When I was younger, I wouldn’t say that I had “Bieber fever,” but I was a fan of Justin Bieber’s music. In recent years, I have grown to appreciate his music and career even more. I think this newfound appreciation stems from listening to his older music, which gives me a sense of nostalgia. It reminds me of loudly singing, performing his songs and creating fake music videos with my cousins, where we acted as Bieber and his fans. Looking back now, I definitely had a case of “Bieber fever.”
It took me some time to listen to the entire album, “SWAG.” My delay in listening to the album is because I only play his older music, aside from the hits of newer music. My favorite albums by Justin Bieber include “Purpose,” “Believe” and “My World.” These albums consist of songs “Baby,” “That Should Be Me,” “One Time,” “One Less Lonely Girl,” and “Beauty and a Beat.” If I had to pick a favorite song by Bieber, I would choose “One Time” or “What Do You Mean.” “One Time” has a simple theme of telling a girl that she’s the one for him. However, it’s a fun song and immediately puts me in a better mood when I listen to it. I’ve also always thought that Bieber has a good voice. I think he’s easy to listen to and recognizes talent. “What Do You Mean” is one of my favorites for its storytelling. For me, there are no standout vocal moments, but again, it’s upbeat and an easy listen. With songs, I often pay the most attention to lyrics. I think the storytelling in “What Do You Mean” is the focus and it is done well.
Listening to “SWAG,” a few songs caught my attention. The first song I liked was “DAISIES.” I had already heard parts of the song on TikTok before fully listening to it. I enjoy how this song, and others on the album, are more chill. My interpretation of this song is that it’s about the doubts you can experience in a relationship. Although it has been done before by many artists, I find this kind of honesty and perspective from Bieber to be unique and refreshing.
The next song that stood out to me was “GO BABY.” I enjoy how laid-back this song is. I also enjoy how this song, among others, has several moments where the music is highlighted in the absence of Bieber’s voice. I like the theme of this song, which is him supporting his wife, Hailey Bieber and saying how he’ll be there for her. Although shorter in duration, another song that I really like from this album is “THINGS YOU DO.” I like how reflective the song is on the good parts of a relationship. I also like how this song focuses on Bieber’s voice, but I wish it were a longer song.
The song “FIRST PLACE” reminds me of Bieber’s older music. To me, his voice sounds younger in this song., There are a lot of repeating words and phrases, which I recallBieber doing in his older music. “WALKING AWAY” also reminds me of his older music in the lyrics like “You are my diamond, gave you a ring, made you a promise,” which is repeated throughout the song. This song was not my favorite after the first listen, but after playing it a couple of times, it grew on me so much that I added it to my music library. Bieber’s voice in “YUKON” also sounds younger. Although his voice is the focus of this song, I really enjoy the instrumental. It’s another showcase of why I consider this album to have a very comfortable sentiment.
Throughout the album, there are a few interludes and conversations between Bieber and comedian Druski. These conversations made the album feel more personal and intimate. While I think this was a goal of Bieber for the album, I would have liked to listen to fewer interludes and conversations and would even prefer some songs to be longer. After listening to “DADZ LOVE,” I immediately typed in my Notes app that the song reminded me of experiencing intrusive thoughts because of how repetitive it is, especially in a short duration. I think this song promotes a great message of love and unity, which he seems to be emphasizing due to him becoming a father. This song is another showcase of why I find this album to feel more intimate and personal.
One of my favorite songs on this album is “405.” I like the easy and slower pace of the song. It’s a concept of wanting a relationship to work. Another interesting aspect of “SWAG” is that the last track is a pastor singing a Christian song. Bieber includes a few references to his faith throughout the album. I think these references and the inclusion of a pastor singing a spiritual song are another example of why this album feels more intimate and personal.
I enjoyed listening to “SWAG” and added several songs from the album to my music library on my phone. In this work, Bieber seems to be more expressive of his emotions, opinions, relationships and life. Out of his newer albums over the past five years, “SWAG” is my favorite.
“SWAG II” was released, Sept. 5. On various social media platforms, Bieber announced the new album extension would drop at midnight, Sept. 6. I am looking forward to listening to it and comparing it to “SWAG.”
