At a Glance
- Jonas Brothers backline technician Michael Moschella defends Nick Jonas against claims he fakes guitar parts
- Moschella insists Nick’s guitar is live and audible to the audience at every show
- The controversy started when an Instagram user questioned Nick’s performance on DNCE’s “Cake by the Ocean”
- Why it matters: The dispute highlights how social media scrutiny can challenge live performance authenticity
A Jonas Brothers crew member is pushing back after an Instagram video questioned whether Nick Jonas actually plays guitar on stage.
The clip, posted Saturday, Jan. 10, shows Nick strumming DNCE’s “Cake by the Ocean” during a Jonas Brothers concert. The user overlays skeptical expressions and later plays the riff himself, captioning the post “Real playing…”
Michael Moschella, the band’s backline technician, responded in the comments.
“As Nick’s guitar tech, I can assure you at all times his guitar is connected, he is playing the song, and he is in the FOH mix coming out of the PA for the audience to hear,” Moschella wrote.
He clarified that Nick handles rhythm power chords on the track, backing lead guitarist JinJoo while Joe Jonas fronts the DNCE tune.
Tour Wrap and New Music
The Jonas Brothers closed their 75-show JONAS20: Greetings from Your Hometown Tour last month, promoting 2025 album Greetings from Your Hometown.
Nick, 33, attended the 2026 Golden Globes with wife Priyanka Chopra Jonas on Jan. 11 and prepares to drop solo album Sunday Best on Feb. 6. Lead single “Gut Punch” arrived Jan. 1.
“I’m so excited to share these new stories, candid thoughts, quiet walks home in the city, and snapshots of my life over these past few years,” Nick said in a statement. “And while this album was made over the course of the last two years, it was truly 33 years in the making.”
