By Brian Mansfield, Special for USA TODAY
You can't be a teen heartthrob forever.
By Joseph Puhy
The teen idol becomes the mentor: Nick Jonas will produce a song for the winner of an online talent contest he's launching with Quaker Chewy Granola Bars.
By Joseph Puhy
The teen idol becomes the mentor: Nick Jonas will produce a song for the winner of an online talent contest he's launching with Quaker Chewy Granola Bars.
With that in mind, Nick Jonas has started to look beyond his role as the youngest of the Jonas Brothers.
Last year, he released a solo album, Nick Jonas & the Administration, and appeared in Les Mis�rables in London. Now the 18-year-old entertainer is broadening his sights further, expanding into production, outside songwriting, even scoring.
"Back in December, I started writing and producing for other people," Jonas says. "That's been my focus this year. I also scored a video game, which was really fun."
He co-wrote and produced a track called One Day for Filipino singer Charice. It premiered in April in an Acuvue ad that aired during Glee, in which Charice has a recurring role.
Jonas also has written with Babyface and American Idol Season 9 winner Lee DeWyze, as well as several young pop singers, including Ellen DeGeneres prot�g�Greyson Chance and YouTube phenom Cody Simpson. During the past two weeks, he has been at a songwriting camp in Bali, Indonesia, with several other writers, including Australian singer/songwriter Delta Goodrem.
"It's been an opportunity to be just as productive as I am with my brothers," Jonas says. "I hope that I can have a voice with my brothers, on my own and through other people."
In that same vein, Jonas has partnered with Quaker Chewy Granola Bars to launch an online talent contest for singers ages 8 to 14. For the contest, which starts today and runs through Aug. 5, video performances can be uploaded to ChewySuperstar.com. The field will be narrowed to five, who will be voted on by the public. A mobile studio will visit eight cities ? with Jonas appearing in Chicago and Dallas ? to help contestants record their performances.
Jonas will produce a song for the winner, who will also receive a contract with Jonas Group Management, an online video and $5,000.
"I'm excited to see what kind of talent we (get)," says Jonas, who made his Broadway debut at 7 and released his first album at 12. "We're not looking for a specific style; we're looking for a great artist who can make something their own."
Jonas sees the project as paying forward his own good fortune. "If there's a kid out there who is like me at that age, I'd love to guide them to a happy life and career in music."
Jonas also recently composed several instrumental pieces for Wintertusk, the latest world in online-game developer KingsIsle Entertainment's Wizard101 game.
In August, he'll star in a Los Angeles production of the musical Hairspray alongside Drew Carey and Darlene Love at the Hollywood Bowl.
"Musical theater has a fond spot in my heart," Jonas says. "Hopefully, I'll be able to do more of it."
Jonas sees such individual endeavors as a way of transitioning from the ephemeral teen-pop scene to something more durable.
"We've taken natural and gradual steps toward the kind of career that we believe will be long-lasting," he says. "As we step in our own directions, we'll continue to grow our audiences. When we come together, hopefully all those people will be Jonas Brothers fans, as well as of our individual works."
Source: http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/usatoday-LifeTopStories/~3/Gdtju9FeIVs/2011-06-08-nick-jonas_n.htm
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