father someday. So I hope that for you. And, you know, I certainly, I'll be the first to admit, I don't know what the hell I'm doing. I'm just trying to do my best, I guess. And, you know, my dad said a pretty incredible. incredible example and all the sort of, you know, memories there are things I'm trying to take into and apply into my life now. So thanks for the conversation. This was great. I love it. Thank you

so much. We created a special ending for you, seeing as your new single is called gut punch. We're going to play a game called gut reaction. Okay. So you have to finish the sentence with the first word or phrase that pops into your head. Perfect. What is the best advice you've ever received? Live like you're at the bottom, even if you're at the top. That is a great answer. We've never had that before. I love that. All right.

Second question, what is the worst advice you've ever heard or received? Take this tequila shot. Yeah. It's a good answer. It's never a good idea. You're good at gut reaction, so this is good. The brother I call when I need to be brutally honest is. Joe, but all three of my brothers.

But, you know, yeah. Pro show. Yeah. My guilty pleasure artist or song is. This is not one more to answer. I'm sorry, but I don't believe in guilty pleasures. I think you should be able to love whatever you love. There's good in everything.

I feel the same way about TV. But there are shows that are just trash, which I love. So what is the artist or song that isn't a guilty pleasure, but you're allowed to love? Nickelback. It's great. I love the songs. They're fantastic. Love it. The thing I hate admitting Priyanka is always right about is people.

Oh, wow. Yeah, she's always right about people. Before I can see it, I'm like, damn, just right again. Wow. That's a good skill to have. Not always negative either. It's not like she's skeptical of people, but she has, she's really perceptive and listens. So, you know, it's, yeah, people. I love that. All right. Fifth and final question we ask is to every guest who's ever been on the show. If you could create one law that everyone in the world, had to follow, what would it be?

I think teachers should get paid more. So, yeah, let's make that a law. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We'll probably have the NICU nurses to those. Yes, exactly. They're amazing people who are working super hard every day, making the country actually function. So true.

Nick Jonas, so excited for Sunday best and for everyone to listen to it. Thank you for being such a joy to spend time with them, so grateful that we've got to do this, and I hope we get to do it again. We've got to get you and Priyanka back together at some point. That's my big goal. I would love that.

Yeah, that would be a lot of fun. Thank you, man. Thank you so much. If you love this episode, you'll really enjoy my episode with Selena Gomez on befriending your inner critic and how to speak to yourself with more compassion. My fears are only going to continue to show me what I'm capable of. The more that I face my fears, the more that I feel I'm gaining strength, I'm gaining wisdom. and I just want to keep doing that.

This is an I-Heart podcast, guaranteed human.