Justin Bieber? I haven’t heard that name in years! If I’m being honest, I’m not sure I wanted to, either.
Once, in middle school, I slept over at a friend’s house, and she had every inch of her wall covered in posters of the teenage heart-throb (and yes, when I say every inch, I am including the surface area of the ceiling). Needless to say, I have never been a fan of “the Biebs.” I even intentionally avoided listening to his album until Isaac Sorell, acting junior, gave a Bieber impression at the last improv show and inspired me to open my heart and listen to the new album. Thanks Isaac.
Bieber’s new album, “Changes,” marks the end to a five-year drought. Although he’s been a featured artist on some peers’ singles, Bieber hasn’t released an album since “Purpose” in 2015. Aside from getting married in 2018, Bieber has been out of the spotlight for a while.
Despite the years away from producing music, the Billboard charts have welcomed Bieber back with warm arms as if nothing had changed.
“Changes” was released on Valentine’s Day and is Bieber’s fifth studio album. “Changes” quickly became his seventh album to snag the number one spot on Billboard’s Top 200 chart. Additionally, Bieber is the youngest artist to achieve seven number-one albums, knocking out the previous title-holder, Elvis Presley. No big deal.
It’s crazy to think it’s been over ten years since “Baby” was played twice every hour on the radio. Now, 26 years old and married, Bieber has found a more mature sound, or at least more mature than his previous works. Tiny steps, people.
The first single released from the album was “Yummy.” I think there is situational irony at play in this title, as it is one of the most unappealing tracks on the album. The chorus of the song is, “Yeah, you got that yummy, yum / That yummy, yum / That yummy, yummy.” The song is about how his partner has “that yummy,” but the music video depicts Bieber sitting with a middle-aged woman and a man at a dinner table. They’re at a fancy restaurant, and Bieber is clearly underdressed, in a pink sweatshirt to match his pink hair. The video was confusing regarding the message of the song, but I’ll admit it was interesting to watch. I also like to think about the fact the featured woman was paid to simply eat fries while Bieber sang to her.
Remember when I said Bieber channels a more mature voice in this album? Yeah… “Yummy” is an exception. Our first glimpse of the album is a song that is childish and completely lacks substance. Since this was the only song I had heard, I was very hesitant to listen to the rest of the setlist. I was surprised to find the rest of the album is, actually, pretty standard pop that doesn’t make me cringe.
The title song of the album, “Changes,” is a slow, acoustic song about going through changes to become a better version of yourself. The lyrics in the pre-chorus read, “I just want to be the best of me / Even though sometimes I forget to breathe / So that I can be the best for you.” I love this selfless concept that loving yourself will, in turn, help you serve and love others better. The tone of this song is unlike anything I’ve ever heard from Bieber, and I really like it. Besides the easy-going feel of the song, another aspect that sets the track apart is the outro. Bieber speaks over the fading music, “People change, circumstances change / But God always remains the same.” The authenticity in this song makes up for the shortcomings of “Yummy.”
Many of the songs on the album sound alike, but well-known artists such as Quavo, Post Malone and Travis Scott add variety to the setlists. Bieber has never been my favorite, but this album surprised me, and I did enjoy listening to (half of) it. If anything, I think Bieber is an artist who has clearly grown artistically since the beginning of his career.
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