This Is Heaven

Album: Spaceman (2021)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is Heaven
    And I don't know how this could get much better
    Than you and me, here right now


    Nick Jonas wrote this song for his Spaceman album during the COVID-19 pandemic. His wife, the actress Priyanka Chopra, spent fourth months in Germany working on the fourth Matrix movie and Jonas composed the uplifting tune when she returned to their Los Angeles home.
  • Jonas' feelings of isolation while waiting for his wife to return home inspired the project's title track.
  • Jonas wrote the song with the Detroit singer-songwriter Maureen "Mozella" McDonald and the track's producer, Greg Kurstin. The three also penned "'Spaceman" together.
  • Jonas explained to SiriusXM Hits 1 he wanted to capture that euphoric feeling of being with your love interest after a long absence. "For me, it's obviously a romantic thing, but I think for anybody that listens to this song," he said. "It's really about that feeling of when we're going to do that first normal thing again, or when we're going to see that the friends and family we haven't seen in almost a year or beyond. And, it just is supposed to give you that feeling of truly throwing your hands up in the air and saying, 'Oh finally.'"

    Jonas added that the sound of '80s artists such as Peter Gabriel and Steve Winwood were a big influence, as well as more modern artists such as Drake and The Weeknd. "But this definitely has that Steve Winwood, Michael Bolton kind of feel with the sax solo," he continued.
  • Jonas performed the song for the first time on the February 27, 2021 episode of Saturday Night Live. SNL musical director Lenny Pickett delivered the sax solo during his rendition.
  • Daniel Broadley directed the video, filming it in London, Windsor, and Southampton, England. The visual begins with Jonas finishing the last page of a script on an old school typewriter that describes where his previous clip for "Spaceman" ended.

    During the verses, the isolated singer wanders empty hallways and a lush forest alone.

    For the buoyant chorus, The London Community Gospel Choir joins Jonas in St. John's Church in London's Hyde Park as he rejoices over being reunited with his lover.
  • The song is about Jonas' personal experience with faith and religion. "I believe in a lot of things, and one of the things I believe is that love is a high, important power that connects us all," he told Apple Music. "When you're in that state of euphoria and connection with your person, it should feel like heaven. I wanted to write a song that embodied that. Also, naturally, heaven would have sax solos."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

James Bond Theme Songs

James Bond Theme SongsMusic Quiz

How well do you know the 007 theme songs?

Dexys (Kevin Rowland and Jim Paterson)

Dexys (Kevin Rowland and Jim Paterson)Songwriter Interviews

"Come On Eileen" was a colossal '80s hit, but the band - far more appreciated in their native UK than stateside - released just three albums before their split. Now, Dexys is back.

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")Song Writing

Wes Edwards takes us behind the scenes of videos he shot for Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley and Chase Bryant. The train was real - the airplane was not.

Metallica

MetallicaFact or Fiction

Beef with Bon Jovi? An unfortunate Spandex period? See if you can spot the true stories in this Metallica version of Fact or Fiction.

Director Paul Rachman on "Hunger Strike," "Man in the Box," Kiss

Director Paul Rachman on "Hunger Strike," "Man in the Box," KissSong Writing

After cutting his teeth on hardcore punk videos, Paul defined the grunge look with his work on "Hunger Strike" and "Man in the Box."

Spooner Oldham

Spooner OldhamSongwriter Interviews

His keyboard work helped define the Muscle Shoals sound and make him an integral part of many Neil Young recordings. Spooner is also an accomplished songwriter, whose hits include "I'm Your Puppet" and "Cry Like A Baby."