Eight years ago I went to my first concert. It was the Jonas Brothers Burnin’ Up Tour, featuring Demi Lovato as the opening act. This was just two months after Camp Rock premiered on Disney Channel, which was my favorite movie as an 11-year-old. At the concert, the brothers sang hits such as "That’s Just the Way We Roll," "Year 3000," and "SOS."
My 4-year-old sister slept on my dad’s shoulders for most of the show, while my best friend and I were screaming as loud as we could. It was a dream come true seeing Nick, Kevin, Joe, and Demi perform. We had posters of them on our bedroom walls, we owned all of their CDs, and we’d watched Camp Rock more times than we could count.
Eight years later, the Jonas Brothers aren’t together anymore. Kevin is 28, married, and a soon-to-be father of two. Joe is 26 and now the lead singer of the band DNCE. Nick is 23, making his own music, and touring with Demi Lovato. When people hear the names Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas, they probably think of the two 15-year-olds that were singing on Disney Channel in 2008. When I tell someone I’m a Demi Lovato fan, I usually get a look that says, “Are you 12?”
No, actually I am 19 years old. And I still love Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas. I’m not ashamed of it. My sister and I went to their concert at Boston’s TD Garden on July 20th and it was phenomenal. Demi and Nick are amazing vocalists. I’ve been to a wide variety of concerts, and they are the best I’ve seen. They sound even better live than they do on the radio.
I’ve grown up listening to Demi and Nick. The two have been best friends for 10 years now and have done a lot of growing up, too. Both are 23 and they’re not the Disney Channel stars they used to be. Demi has struggled with addiction, eating disorders, and body issues. She was diagnosed with a bipolar disorder and spent a long period of time in rehab. This March, she celebrated four years of being clean.
In September of 2015 Demi released a hit single, “Confident,” to prove to the world that she was feeling better than ever. Embracing her imperfections and curvy figure, she encouraged girls around the world to ask themselves, “what’s wrong with being confident?” She’s a big reason why I’ve learned to love my own body and its beautiful imperfections. Lovato also released a steamy new song just this month, "Body Say."
On a different note, Nick released a new album in June titled Last Year Was Complicated. With new tracks, new energy, and impressive guest artists, he has put together an honest and impressive combination of songs. Nick’s most recent hits include "Close," "Jealous," and "Chains." All were crowd favorites at the concert, as thousands of ladies screamed for him to sing more.
Demi and Nick’s tour, which is titled the Future Now Tour and sponsored by Honda Civic, just goes to show how much the two have grown. They aren’t the innocent Disney stars they were 10 years ago, but they are still to be looked up to. The concert didn’t have crazy special effects or fireworks like many concerts do. It was simply two best friends on stage singing their hearts out, sharing with fans what matters most to them: music. That’s why I still love them just as much as I did in 5th grade.
