Used To Be

Album: Happiness Begins (2019)
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Songfacts®:

  • The Jonas Brothers worked with OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder on this song. It was one of five Happiness Begins tracks on which Nick, Joe and Kevin collaborated with the songwriter, including the lead single "Sucker." Tedder also executive produced the album.
  • Tedder told Billboard the brothers were quick off the block when it came to recording potential tracks.

    "We would write a song in about 90 minutes. We would cut it in the second hour. It would be demo'd by dinner," he recalled.

    Their efficiency reminded Tedder of two other superstar collaborators: "Sam Smith and Adele are maybe the only other acts I've ever worked with, where they're like, 'Oh, my gosh. It's 6 p.m. Let's call it a day.'"
  • The song's sound is influenced by artists like Post Malone, whose material is on the rhythmic urban side. Kevin Jonas said that because Malone had referenced the brothers on his 2018 single "Better Now," they wanted to do the same. Post's shout out went:

    And I'm rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin'
    With my brothers like it's Jonas, Jonas

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