Justin Bieber's new series 'Seasons' is a timely exploration of an artist dealing with marriage and maturity
Justin Bieber has unveiled a new series on YouTube titled 'Seasons'. The pilot premiered on January 27 and fans can watch earlier ad-free episodes on the premium version of YouTube, namely episodes 2 and 3.
Bieber, a big pop culture fixtrure of modern times, has decided to explore his own tribulations and victories, and reveal an inspiring and fresh outlook on his musical journey over the years, his pains, and life in general. The first three episodes (out of a total of 10) stretch approximately between eight and eleven minutes and play out like a bio feature enriched with personal, professional and some sweet, humorous moments.
After an intro on Bieber's 'Purpose World Tour', the first episode of 'Seasons', titled 'Leaving the Spotlight' opens with a somewhat nervous Bieber. After explaining who he is and what the viewers can expect, he says to the production crew, "Can I do that again? I think I'm getting a little bit in my head about it", and we are already introduced to a more open, honest Bieber. The episode divulges the artist canceling the tour early in order to come to grips with his health. It discusses the personal trials he was facing at the time and during his break from music.
While traveling to his hometown, Stratford, Canada, in May 2019, he references his "first favorite documentary", 'Justin Bieber: Never Say Never'. The YouTube series plays out like a long-awaited sequel to the documentary 'Never Say Never', albeit 'Seasons' expresses a more intimate profile of the artist maturing as both an artist and person who faces challenges just like your average person.
The episode features casual and sweet moments with the singer and his wife Hailey Rhode Bieber. She takes a firm stance in being a support to the superstar in a few scenes with him and on interviews throughout the episode and reveals a sentiment that many a Belieber can resonate with, "He still is who is he is and that's why people are drawn to him, because he has a story to tell".
We are left reflecting alongside Bieber as he shares personal details about his previous troubles and reminisces on his youth; taking his wife to some stairs in Stratford where he busked before he became famous.
Bieber's manager Scooter Braun (who discovered Bieber at a young age) reveals how Bieber just wanted to get away and just feel normal. Friend and creative director for Bieber, Ryan Good, shares how being consistently exposed to such an exorbitant amount of fans and having to keep up performances for large crowds eventually takes its toll on artists and can make your brain feel worn out "where standard levels of dopamine just don't get you excited anymore".
The singer later shares a sentiment, "I think that being human is challenging for everybody", adding, "I think that we're all struggling to some degree. We all have our individual pains and fears and anxieties, worries."
'Seasons' storylines Bieber embracing his vulnerability and acknowledges a theory that even great men can fall, even great men can find themselves overcome at times, and in order to win or maintain their following, eventually, even a king would have to place a humble foot forward.
'Seasons' is a pleasingly thought-provoking exploration of a 25-year-old singer revealing a maturity that we have not seen in him before.