Justin Bieber is back, surprising fans with the release of his seventh studio album, Swag . The 21-track record is out now via Def Jam Recordings.
Bieber produced the album alongside a team of collaborators, including Carter Lang, Dylan Wiggins, Daniel Caesar, Dijon, Mk.Gee, Daniel Chetrit, Eddie Benjamin, Knox Fortune, and more. Guest features include Gunna, Dijon, Lil B, Sexy Red, Cash Cobain, Eddie Benjamin, and comedian Druski.
Def Jam shares that the album was inspired by Bieber’s new experiences as a husband and father, which led him to create “some of his most personal music yet.” On the interlude track “Therapy Session,” the artist opens up to Druski, saying, “That’s been a hard thing for me recently, is feeling like I’ve had to go through a lot of my struggles as a human being really publicly, so people are always asking if I’m okay, and it starts to really weigh on me.”
In “Away Away,” Bieber explores his relationship with wife Hailey, promising to stay by her side through their rocky times. “You were my diamond / I gave you a ring / I made a promise to you / I told you I would change / It’s just human nature / These growing pains / And baby, I’m not leaving.”
The album was teased yesterday, July 10th, with billboards featuring Bieber and the album title popping up all over the world, from Reykjavík to Times Square. Bieber then shared these billboards on his social media, followed by images of the album cover and a photoshoot with Hailey and son Jack Blues. The images were shot by Renell Medrano, who previously shot “Art” for Kendrick Lamar’s 2022 album, Mr. Morale and the Great Steppers .
Bieber’s latest project, 2021’s Justice reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and spawned one of the star’s biggest hits, “Peaches,” featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon.
