Will Justin Bieber's 'Changes' be the album that separates pop's bad boy from his past? Here's what we can expect
Justin Bieber has been a name ever so often on the tip of people's tongues when referring to pop music. We have seen him quickly diving into super-fame when he was discovered on YouTube when he was only 13-years-old and watched him go through various transitions as his music evolved and popularity grew. The 25-year-old Canadian singer has won the attention of millions of screaming fans and has been labeled as both a heart-throb and prominent artist, adopting more swag to his music and presence as the years go by.
In 2016 in support of his last album 'Purpose', the singer had performed on a tour, but canceled early as he was struggling with the mass fame taking a toll on his personal life and health. Bieber had taken to removing himself from the spotlight in the media and went on a hiatus. The young singer had produced a formidable list of albums from his early days with debut LP 'My World 2.0' till the 2016 'Purpose' until then. The hiatus was only but a step towards greater things expected of the artist.
Bieber now seems to have found new strength within himself. He decided to hit the studios again and has announced a new album, tour and even released a YouTube documentary series 'Seasons'.
In light of the appropriately-titled new album 'Changes', releasing February 14, we are left to ask, what can we expect on the new record? What sort of changes will we see in his music?
Bieber released a single 'Yummy' on January 3 as a small taste of what is to come in his new music, and many fans around the world couldn't resist the urge to jump straight back into the Belieber-chasing wagon. According to Republic World, 'Yummy' amassed an astounding 13 million views within hours of its release on YouTube, which clearly bears witness to the fact that the world is keeping up-to-date with the singer and fans have been eagerly awaiting new music. In the music video, a pink-hair Bieber sways his viewers with music that reflects his 'Journals' compilation album with a smooth sound projected by Bieber's equally smooth vocals that resonate with the trap-soul genre.
We have been treated to a few songs from 'Changes' in his 'Seasons' series, which certainly hint at a more mature Bieber who has often described his latest works as "R&Bieber". Since his betrothal to wife Hailey Rhode Bieber, his lyrical content appear to be more intimately directed at his partner rather than romanticizing girls from his fanbase. 'Intentions' which features Quavo (who also romanticizes his love interest Saweetie) was released on YouTube on January 27 and expresses lyrics "Gorgeous, make 'em drop dead, you a killer Shower you with all my attention Yeah, these are my only intentions Stay in the kitchen cookin' up, got your own bread" and "Shout-out to your mom and dad for makin' you". The song shares how influential Hailey has been on his creative process saying, "When I create, you're my muse" and we get a clearer picture of the inspirations behind the new album.
The single 'Get Me' released on January 28 and plays with more melancholic tones that resonate with what we would expect "R&Bieber" to sound like. Starting off softer, the track builds up in intimate romance with featuring artist Kehlani dueting with Bieber.
In Episode 5 of 'Seasons', Bieber revealed some shocking news about his current health conditions, sharing the news like a trooper in tandem to revealing a very vulnerable side to the artist. He explains how the damage that his previous drug use has taken a large toll on his health and shares his recent diagnosis of Lyme disease. He carries himself professionally, not letting his troubles get in the way of his art, as he focuses on perfecting his music. Although none of the songs revealed from 'Changes' divulge on the topic, the mature stance that Bieber reflects as of late could be carried over into some of the new songs. You can read more on the episode here.
Bieber shows a focus on reaching out to his audience from a different perspective on the album, evident in the docu-series and new LP title. With Bieber going full-steam ahead on his new projects, focusing on enhancing his music and scraping away all the chaff of his past, we can hope that 'Changes' springs Bieber's career ahead as a prominent, mature artist.