An extended review of a 2025 music recording by Justin Bieber
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SWAG + SWAG II
By Justin Bieber
Def Jam, 2025. $25 ($60 vinyl)
Whatever your impression of him, Justin Bieber has cemented himself as one of the most recognizable Canadians on the planet. With the 31-year-old headlining the upcoming Coachella music festival, the Stratford, Ontario native’s prominence shows no sign of slowing down.
Bieber’s latest surprise album, SWAG II – the first without longtime manager Scooter Braun – is a massive 44 track double album, consisting of 23 new songs and a reissue of the 21 tracks from SWAG, which was released two months earlier. At 2 hours 11 minutes, the project gives Beliebers plenty to chew on, making up for the last four years since Bieber’s 2021 album Justice. While Justice was full of EDM, afrobeat and hip hop-influenced pop songs, this project is noticeably toned back, with Bieber fully leaning into synth-pop directions and his R&B influences.
Most of the songs can be classified as alt-R&B, with synthesizers laid over churning beats and Bieber’s soulful, layered vocals (“All I Can Take,” “Too Long,” “Better Man”). Bieber experiments with energetic drum machines and ethereal synthesizers, creating songs that take the listener on an occasionally unpredictable sonic journey (“Safe Space,” “Dadz Love,” “Open Up Your Heart”). Other tracks are more poppy, driven by catchy melodies and more radio-friendly choruses (“Daisies,” “Love Song,” “I Think You’re Special”). A third family of songs involve Bieber singing over a solo guitar. While Bieber’s harmonies, falsetto, and vocal runs in the R&B tracks are impressive, it is in these more acoustic songs (“Dotted Line,” “Zuma House,” “Glory Voice Memo”) that he reminds us of what propelled him to global stardom as a 15-year-old – the guy can sing.
Lyrically Bieber explores themes of fatherhood (“Mother in You,” “Dadz Love”) and the ups and downs of his marriage to beauty mogul Hailey Bieber (“I Do”, “Go Baby,” “Walking Away”). There are several sexually charged tracks (“Need It,” “Eye Candy,” “Too Long”) and 11 songs earn their explicit warning with coarse language, marijuana and alcohol references and sexual content, especially the raunchy “Sweet Spot.”
Bieber’s well-known Christian faith also shines through the project. Having been baptised in 2014 by scandal-ridden Hillsong pastor Carl Lentz, Bieber is now closely associated with Seattle pastor Judah Smith. Smith co-wrote “Story of God,” an 8-minute theologically rich spoken track where Bieber narrates the story of Genesis 1-3 from the first-person perspective of Adam. “Everything Hallelujah” is a song of praise in the little moments of daily life. “Safe Space” includes the prayer “Jesus, please show your face, right where you are.” “Glory Voice Memo” is psalm-like: “I reach out my hand, I’m begging you for mercy, please Lord, would you lead me?...singing glory to the King.” On “Forgiveness” Bieber doesn’t appear at all, making way for Detroit pastor Marvin Winan’s soulful version of “Lord I Lift Your Name on High.”
Having grown up under a global spotlight coinciding with the rise of social media, Justin Bieber has had a truly unique life. To his credit, he has been transparent about his physical and mental health struggles, his past addiction to recreational drugs and behaviour that led to legal issues. In his music and social media presence he seems quick to apologize and run towards the grace of God, all while enjoying a lavish lifestyle. What emerges is a life where faith, failure, fun and repentance coexist very publicly.
Each of these sides of Bieber emerge in SWAG and SWAG II. We hear him express heartfelt love for his wife while struggling with the normal squabbles and tension that appear in most marriages. Then in the next song we hear him swearing, talking about rolling a blunt and being overcome with sexual desire (hopefully for his wife). We hear him praising God and tenderly interpreting Scripture, while on another track one of his collaborators raps graphically about sexual acts. We hear mention of tequila shots and being drunk, followed by a soulful rendition of a classic worship song. The effect is a disorienting and conflicting listening experience.
Ultimately SWAG II is a bloated mixed bag that prioritizes quantity over cohesion. If you’re into pop and R&B, SWAG and SWAG II are worth a spin as there are some excellent, thought-provoking and catchy songs. Just be prepared to hit the skip button.
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