Nick Jonas reflected on living with Type 1 diabetes for 21 years during the Jonas Brothers’ August 20 tour kickoff at Madison Square Garden. Before performing “A Little Bit Longer,” the singer revisited being diagnosed at 13 and shared a reassuring message to his younger self.
Key Takeaways
- Nick Jonas was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 13.
- He discussed living with the autoimmune disease for 21 years during the Jonas Brothers’ August 20 concert.
- Jonas connected his experience with Type 1 diabetes to the Jonas Brothers’ 2008 song “A Little Bit Longer.”
- He told his younger self that positive experiences were ahead and reassured him that “everything is okay.”
- The Jonas Brothers also debuted their new pop-punk song “Listen When Sad” during the tour kickoff.
Nick Jonas Reflects on 21 Years With Type 1 Diabetes
Jonas discussed his experience with Type 1 diabetes during the Jonas Brothers’ first concert of their Burning Up Tour All Over Again at Madison Square Garden in New York City on August 20. The singer was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease when he was 13.
The discussion took place before Jonas performed “A Little Bit Longer,” a Jonas Brothers song connected to his experience after his diagnosis. He sat at a piano during the performance and spoke about the process of writing the song.
Jonas said he initially wrote about the experience as a way to work through what he was experiencing. He described the song as being similar to a journal entry, linking the creative process directly to his personal experience with the disease.
The singer also described how sharing the experience through music allowed him to connect with the audience. He said that opening up about what he was going through helped him connect more deeply with people who were listening.
Jonas said he has now lived with Type 1 diabetes for 21 years. During his remarks, he looked back at himself as a teenager and considered what he would say if he could speak to his younger self.
His message focused on reassurance rather than details of treatment or medical care. He told his 13-year-old self that there were many experiences ahead and that life would continue to improve.
Jonas also reassured his younger self about his health, telling him that he was in the best health of his life and that “everything is okay.”
Jonas Brothers Open the Tour at Madison Square Garden
Jonas discussed his diabetes journey during the Jonas Brothers’ August 20 performance at Madison Square Garden, which opened their Burning Up Tour All Over Again. The concert was the first of three sold-out shows at the New York City venue.
The tour marks a return to the Burning Up era in the Jonas Brothers’ live schedule. The group performed the original Burning Up Tour setlist alongside more recent songs during the opening-night concert. The band’s 45-city tour schedule had been announced ahead of the opening performances.
The performance included songs such as “Sucker” and “Only Human,” adding material from different points in the group’s catalog to the concert schedule.
Jonas’ remarks about his diabetes journey were incorporated into the performance of “A Little Bit Longer.” The placement connected a song from the group’s earlier career with an experience that Jonas continues to live with as an adult.
Before beginning the song, Jonas also spoke directly to the audience about personal experiences and the way people can move through difficult periods. He told concertgoers that whatever they were going through had led them to that particular moment.
He added that he was glad the audience and the group could “heal together,” keeping the focus of the performance on the personal meaning behind the song.
The concert therefore included both the Jonas Brothers’ established material and new music, while giving Jonas an opportunity to revisit one of the band’s songs through the experience that inspired it.
“A Little Bit Longer” Connects to Jonas’ Diabetes Experience
“A Little Bit Longer” has a direct connection to Jonas’ diagnosis with Type 1 diabetes. The song was released by the Jonas Brothers in 2008 and became a way for Jonas to write about his experience.
During the Madison Square Garden performance, Jonas explained that he wanted to write about what had happened to him. He said writing the song gave him a way to work through the experience.
He also recalled how sharing the song changed his connection with listeners. After writing about his experience and being open about it, Jonas said he realized that the honesty helped him connect with people in the audience.
His comments placed the song within the larger history of the Jonas Brothers’ music while keeping the focus on the personal experience behind its creation.
The song also provided the setting for Jonas to address his younger self more than two decades after his diagnosis. Rather than discussing the diagnosis only as an event from his teenage years, he described what it has meant to live with Type 1 diabetes for 21 years.
Jonas referred to the disease as an autoimmune condition during his remarks. He did not present his personal experience as general medical guidance, instead discussing his own diagnosis and the way he processed it through music.
The performance gave Jonas an opportunity to revisit the song while also acknowledging the amount of time that has passed since he first wrote it.
Nick Jonas Reassures His Younger Self During the Performance
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Jonas directed part of his remarks toward the teenager he was when he received his diagnosis. He said that if he could look in the mirror and speak to his 13- or 14-year-old self, he would tell him that there was still a great deal ahead.
The message included reassurance about his future and his health. Jonas said his younger self would experience many things in the years ahead and that life would continue to get better.
He also told the younger version of himself that he was in the best health of his life. The statement came after Jonas had described living with Type 1 diabetes for 21 years.
His comments remained focused on his own experience rather than offering medical advice. Readers seeking broader information about nutrition and wellness can also explore resources on the role of a dietitian in wellness.
The moment connected the singer’s teenage diagnosis with his current life as a performer. He delivered the remarks during a concert attended by thousands of fans at Madison Square Garden, immediately before performing the song associated with his experience.
Jonas had previously used music to process the diagnosis, according to his remarks at the concert. His explanation of the songwriting process provided context for why “A Little Bit Longer” remained part of the performance.
The discussion also distinguished the personal history behind the song from the rest of the concert’s setlist. The Jonas Brothers performed both older material and more recent hits during the opening night.
Jonas’ comments remained centered on his own experience. He discussed his diagnosis, the songwriting process and the perspective he has gained after 21 years of living with Type 1 diabetes.
Jonas Brothers Debut New Song “Listen When Sad”
The Madison Square Garden concert also included the debut of a new Jonas Brothers song titled “Listen When Sad.” The band performed the pop-punk track during the tour kickoff ahead of its scheduled official release on August 28.
Jonas introduced the song by describing its connection to the sound that influenced the group during the early 2000s. He cited bands including Switchfoot, Taking Back Sunday and Dashboard Confessional as influences on that sound.
The new track was produced by John Fields, who previously worked with the Jonas Brothers on their self-titled album, A Little Bit Longer and Lines, Vines and Trying Times, according to Jonas’ comments during the performance.
The debut gave the tour’s opening concert a new-music component alongside the group’s performance of songs from its existing catalog.
The Jonas Brothers’ opening-night schedule therefore combined older material associated with the group’s earlier career, later hits and a newly recorded song. Jonas’ performance of “A Little Bit Longer” added a personal element tied to his Type 1 diabetes journey.
The opening performance followed the group’s previously announced 45-city Burning Up Tour, which brought the band back to venues across the tour schedule.
The Madison Square Garden engagement was also scheduled to continue with additional performances, including the group’s third Madison Square Garden concert.
For Jonas, the Madison Square Garden performance brought together a song written after his diagnosis, his current perspective after 21 years of living with the disease and the start of a new Jonas Brothers tour.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Nick Jonas diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes?
Nick Jonas was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 13. He discussed the diagnosis during the Jonas Brothers’ August 20, 2026 concert at Madison Square Garden.
How long has Nick Jonas lived with Type 1 diabetes?
Jonas said during the concert that he has been living with Type 1 diabetes for 21 years. He also reflected on what he would tell himself when he was first diagnosed as a teenager.
What Jonas Brothers song is connected to Nick Jonas’ diabetes experience?
“A Little Bit Longer” is connected to Jonas’ experience with Type 1 diabetes. He said he wrote the song as a way to work through what he was experiencing after his diagnosis.
When did the Jonas Brothers’ Burning Up Tour All Over Again begin?
The Jonas Brothers began the Burning Up Tour All Over Again with a concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City on August 20, 2026. The concert was the first of three sold-out shows at the venue.
What new song did the Jonas Brothers debut during the tour kickoff?
The Jonas Brothers debuted “Listen When Sad,” a new pop-punk song, during the August 20 concert. The song was scheduled for official release on August 28.
