Joe Jonas’ Ayala Malls tour starts on Saturday

ALTHOUGH it’s Joe Jonas’ first time here, he said he’s been wanting to visit the country. ARNOLD ALMACEN

Pop star Joe Jonas would be shocked if Jessica Sanchez doesn’t win “American Idol.”

Speaking to the local media last Wednesday at the InterContinental Hotel in Makati City, Jonas said he found Sanchez “so talented.” He added: “She’ll have an amazing career ahead of her.”

A duet with Jessica?

The 22-year-old musician and actor said he was not following the current season of “Idol,” but his 10-year-old brother Frankie prodded him to watch Sanchez in the program. And when he did, he said he was “so impressed” with the Filipino-Mexican-American finalist. “We should do a song together,” he suggested.

Jonas—a member of the pop-rock group Jonas Brothers—is in Manila to promote his solo album “Fastlane” via a tour of different Ayala Malls in the country. He’s also working on a promotional campaign for local clothing brand Bench.

Although it’s Jonas’ first time here, he said he’s been wanting to visit the country: “I have a few friends from the States who are Filipinos. I’ve heard quite a lot about the Philippines and been wanting to come and see the whole place.”

He’s likewise glad about being “the first Jonas to be able to come,” and can’t wait to come back home to “brag to my brothers about the trip. I love your country already and I’m looking forward to spending more time here.”

The Arizona native will definitely see more of the Philippines when he brings his music to mallgoers. He has already promoted “Fastlane” in different parts of South America and Europe, and said he’s excited to share his songs with his Filipino fans.

Although a solo album, “Fastlane” still bears influences from his brothers Kevin and Nick, Jonas said. The trio formed the hugely popular teenybopper band Jonas Brothers which headlined several Disney projects.

About his album, Jonas said: “I think it’s a little bit of what me and my brothers wrote and a little bit of me. I’m still continuing to discover the kind of sound that I would like to continue to make. Kevin loves country music. Nick loves old school … Elvis Costello … and  funky music. I love dance music … R&B … different styles of music.”

“Fastlane,” which went to No. 15 on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart, got the nod of critics, with “Entertainment Weekly” saying “the JoBro lead heartthrob sheds teen-pop tremors for sensitive guy-cool on this sultry midtempo torch song”—referring to Jonas’ collaboration with Chris Brown on “See No More.”

Aside from “See No More,” the album contains 11 other tracks, including “Just in Love” which debuted at No. 2 on the iTunes video chart.

Jonas performs at the following Ayala Malls: TriNoma Activity Center today, 4 p.m., and at the Greenbelt 3 Park at 7 p.m; Alabang Town Center Corte de las Palmas tomorrow, 7 p.m.; and Ayala Center Cebu Activity Center, May 27, 3 p.m.