Since he was first discovered as a preteen squealing out cover songs on YouTube, Justin Bieber has captured hearts and ears, sold millions of albums, and become one of the biggest pop stars in history. He has diversified his catalog with R&B, dance, and holiday music, and has been nominated for 23 GRAMMYs and won two. But he has also struggled with his image, been arrested, and faced criticism over his behavior and alleged sexual assaults.
In the recent Netflix documentary Seasons, Bieber’s manager, Scooter Braun, describes how Bieber struggles with feeling happy. In a scene from the series, Bieber’s wife Hailey is seen zipping him in and out of a hyperbaric chamber, trying to help him raise his standard levels of dopamine so that he can function as a normal human being.
Amid the turmoil of his troubled past, Bieber took the opportunity to reinvent himself as a more mature artist with his 2016 album, Purpose. The record landed him his highest-grossing world tour to date and saw the singer lean into an R&B sound that he had flirted with throughout his career, especially in the era of the album Journals, released song by song over the fall and winter of 2013. The album’s second single, “Recovery,” is a perfect example of how Bieber has fine-tuned his approach to pop and R&B, with a catchy hook and a lyrical focus on forgiveness and growth.
The video for the song features Bieber dancing with members of a street dance crew, such as New Zealand’s ReQuest Dance Crew and Beat Freaks, who competed on seasons of America’s Best Dance Crew. The colorful, upbeat dance video reflects the song’s lyrics about finding someone who makes you want to be a better person.
Throughout the year, Bieber appeared in several music videos, including “Sorry” with Nicki Minaj and the reggae-inspired track “What Do You Mean?” He also made appearances in films such as The Fate of the Furious and Fifty Shades Darker.
This acoustic ballad showcases the singer’s ability to captivate with just the power of his voice. He uses a delicate falsetto on the verses, and on the chorus he sings in a hushed whisper that sounds a little like a thump. It’s a beautiful and memorable moment, showing how far his voice has come since his early days as a pop heartthrob.
On this soft acoustic incantation, Bieber delivers the kind of romantic lyrics that would normally be considered over-the-top if delivered by a less talented performer. But with the right backing musicians (like acoustic guitarist Charlie Puth and an orchestra) on board, it sounds authentic. The eponymous song is another example of the album’s careful balance between comfort and tentativeness.