Following a slew of public discourse surrounding the pop icon, ‘SWAG’ is Justin Bieber’s way of shedding light on it all, in his own words.

Stream: ‘SWAG’ – Justin Bieber

This past Friday, Justin Bieber graced us with a surprise album, SWAG, marking the seventh studio album to come from the singer – and his first since 2021.

SWAG is introspection, and it’s honesty. At 21 tracks and running for just under an hour, Bieber arrives with offerings on marriage, fatherhood, and his relationship with fame. As would be the case with someone at his caliber, we tend to get caught up in the public narrative of it all – and we forget there is a very real person at the receiving end of collective scrutiny. This album feels like, for the first time, he’s giving us his own take on some of these comments.

Throwin’ petals like,
“Do you love me or not?”
Head is spinnin’,
and it don’t know when to stop
‘Cause you said, “Forever,”
babe, did you mean it or not?
Hold on, hold on
You leave me on read, babe,
but I still get the message
Instead of a line, it’s three dots,
but I can connect them
And if it ain’t right, babe,
you know I’ll respect it
But if you need time,
just take your time
Honey, I get it, I get it, I get it

Way you got me all in my head
Think I’d rather you in my bed
Whatever it is, you know I can take it
I’m countin’ the days,
how many days ’til I can see you again?

– “DAISIES,” Justin Bieber

I don’t want to focus too much on Bieber as a person, or what has been said about him online. But to me, SWAG is his way of telling us that he hears it all, and he hasn’t been any better for it. Perhaps even more poignant was Bieber’s approach to releasing this record, abandoning a full-fledged traditional marketing route and announcing SWAG through a series of billboards instead.

Perhaps that says it all – the internet and social media have failed to serve him and his music, and with little buildup to SWAG and its messaging, the record demands your ultimate subjectivity as a listener. Bieber is ready for you to receive him as he is, and through his own words.

Wonderfully fragmented and candidly intentional, the project ranges from succinct production scapes to more stripped-back tracks.

“ALL I CAN TAKE” and “405” are more experimental in their sonic capacities, while “BUTTERFLIES” and “ZUMA HOUSE” are more classic and instrumental heavy. Spliced with various interludes and minute-long tracks, the record feels almost thrown together like a journal – or scrapbook – of Bieber’s inner workings.

An array of stellar collaborators are attached to the record, such as Dijon, Mk.gee, Cash Cobain and Daniel Caesar, just to name a few. SWAG certainly comes across as a more personal and intentional project, and these collaborators have truly pushed the boundaries of creating the record’s unique sonic feel. Dijon’s distinct sound echoes in tracks like “DEVOTION,” and Bieber’s vocals alongside the echoey distorted guitar riffs feel like the perfect cherry on top.

And if you kiss me,
I might yell out, “Hallelujah”
And if you miss me,
I’m runnin’ right to ya,
givin’ you devotion
And if you touch me,
I might holler like, “Oh, man”
Baby, play another slow jam,
give me some devotion

Lyrically, SWAG is far from poetic, but its songs do feel incredibly candid. “GO BABY” is presumably a love letter to his wife, Hailey Bieber; he references her rhode phone case, calls her iconic, and then rhymes “iconic” with “lip gloss on it” (as in, the lip gloss on the phone case). “Dadz Love” addresses fatherhood, but is subsumed by spacey shadows, synths, and beats – projecting a feeling rather than a story.

That’s my baby, she’s iconic
​iPhone case, lip gloss on it
And, oh, my days, she keeps ’em talkin’
It’s comedy, just block it out, my baby

When sunlight turns to shadows
and it gets hard to face
Like water to a flower, babe,
I know you need the rain
Nothing needs to work out
and nothing needs to break
Don’t need to pretend that you’re okay

– “GO BABY,” Justin Bieber

“THERAPY SESSION,” “SOULFUL,” and “STANDING ON BUSINESS” explicitly address the discourse that has been floating around the public space about Bieber. These voice tracks in conversation with comedian Druski seem to serve as a personal reflection for Bieber, but ultimately help the audience to further understand his internal mindset when making this record.

The record truly shines in its quieter moments, such as “DAISIES,” “YUKON,” and perhaps what is, in my opinion, one of the best songs on the record, “WALKING AWAY.” Melodically magnetic, the layers of guitar draw you into its sonic landscape instantaneously. Its hook is reminiscent of early 2000s Bieber pop, but with a more polished and refined feel. Bieber’s performance is heartfelt and expressive, and the track perhaps holds some of the best songwriting on the record.

Reviews have been quick to criticize SWAG for being immature for someone of Bieber’s age or industry status, and I understand that it’s easy for us to do so because of who he is. It’s up to any listener’s discretion how they enjoy an album, or if they want to enjoy it at all.

However, I really want us to think deeper about the artist making the art.

The consumer market is ruthless; we’ve bolstered Bieber to fame because he entertained us, only for us to publicly tear him down for that same entertainment. If the only way for Justin Bieber to truly speak to us is through his music, then SWAG deserves the most attentive and subjective version of ourselves as listeners.

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:: stream/purchase SWAG here ::

:: connect with Justin Bieber here ::

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Stream: “DAISIES” – Justin Bieber

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 © Renell Medrano

SWAG

an album by Justin Bieber