Nick Jonas is ushering in 2026 with a vulnerable new solo chapter. On New Year’s Day, the 33-year-old singer-songwriter debuted his latest single, “Gut Punch,” an introspective track accompanied by a minimalist lyric video on YouTube.
Taking to Instagram to announce the release, Jonas shared his excitement about starting the year on an emotional high note. “I couldn’t ask for a better way to ring in the new year than hearing these lyrics, which mean so much to me, being sung back,” he noted, adding a sentiment of self-compassion: “Here’s to being kinder to ourselves in 2026.”
The Jonas Brothers star offered fans a glimpse of the song’s impact through a clip of a live performance where the audience sang along in unison. The track has become a staple of the Jonas20: Greetings From Your Hometown anniversary tour, which recently concluded a multi-city run ending in Brooklyn this past December.
The song’s hook delves into themes of self-sabotage and internal conflict: “Hit me like a gut punch / I hurt my own feelings / How did I get so good at being mean to myself?”
Listeners first caught wind of the moody ballad in mid-December during an intimate Sunday Best Brunch event in Toronto. That performance featured a guest appearance by his younger brother, Franklin Jonas, and songwriter JP Saxe, both of whom contributed to the atmosphere of the upcoming project.
Jonas opened up about the inspiration behind the lyrics, admitting to a tendency toward hyper-criticism. “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?’” he explained in a press statement. He emphasized the importance of reconnecting with a “carefree” version of oneself amidst the mounting pressures of adulthood.
“Gut Punch” serves as a preview for Sunday Best, Nick’s first solo studio album in five years. Scheduled for a February 6 release via Republic Records, the 11-track collection is an intimate exploration of his life with wife Priyanka Chopra and their daughter, Malti. Early reports describe the album as a return to his musical foundations, blending church-choir influences with “unguarded storytelling” and personal revelations.
While Nick focuses on his solo return, the Jonas Brothers remain active as a trio, having just performed a two-hour New Year’s Eve set at Florida’s Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The concert, which was broadcast via Samsung TV Plus, bridged the gap between their nostalgic hits and their most recent collective work.
Experience the lyric video for “Gut Punch” below:
