Justin Bieber’s sixth studio album, released on March 19, is already topping the charts. Justice is Bieber’s eighth overall album to be No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The original album has 16 songs, while the “Triple Chucks Deluxe” version adds six new tracks to the mix, featuring collaborations with other artists
In an Instagram post, Bieber explained that “in a time when there’s so much wrong with this broken planet we all crave healing and justice for humanity.” He expressed that his goal for Justice was to create comforting music that people can relate to in tumultuous times. He wanted everyone to know that they are not alone in their suffering and stated that Justice is him doing his “small part” in trying to help the world continue to heal. Bieber states that if everyone does their part by using their gifts to serve each other and our planet, we will be one step closer to being united
The opening song “2 Much” begins with Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous quote, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” In an interview with iHeartRadio, Bieber said that he wants to continue conversations about change: “What does it look like to be a part of change, to be a part of the solution and not the problem?” He also discussed how, like Justice, most of his albums titles are “big statement words;” some previous titles are Changes, Purpose, and Believe. And Bieber creates beautiful meaning within each album, starting with the title.
Bieber teased listeners with previews of his new song “Peaches”, featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon, just hours before the album was released. The music video for “Peaches” came out on March 19, as Justice dropped; the hit video features Bieber dancing in various outfits, one fully peach colored with a matching suit and headband. The catchy tune of “Peaches” is sure to become a summer anthem. This playful, upbeat song is a perfect song for dancing. Bieber’s chorus is composed of four main lines, “I got my peaches out in Georgia”, “I get my weed from California”, “I took my chick up to the North, yeah”, and “I get my light right from the source, yeah”. Many Beliebers are familiar with all of Justin’s tattoos—and it seems that “Peaches” inspired a new tat. On his Instagram, Bieber posted a picture of a new addition: a peach on his neck.
Many tracks on Justice sound like declarations of Bieber’s love to his wife. He married Hailey Baldwin (now Bieber) in 2018. “Unstable” featuring The Kid LAROI shows his appreciation for his wife as he sings, “you loved me when I was unstable… never judged me when I was unable to love myself, to trust myself.” Fans watched Bieber’s journey over the years, the past few being an emotional rollercoaster where he felt lost. His marriage with Hailey appears to be a saving grace. In “Die For You” featuring Dominic Fike, Justin expresses, “I would die for you, the rest of my life for you.”
A slow but powerful song showcasing love is “Off My Face.” This song has an acoustic, stripped down vibe; there is a gentle guitar playing in the background, but it is mostly focused on Bieber’s vocals. The entire track is essentially Bieber singing about how in love he is. “Loved By You” feat. Burna Boy and “As I Am” with Khalid are captivating pop songs where Bieber expresses regret for past behavior but insists he will do better in his current relationship. In “As I Am” Bieber sings, “Take me as I am, swear I’ll do the best I can,” promising to be a better version of himself for Hailey.
One song that caught fans’ attention was “Ghost” where Bieber describes losing a loved one. He sings “If you can’t be next to me, your memory is ecstasy” which can be looked at as a reminder of quarantine. In an interview with British Vogue, Bieber describes how quarantine restricted people from normal ways of relating and connecting to one another. In the chorus, the lyric, “If I can’t get close to you, I’ll settle for the ghost of you,” caused fans to wonder if the song could be a message to ex-lover Selena Gomez. But being that the rest of the album displays Bieber’s head over heels love for his current wife, this may be unlikely.
In the seventh spot on the tracklist, Bieber includes an “MLK Interlude”. Serving as a powerful reminder of the importance of fighting injustice, this interlude urges people to stand up for what is right. In the interview with iHeartRadio, Justin described how injustice is and has always been a part of the world and emphasizes what it means to be a part of change.
Just a week after Justice, Bieber released Justice: Triple Chucks Deluxe. The extended album includes 6 additional songs. Fast-paced catchy tracks include “There She Go” feat. Lil Uzi Vert, “I Can’t Be Myself” feat. Jaden, and “Wish You Would” feat. Quavo. “Lifetime” is another ode to his wife: “Some people come in your life for a reason, others they come in your life for a season, but, baby, you are a lifetime.” These new tracks complement the rest of the album, relating to the common theme of love.
Once again, Bieber has gifted fans with remarkable music. Justice is an album full of inspiration and love—one to play in times of loneliness, and also one to blast on the radio with friends. It embodies Bieber’s hope to change the world for the better.
Voice’s Choices: “As I Am,” “Ghost,” “Loved By You,” “Hold On,” “Holy”
