Content Guide
Sunday Best review: Nick Jonas arrives somewhat differently with new album, “Sunday Best”, out on 6th Feb. After five years away from solo work, the man who gave us “Jealous” and “Close” has stripped everything back to reveal someone who’s been doing some serious thinking. Sunday Best is his fifth solo album, and based on what we know so far, this might be the most honest thing he’s ever put out.
When “Gut Punch” Hits You (Sunday Best Review)
Let me be real with you: when I first heard “Gut Punch,” I wasn’t ready for it. The song opens with this quiet piano that immediately puts you in a reflective headspace. Then Nick starts singing about his hair not growing, and you’re thinking, “where is this going?” But then it hits you. He’s not really talking about his hair. He’s talking about feeling stuck, about that gnawing sense that something isn’t right even when everything looks fine on the surface.
The chorus lands like the title suggests. “Hit me like a gut punch, I hurt my own feelings / How did I get so good at being mean to myself?” It’s such a simple observation, but man, does it cut deep. We all do this to ourselves, right? We’re our own worst critics. We say things to ourselves that we’d never say to our friends. Nick captures that internal spiral perfectly, and the production lets his vulnerability breathe. There’s no overproduction here trying to hide behind big drums or flashy synths. Just piano, strings, and raw honesty.
What makes “Gut Punch” work so well is how specific it gets. He mentions calling someone named Phil for advice, probably a therapist or close friend, who tells him to “go easy on yourself.” But then Nick admits he can’t even hear that advice right now. That’s the kind of detail that makes you believe every word. This isn’t some vague pop song about feelings. This is Nick Jonas at 33 years old, married to Priyanka Chopra, raising their daughter Malti, and wondering if he’s measuring up to his own standards.
The lyrics don’t sugarcoat anything. “When the hell did I start trying to be perfect? And people pleasing, is it ever really worth it? Fake smiling just to pass the time, it’s the only way I’ve been getting by.” He’s calling himself out for the masks we all wear, questioning when authenticity got replaced by performance. Then comes the gut punch: “Looked at myself and I can’t even recognize who I am behind those eyes, one big disguise.”
Finding That Inner Child (Sunday Best Review)
The bridge offers a glimmer of hope when he asks what it would be like to just try being nice to the person in the mirror. There’s this beautiful line about finding your inner child who you haven’t seen in a while and letting him know he’s doing fine. It gets me every time. As adults, especially as parents, we forget that we were once kids too, kids who didn’t carry all this weight around. Nick seems to be reaching back to that version of himself, trying to reconnect with the joy and freedom he had before life got so complicated.
In his own words about the song, Nick explained: “I tend to be hyper critical of myself, not typically about my appearance or getting older, but I was wondering, ‘Am I doing everything to be the best version of myself? Am I a present and thoughtful husband? Am I a good father?’” That’s what Sunday Best is really about. It’s Nick working through these questions in real time, using music as his therapy.
Life as a Father Changes Everything (Sunday Best Review)
Sunday Best comes at a moment when Nick’s life has transformed dramatically. He’s been open about how becoming a father changed everything for him. The album draws from significant life chapters, both celebratory and challenging, that he’s faced over the past few years, along with the new perspective he’s gained as both a parent and a husband. This is him processing all of that publicly, and that’s what makes it so compelling.
Back to the Church Choir Sound (Sunday Best Review)
The sound of this record is a deliberate departure from what we’ve heard before from Nick. Where Spaceman leaned into that futuristic pop vibe, Sunday Best goes in the opposite direction. The project delivers what’s been described as an unguarded, fresh sound built largely around acoustic guitar and piano, choirs, and a string quartet, coupled with raw, self examining lyrics. It’s warm and organic in a way that feels intentional.
Nick has said he’s drawing inspiration from his musical roots and early years singing in church choirs as a kid with his brothers. The album features vivid lyricism, rich and soulful arrangements, and warmly layered instrumentation. There’s a spiritual quality to the production that doesn’t feel preachy but does feel purposeful. Through unguarded storytelling and vulnerable moments he has never previously shared publicly, the album offers listeners an intimate look into his world and explores honesty, growth, and rediscovery.
Walking Through the Tracklist (Sunday Best Review)
The album opens with “Sweet To Me” and includes eleven tracks total. Based on the titles alone, you can map out an emotional journey. “Handprints” is track two, and the title tells you this is about his daughter. There’s something about tiny handprints that just destroys you as a parent, you know? They’re everywhere in your house, these little reminders that someone small depends on you completely.
“I Need You” is track three, followed by “You Got Me” at track four. These were among the songs Nick performed at his Sunday Best Brunch events, intimate gatherings where he previewed the album for 170 fans at venues like Nellie’s Southern Kitchen in Las Vegas, his family’s restaurant. “Gut Punch” sits at track five, positioned as a centerpiece that everything else revolves around.
“Hope” comes next at track six. Given its placement right in the middle and the title itself, this seems significant. It’s like finding light in the midst of darkness, a moment to breathe and believe things can get better. This was another track performed at the brunch events, and based on Nick’s comments about drawing from his church choir background, you can imagine this one leaning into that gospel influence.
“Seeing Ghosts” is track seven. The title alone suggests revisiting the past, looking at old versions of himself, dealing with regrets or memories that still linger. It’s evocative and mysterious, the kind of title that makes you want to dive into the lyrics immediately.
“Aphrodite” at track eight is the only track with a mythological reference. Aphrodite is the goddess of love and beauty, which could take this song in any number of directions. Given Nick’s focus on exploring different aspects of love throughout the album, this one intrigues me.
“911” is track nine and was also performed at the brunch events. The title suggests emergency moments, crisis points, or reaching out for help when you desperately need it. It fits with the album’s overall exploration of mental health and self care.
Bringing the Brothers In (Sunday Best Review)
Then we get to track ten, “The Greatest,” which features the Jonas Brothers. This is the only collaboration on the album, and it makes perfect sense that Nick would bring his brothers in for this one. After celebrating 20 years together in 2025 with their Jonas20: Greetings From Your Hometown Tour and their album Greetings From Your Hometown, the bond between Kevin, Joe, and Nick is clearly stronger than ever. Having them on this deeply personal album adds another layer of meaning. These are the guys who’ve been with him through everything, who understand the unique pressures of growing up in the spotlight.
The album closes with “Princesses,” track eleven. Based on the album’s themes and everything Nick has said about fatherhood shaping this record, this has to be about Malti. Every daughter is a princess to her dad, right? Ending the album here feels like a full circle moment. After all the self questioning and vulnerability, Nick lands on love for his daughter. This was another track performed at the brunch events, and apparently it’s one that gets people emotional.
33 Years in the Making (Sunday Best Review)
In describing the album, Nick said: “I’m so excited to share these new stories, candid thoughts, quiet walks home in the city, and snapshots of my life over these past few years. And while this album was made over the course of the last two years, it was truly 33 years in the making.” That quote tells you everything about his mindset going into this project. He’s not just documenting recent events. He’s reflecting on his entire life, all the experiences that shaped him into the person he is now.
A Real Evolution (Sunday Best Review)
Looking at the bigger picture, Sunday Best represents a real evolution for Nick Jonas as an artist. His previous solo work was polished and radio friendly, which makes sense given his background and the pressures of maintaining a pop career. His 2014 self titled album yielded the triple platinum “Jealous,” double platinum “Chains,” and gold certified “Levels.” Its 2016 follow up Last Year Was Complicated spawned the anthem “Close” featuring Tove Lo and brought his streams into the billions.
But this feels different. He’s stopped worrying about what a Nick Jonas solo album is supposed to sound like and just made the music he needed to make right now. That kind of creative freedom often produces the most interesting work. The comparisons to early James Taylor and Paul Simon are starting to pop up online, and I can see why. There’s that same confessional singer songwriter quality, that willingness to be uncomfortably honest set against warm, organic instrumentation.
The Courage to Be Vulnerable (Sunday Best Review)
What strikes me most about this project is the courage it took to make it. Nick could have easily put out another collection of catchy pop singles. He’s proven he can do that. Instead, he chose to get vulnerable in a way that male pop stars don’t always feel comfortable doing. Talking about therapy, admitting you hurt your own feelings, questioning whether you’re being a good enough parent, that’s not the usual posturing we get from men in pop music. It’s refreshing and necessary.
On TikTok, Nick wrote that “Gut Punch” is for anyone who has been “hard on themselves” and is a “reminder of self love and acceptance.” Thousands of fans have been sharing themselves lip syncing to the song while opening up about their own personal struggles. That kind of connection is what makes music matter. When Nick admits “I hurt my own feelings,” he’s giving permission for everyone else to acknowledge the same thing about themselves.
Mental Health Conversations in Pop Music (Sunday Best Review)
The timing of this album also feels significant. We’re living in a moment where mental health conversations are finally becoming normalized, where people are starting to understand that you can have a great life on paper and still struggle internally. Nick is using his platform to contribute to that conversation in a meaningful way. “Gut Punch” could easily become an anthem for anyone who’s ever been too hard on themselves, which is basically everyone.
The Right Collaborators (Sunday Best Review)
Production wise, working with Ryan Daly on at least “Gut Punch” was a smart choice. Daly has a reputation for bringing out emotional depth in artists. The song also credits JP Saxe, Bianca “Blush” Atterberry, and The Dream (Terius Nash) as songwriters and producers. JP Saxe’s involvement throughout the album makes a lot of sense. Saxe’s “If the World Was Ending” was all about vulnerability and raw emotion, and he seems like the perfect collaborator for where Nick’s head is at right now.
Who This Album Is For (Sunday Best Review)
One thing I keep thinking about is how this album will be received by different audiences. For longtime Jonas Brothers fans who’ve followed Nick since he was a teenager, this has to be a trip. Watching someone grow up in real time, make mistakes, find love, become a parent, and work through all that publicly through music creates a unique connection. They’ve been on this journey with him.
For solo Nick fans who loved the edgier pop of his previous albums, this might require some adjustment. But I think the songwriting quality and emotional honesty will win people over. Sometimes artists need to shake things up to stay creatively alive, and this feels like Nick doing exactly that.
And for new listeners? This could be the perfect entry point. You don’t need to know anything about Nick Jonas or the Jonas Brothers to connect with songs about self doubt, parenting anxieties, and trying to be better to yourself. These are universal themes delivered with enough specificity to feel real and enough craft to be genuinely good music.
The Sunday Best Brunch Experience (Sunday Best Review)
The people who got to hear the album previewed at those Sunday Best Brunch events have been vocal about the experience. The consensus seems to be that this is Nick’s best work yet, which is saying something given his catalog. Fans have posted about crying during certain tracks and about how powerful the stripped down performances were. People keep mentioning how intimate the whole experience felt, like Nick was letting them into his living room rather than performing at them.
The album rollout was smart too. Rather than doing traditional press junkets and morning show performances right away, Nick created these brunch experiences where he could sit down with fans, explain the inspiration behind the songs, and perform them in a casual setting. He brought his younger brother Franklin Jonas and collaborator JP Saxe to some of these events, having conversations about the personal inspiration behind the music and his songwriting process. It makes sense for this material. These songs don’t need big production and backing dancers. They need space to breathe and a real connection between the artist and the audience.
More Than Just Another Pop Album (Sunday Best Review)
What Nick has described as a project centered around love extends beyond just romantic love. It encompasses self love, family love, the complicated love you have for the life you’ve built, and the love that challenges you to grow. That’s what makes Sunday Best more than just another pop album. It’s a document of a specific moment in one person’s life, but it touches on feelings that resonate universally.
The fact that Nick has been so open about his process adds another layer to the listening experience. Knowing that he’s been genuinely questioning whether he’s being the best version of himself, that he’s struggled with people pleasing and perfectionism, that becoming a father shook up his entire worldview – all of that context makes the music hit harder. This isn’t manufactured vulnerability designed to sell records. This is real life being processed through songwriting.
Final Thoughts (Sunday Best Review)
Sunday Best feels like the album Nick Jonas needed to make to move forward as an artist and as a person. It’s him processing the biggest changes in his life, confronting his inner critic, and finding his way toward self compassion. But it’s also just really good music. Based on “Gut Punch,” we know the melodies stick with you. The production serves the songs. The lyrics make you think and feel. That’s all you can ask for.
This is an album that seems designed to reveal itself slowly. Not something that grabs you immediately and fades just as fast, but something that grows on you, that you keep coming back to because it makes you feel understood. The kind of album you listen to with headphones, alone in your car, or when you need to feel less alone in your own head.
Nick Jonas is 33 years old, and Sunday Best sounds like the work of someone who’s finally comfortable being exactly who he is, flaws and all. In a world that constantly demands perfection, that’s a powerful statement. Based on everything we know about this project, the vulnerability Nick has shown, and the quality of “Gut Punch,” this could be something special. Sometimes the best art comes from artists who stop trying to please everyone and just tell their truth. That’s what Nick seems to be doing here, and I respect the hell out of it.
Listen To “Sunday Best” By Nick Jonas
You can listen here.
He discovered the gem when he was 12 years old and still has it now, claiming it to be why he fell in love with music. He likes to play disc golf when he's not writing about music. He is a one-of-a-kind individual who is always the first to bust out his air guitar on the dance-floor.
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