Justin Bieber : Purpose

After years of being one of Hollywood’s bad boys for various scandals, Justin Bieber has made several attempts this past year to fix his image. Since his arrest in 2014, he has stayed out of the spotlight trying to repair the damage that had been done to his reputation. He hasn’t put out new music since his album Believe in 2012, which lead to rumors that he wouldn’t make a return to music. Since then, fans have been eagerly hopeful and patiently waiting for the right time for Justin’s return to the scene. In February 2015, Jack U dropped the single “Where Are You Now” featuring Justin. It was his first release in years, but it was included on Jack U’s album. Despite the release of the song, Beliebers (as his fan base is called) still weren’t sure if Justin was planning to release solo music.

On October 16, 2015 the Beliebers were finally able to preorder his brand new album titled Purpose. The official release date is today, November 13, 2015. Over the course of the past 2 months, fans have gotten a glimpse of what the new album would sound like in singles such as “What Do You Mean?” and “Sorry,” which both topped the charts.

“Mark My Words” is the opening track to the album and it would be a beautiful ballad intro if it weren’t for the annoying vocal track overlaying the song. It’s too loud and doesn’t blend in with the other vocal track and instrumentals; it’s distracting and made me want to stop listening to Purpose. I knew it was only an introduction so I continued listening on although I continued to be unimpressed. “I’ll Show You” has very mature lyrics and tells the story of how Justin’s life is scrutinized and watched through every mistake he makes. He’s been judged and put down and this song is his admission to the fact that he’s only human and humans make mistakes. One can relate to these words, but nothing special is happening with the music. It’s a very bland backbeat that could be tracked for any song, which makes it sound unoriginal and lackluster.

Purpose starts picking up with the lead single “What Do You Mean?” This song is a jam, it’s no wonder it’s so popular! The backbeat is infectious and the lyrics are relatable. “When you nod your head yes but you wanna say no” indicates how people can be very indecisive and the entire song captures that essence perfectly. Continuing on with the matured lyrics throughout the album is the song “Sorry” which provides the album with another huge track. It’s beautifully crafted with big beats that will have you grooving along and feeling the rhythm. With these two upbeat songs I was expecting Purpose to continue down that road, but instead the next track is a slower guitar driven one, “Love Yourself.” “Love Yourself” gave me the feeling that I should be snapping my fingers along singing the words at a coffee shop which I didn’t understand until I saw it was co-written with Ed Sheeran, which explains that overall vibe.

Picking the album right back up is the R&B influenced number “Company.” This song has a notable bass hook that you can’t help but groove to. Another notable track on Purpose is the track featuring the singer/songwriter Halsey. “The Feeling” is a perfectly blended synth-pop masterpiece. Justin and Halsey’s voices match so seamlessly it sounds like they were meant to sing with one another. The near perfect production of the instruments ties “The Feeling” together amazingly. Another perfectly crafted song on the album is “Children” featuring Skrillex. A few years ago, I would have laughed if you told me Justin Bieber released a song produced by Skrillex, but honestly this song works. These lyrics are honest and the build of Skrillex’s beat is continual. Justin sings these intense lyrics overlaying the intense build of the backbeat and together it’s pretty genius.

Overall, Purpose is a huge release for Justin Bieber who had been gone from the music industry for 3 years. This album is his return to the music industry with a bang! His lyrics are honest, true, and relatable to the core. People will be able to listen to these songs and completely understand how Justin was feeling when he wrote these tracks, leaving people wanting more. Coming from someone who has never personally been a fan of Justin Bieber, this release is another level. I think Purpose could set Justin apart from his competition and solidify his stardom in the music scene. He won’t be going anywhere this time! Definitely check out Purpose, available for purchase in stores now!