Nick Jonas Reflects on “Traumatic” Guitar Solo Debacle and Therapy Journey

Nick Jonas recently opened up about a “traumatic” moment in his career that led him to seek therapy.

Nick Jonas Reflects on Traumatic Guitar Solo Debacle and Therapy Journey
Nick Jonas Reflects on Traumatic Guitar Solo Debacle and Therapy Journey

During an appearance on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast, Nick and his brothers Kevin and Joe reflected on their highs and lows in the music industry. In addition, Nick mentioned a “tragic guitar solo debacle” during a live performance at the 2016 ACM Awards.

Nick described how he rehearsed the performance multiple times and felt confident about it. However, as he walked towards country star Kelsea Ballerini, he suddenly went blank and hit a wrong note during his guitar solo. He described the experience as a black-out moment where he couldn’t stop himself from playing the wrong message.

The aftermath of the performance was challenging for Nick, as he felt shocked and traumatized by the mistake. He couldn’t figure out exactly what happened and was rushed to a car and then a plane immediately after the performance. The incident garnered attention, with one clip of the moment amassing over 4.2 million views on YouTube.

Nick acknowledged that the mishap affected him deeply and shaped the pressure he put on himself to be perfect and always be on. He revealed that the experience led him to seek therapy to process the trauma and address his perfectionism.

Kelsea Ballerini, who performed alongside Nick during the ACM Awards, had a positive perspective on the performance and defended Nick, stating that she thought the performance was awesome.

In addition, she expressed her excitement about sharing the stage with Nick, whom she had admired since she was 12 years old.

Nick has learned not to place excessive pressure on himself in the years since the incident. Despite the challenging moment, he has grown and applied less pressure to his performances.

Nick and Kelsea have also had the opportunity to make up for the mishap, as Ballerini opened for the Jonas Brothers on their Remember This Tour in 2021, and they even performed a duet together.

Overall, Nick Jonas’s revelation about the “worst moment” in his career highlights the impact of public mistakes on artists and the importance of seeking support and therapy to navigate the pressures of fame.