Following the release of his sixth studio album, Justin Bieber came under fire on Twitter for the title of the new album “Justice” and using the voice of Martin Luther King Jr. in some of the songs on the album. Many were expecting the pop star to speak about the racial inequality that’s been prevalent in today’s world, however, Bieber sang about love and his spirituality.
The album releasing on March 19th was anticipated by many Bieber fans. After an underwhelming album in the form of 2020’s “Changes”, Bieber is still trying to find his sound, with this album focusing more on the R&B sound.
With the album starting off with the ballad “2 Much” I was expecting an introspective song about Bieber’s take on the injustices in today’s world. I was surprised to hear Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the opening seconds, however, at the time it made sense since the album was titled “Justice”. The song was Bieber speaking about his wife and how he’s afraid of missing out on times with her. Although the song was a good listen, it made no sense to put a sample from MLK at the beginning of the track.
This was my reaction throughout most of the album, numerous songs are about love or Bieber’s own experiences, rather than songs about justice or anything that pertains to current world events. Around track 3, I realized that this album would mostly be about love and not justice so I decided to lose all expectations.
A major standout was the vocal capability that Bieber showcases throughout the album. Bieber sounds the most mature he’s ever been both vocally and subject-wise. Songs like “Off My Face” and “Unstable” really show Bieber’s capabilities as a singer, which I feel have been a major improvement since his last 2 albums.
The song “Peaches” was the major standout on the album. With features from Daniel Caesar and Giveon, the pair outshine Bieber on his own song. Although the up-tempo funk beat is catchy, I would’ve preferred a song with a more R&B sound, as both Caesar and Giveon are known for the slower side of R&B.
Overall, this album didn’t make complete sense to me as I was expecting a completely different narrative, however with all things considered, I believe that Justin Bieber has improved from his last album “Changes”, with more memorable songs and features. I’d give this album a 6.5/10.
