The Culture Lens: The Start of a New Era

The Jonas Brothers. Wow oh wow. I have to say, I thought this phase of my life was going to be kept in the floral memory box under my bed at my family home. Years ago, my love for these boys, as a group, infiltrated my life. Their show, their music, even Camp Rock, were the lights of my life during the bittersweet years of being a preteen. While I still love them separately (mostly Nick of course) and I would keep up with their lives (like Priyanka and Nick’s wedding? I mean, hello, that was amazing) I had relatively moved on to other loves.

But what I could never have possibly conceived, and exceeds even my wildest of dreams, was the resurgence of the iconic boy band. And boy oh boy am I sweating for this era. The Jonas Brothers released their song “Sucker” over the weekend and I can’t even deal. But before I really get ahead of myself and lose it y’all, this isn’t just a major fangirl moment, I swear.

I really think this is a curious study. They might be the first boy band to be able to release something so long after their prime and come back on top. This happened so incredibly fast. I feel like I had just heard about them coming back together and next I was watching their music video. The song and music video already have 11 million listens on Spotify and 40 million views on youtube. Because they are such a huge part of many of our childhoods, I think the idea of it alone sent us into a world of excitement and maybe nostalgia. Cue my recent conversation with a friend when she actually met the Jonas Brothers back in 2007-ish. What the heck girl?

The Jonas Brothers are becoming the empire our culture has been craving. In today’s scene, artists are coming out as baddies, each more fierce than the last. The Kardashians, Ariana Grande, Cardi B — they are all so famous because they are so unapologetically badass. And it’s caused an internet revolution where fierceness and unapologetic drama are idolized. The counteractive energy is the Jonas Brothers.

It’s fascinating that the world doesn’t indulge in the awkward phase that was the early 2000’s anymore. The generations below me don’t have awkward middle school or high school phases like us or those just above me. These baby boys went through it right alongside us and their glow up was real and genuine. From then to now, married and engaged to beautiful women, successful themselves, they are no less authentic than they were ten years ago. What I see happening, and I think it would be fantastic, is to have their families build in power and fandom, as an empire made out of genuine goodness and charm. They’re at the point in their lives where families might start expanding into mini jo bros running around the place.

With this will come the fascination of what they’re doing, what they’re wearing, what the tea is. And I have to say, I think it’s going to feel way more fun and childish than anything else in our society today. I don’t mean childish in a bad way either; but I feel like it gives us a window into our childhood that will bring us nostalgic freedom, light-hearted and fun.

Written by Kylie Ruffino

Graphic by Kylie Ruffino