Justin Bieber's New Album "Justice"
Artwork by Aminata Diop | The Corsair
On Friday, March 19 Canadian singer-songwriter Justin Bieber released his sixth studio album titled “Justice.” The album, which Bieber originally created as a personal outlet during quarantine, became No. 1 on both the iTunes and the Billboard charts. It has received varying reviews from both fans and critics.
Roanne Dasco, a Santa Monica College student and business major, says she has been a fan of the singer since 2009. Dasco said, “I think I was 12 [or] 13, I was in my country [the Philippines] and I watched his music videos on the T.V. ...I was a die-hard fan back then."
Dasco is no longer the super fan she once was but she was impressed with the singer’s new album. “I absolutely loved it, and I think it’s because of the song “Unstable”... I think that song is gathered from his experience with depression...When I heard that song for the first time I actually sent it to my friend and I was like, listen to this song it reminds me of you and [how] you helped me with what I’ve been through,” Dasco said.
Taylor Dunlavy, a child and adolescent development major at California State University, Fullerton, became a "Belieber" the official name for Bieber fans—in 2011 but said she started listening to his music in 2009.
Dunlavy said this new album signals a change in Bieber’s sound. “I would say it just feels more raw [and] more him...I think that the story he’s telling just kind of gives hope, light, and [he] just wants to bring love into everyone’s life."
About the singer's fan base, Dunlavy said, “I definitely do think that it has expanded to a wider audience because [now] a lot of guys aren’t ashamed to say that they’re fans like they would have in past years."
Ariana Covarrubias, a communications major at California State University, Los Angeles, has been a Belieber for 10 years. Covarrubias said, ”I remember in the summer [of 2011] I finally had access to a computer so I would just sit down and listen to his videos, and his interviews, and that’s what really got me into him.”
Covarrubias believes Bieber’s new music is inspired by his wife, model Hailey Baldwin Bieber. “I think it’s definitely different from the other albums because it’s more mature and he’s obviously married [now] ... I think what he is expressing is something positive, like him being in love or...overcoming certain things.”
Although Covarrubias was impressed with the album, she said she would have liked to hear more upbeat tracks from the singer.
Bieber’s high-profile musical career has been a long journey filled with successes and criticism. The album is named “Justice" in reference to the goodness and love the singer put into his songs, as well as the Latin form of Bieber’s first name, Justin. "Justice" as a whole is a heartfelt expression of love, that sincerely speaks of mental health, seclusion, and faith, and is the latest highlight in Bieber's award-winning career.