Justin Bieber, Canadian singer, songwriter, model, actor, and humanitarian. Raised by a single mother, his humble beginnings precipitated his work ethic and meteoric rise from YouTube clips to global superstar. His third album, Purpose, topped Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. Bieber is known for his genre-melding musicianship and worldwide influence on modern-day popular music, as well as his charity efforts with Pencils of Promise, which builds schools in impoverished areas.
In addition to collaborating with artists like Daniel Caesar and Giveon, Bieber has also made an effort to expand his sound. On the slinky R&B track “Peaches,” the pop star finds his most vocally flexible, and it’s a welcome change of pace from the John Hughes movie chords or runway-walk bop of many of his previous releases. But it’s the album’s closing song that best illustrates his reshaping ambitions: A piano ballad, “Lonely,” is a moving break with his former self that feels like the cleanest separation he’s committed to song.
As the album draws to a close, Bieber reflects on his early struggles and what it took to get where he is now. He also tries to be the kind of role model he wishes he had as a teen: “I want to be the person who can make somebody else feel safe. I’ve been through a lot myself, so hopefully what I do can help someone,” he says.
The music video for the song features several dance crews, including season five winner of America’s Best Dance Crew, Poreotics, and season three runner-up Beat Freaks. It also includes singer Kat Graham and a few other notable faces from the dance community. Bieber’s father, Wade, plays bass and sings on the track, while Joe Don Rooney, Jay DeMarcus, and Gary LeVox play guitar and keyboards.
The Oscar-winning actress, who is a huge Bieber fan, was thrilled to take part in the project. “What an honour to be a part of this video!!!” she wrote on Instagram with a teaser clip. “I can’t wait to see the full video!”