Nick Jonas raises the bar (& temperature) with 'Find You'

Young Nicholas (Jonas, that is) has graced us with two songs in one summer. What a beautiful world we live in.

“Find You” dropped as a single last Thursday on Beats 1 Radio (and is now available to stream and download on Spotify, iTunes, Google Play and Amazon Music for your listening pleasure), but the hype started five days prior.

Jonas took to his blue-checked various social media outlets on Monday and posted the scene of a desert. We get it Nick, you wanted us to feel like we were in a mirage. Jonas - 1, high-key obsessed 5’7" fangirl club - 0.

He continued to serve up teasers throughout the week, one photo kicking some sand here, a tweet of the real McDreamy staring off into the desolate sunset there. What a babe.

An aura of mystery entered his Instagram aesthetic before announcing a Sept. 14 release date of “Find You,” but the mild frustration, killer anticipation and mild scares that the single could be his first acoustic piece (How dare he let us think we could not hear our little angel of music?) was definitely worth it.

“Find You” is definitely less of a jam and more of a vibe song. It has signature suspended guitar presence that makes every NJ future wifey swoon. And I’d be a fake fan if I didn’t mention fetus Nicholas comparisons, now wouldn’t I?

The nonchalantly desperate piece definitely caused some Throwback Thursday moments. Nick’s tone reminded me of the easygoing ambiance of “Much Better” from the JoBros’ 2009 album "Lines, Vines and Trying Times" (Can we all just take a moment to picture curly-haired post-Camp Rock Joe for a hot second?) and even hinted around sounds of Nick’s 2008 solo “A Little Bit Longer (You Don't Even Know)” (Type 1-diabetic Nick made our hearts hurt and our eyes swell, all the feels).

Though his Broadway and Disney roots may run deep, Jonas has definitely shown he can crank it up to PG-13 and above. Previously unfathomable expletives are now fairly common in at least a few of Nick’s songs per album, though this single is clean.  

However, Nick meddles in suggestive lyric and inflection undertones that appeal to his faithful following of plaid-short-wearing, brace-faced preteens who have encountered the glow-up.

I guess I just have to cope with the fact that he’s all grown up now, and his songs aren’t exactly about being speechless after catching a lovebug or even about his darling Rosemary. He’s definitely trying this time, and this new sound lets us in on his darker side (fifty shades, even?).

I’m already “Burnin’ Up” with the song and the teasers alone, but what will really bring me higher is if Nick physically embraces this new provocative sound in the music video for “Find You,” which is being released on Monday. “Nothing Would Be Better” than that, especially since it could serve as a 48-hour after-party for Jonas’ 25th birthday celebration. 

Until then, I will continue to shamelessly plug “Find You” and note its recurring theme: Try as he might, Jonas just can’t seem to ever look in the right place to find me. It’s OK, Nick. I always keep it fresh, and if you are having that much trouble locating me, I have no issue with giving you my e-mail, physical address, mobile phone number ("Area Code" (678)-999-8212), PIN, SSN, you name it.

@JessHardison31

arts@dailytarheel.com