Justin Bieber is back and he’s bringing the ‘SWAG’

Recommended tracks: “DAISIES,” “BUTTERFLIES,” “WALKING AWAY”
Artists you may like: Shawn Mendes, Charlie Puth, Ed Sheeran

After years of near silence, Justin Bieber is back and he’s bringing the SWAG. The surprise seventh studio album drop is a reintroduction to Bieber and proves that he hasn’t lost an ounce of his hit-making abilities.

The Canadian singer has been quietly hinting at his return for some time now. Over the past year, he’s reminded us just how magnetic he is live with surprise appearances at Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s Grand National Tour to sing “Snooze” with SZA and another cameo at Don Toliver’s show to sing their collaboration, “Private Landing.” Just hours before billboards teasing SWAG started popping up in major cities across the world, Bieber’s newest creative venture SKYLRK launched, the opening move for Bieber’s surprise return.

Bieber’s return comes after a much needed three-year hiatus, rooted in both physical and emotional recovery. He was forced to cancel the remaining dates of his Justice World Tour when he was diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a rare neurological condition that causes facial paralysis, in 2022. The 31-year-old has always been candid about the pressures growing up in the public eye and the struggles he faces with mental health. Taking a step back allowed him to focus on healing, a decision that allowed him to rediscover his voice on SWAG, reminding the world exactly why he became a global sensation in the first place.

Bieber may have gotten his first hit with a polished pop song, but his R&B roots have always pushed through the surface. On SWAG, a 21-track record featuring collaborations with Gunna, Druski, Dijon, Eddie Benjamin, Lil B, Druski, Sexyy Red, Marvin Winans, and Cash Cobain, feels like a more refined and mature evolution of 2013’s Journals.

“DAISIES” stands out as Bieber’s best vocal performance to date, showcasing the control he has over this voice. Throughout his career, Bieber has always expressed his love for his wife Hailey. On SWAG, the tradition continues with “GO BABY,” a sweet and celebratory track that allows him to celebrate their love loud and proud: “Sunday to Sunday, I’m here when you’re weak / Coaster beside me, it’s always okay / Every moment you know where to find me / You don’t have to speak, I can read you.”

Only Bieber could turn a run-in with the paparazzi into an iconic pop culture moment by sampling an interaction that he had with them earlier this year on “BUTTERFLIES.” The track feels like you hopped into a time machine and went straight back to 2013 when Journals was released. Bieber even included an interlude featuring Druski called “STANDING ON BUSINESS,” addressing another interaction with the paparazzi that went mega viral where he says “It’s not clocking to you that I’m standing on business,” — a now humorous line amongst the Justin Bieber fanbase.

“WALKING AWAY” has the potential to be the next biggest hit in Bieber’s catalog with a catchy chorus and groovy rhythm: “Baby, I ain’t walking away / You were my diamond / Gave you a ring / I made you a promise / I told you, I’d change / It’s just human nature / These growing pains / And baby, I ain’t walking away.” This is the type of track that sneaks up on you and gets stuck in your head for months at a time.

SWAG really is an album for the fans who have been there since day one and never stopped listening, and it’s a reminder that Bieber Fever is incurable and lives in the hearts of us all.