Justin Bieber’s newest album is his most personal yet
Bieber Fever · The Canadian music prodigy Justin Bieber returns with his new record, Purpose, after a
three-year hiatus. Bieber will embark on a 58-day world tour starting on March 9, at KeyArena at Seattle Center. – Photo courtesy of Island Records
Questions concerning Justin Bieber’s dormant musical career have circulated these last few months as the singles “Where Are Ü Now” and “What Do You Mean?” were released as a tease for his new album, Purpose, which is set to be released this Friday. By collaborating with Skrillex and up-and-coming DJ Blood Pop, Bieber debuts a refined dance pop style on his track list of 19 songs. Songs like “Sorry,” the third single to be released from the album, illustrate enthusiastic and upbeat vibes that represent his desire to produce music again.
In an interview with Ryan Seacrest, the 21-year-old artist said, “[I want to] create the best piece of art that I can create, something that’s really near and dear to my heart. I know there’s a lot of stuff that I’ve been going through over the past few years. I just really want to bleed it on this record.”
Bieber’s honesty in his music stems from the hardships he has dealt with over the last two years, including his perplexing former relationship with singer Selena Gomez. The single “Sorry” is rumored to be a public apology to his ex-girlfriend, as the chorus indicates, but is featured with a playful tune: “Is it too late now to say sorry? / Cause I’m missing more than just your body.” He admits that Gomez was the muse for part of the song, along with “What Do You Mean?” and the album’s first track, “Mark My Words.”
As the “Baby” singer opens up about his personal life, the words behind Purpose are marked with a purpose of their own — to shut down the haters and reveal the real Justin Bieber. In the fourth song released from the album, “I’ll Show You,” Bieber opens up by singing, “My life is a movie and everyone’s watching / So let’s get to the good part, and past all the nonsense.” He wants his listeners to look past what the paparazzi has to say about him and believe in the truth of his lyrics — the same message he was promoting with his third studio album, Believe, which came out in 2012.
Prior to the album release, Bieber has already shown signs of success with his new music as “What Do You Mean?” nailed the No. 1 spot of the Billboard Hot 100 during its first week, the first time this has happened in his musical career and only the 23rd time this has happened in Billboard history. The other released songs from Purpose, “Sorry” and “I’ll Show You,” are currently ranked No. 4 and No. 51, respectively.
The singer plans on heightening the success of the new album with special guest features, including Travis Scott, Big Sean and an exclusive remix of “What Do You Mean?” with Ariana Grande. Contradictory to Bieber’s longstanding manager Scooter Braun’s concern about Bieber “[shutting] himself off and [going] into a dark place” as he told Billboard, the singer has picked himself back up and put all his efforts into a purposeful comeback just for his fans. The songs on the album not only serve as outlets into his private life, but also as expressions of gratitude for his fans who have supported him from his first album, My World, until now.
Purpose has high aspirations of becoming a platinum record, with personal connections and upbeat tracks. The album will be an experience listeners can relate to when hearing the new songs. For those wanting an even more immersive experience, Bieber will be holding a Q&A session and performing his new songs at the Staples Center Friday.