Justin Bieber’s SWAG; R&B Experiments, Therapy Tangents, and a Whole Lotta Filler
It’s been four years since Justice, and while the world kept spinning (and TikTok kept memeing him), Justin Bieber went quiet. Now, seemingly out of nowhere, he’s back with SWAG, a 20-track, therapy-laced R&B project that’s one part personal reckoning, one part sonic sandbox, and, unfortunately, a few parts clutter.
Let’s get this out of the way: SWAG is not Bieber’s big pop comeback. That’s allegedly still on the way. This album is something more intimate, more experimental, and decidedly more hit-or-miss. With producers like Carter Lang, Eddie Benjamin, and Tobias Jesso Jr. on board, Bieber takes cues from soul, lo-fi, early 2000s R&B, country, and house, often with impressive results.
The album opens strong with “ALL I CAN TAKE,” a summery R&B-pop cut that evokes classic Bieber — smooth, lovestruck, and easy on the ears. That vibe continues with “DAISES,” a sweet, stripped-down track where he croons, “how many days till I can see you again?” It’s intimate without being overwrought. Elsewhere, “YUKON” throws a curveball with warped vocals and a SZA-style record: “I pulled up like Jimmy Neutron,” he mumbles, tongue-in-cheek, on one of the album’s most refreshing songs.
Not everything sticks. “THING YOU DO” and “WALKING AWAY” feel like filler in a tracklist that’s already bloated. “SOULFUL,” a moment featuring internet personality Druski telling Bieber he “sounds Black on the album,” lands squarely in the cringe zone; one of several interludes or voice notes that sap more than they serve. Druski appears three times, including an awkward “therapy session” and a viral bite in “STANDING IN BUSINESS.” It’s not just unnecessary, it borders on derailment.
Still, there are plenty of highlights. “FIRST PLACE” and “405” show Bieber experimenting with new sounds that suit him well. “WAY IT IS” is elevated by Gunna’s airy feature, and “BUTTERFLIES,” with its guitar line and viral opening clip, is a perfect fusion of mood and melody. “DEVOTION,” featuring Dijon, taps into country-soul warmth with pedal steel guitars and feels like something he really means.
There are also moments of nostalgia. “ZUMA HOUSE” starts with just Justin and his acoustic, a callback to his YouTube origins, while “TOO LONG” uses gated reverb and laser synths for a late-‘80s vibe. Even the title track, “SWAG,” while overstuffed with features, has futuristic R&B production that shows Bieber still knows how to ride a wave.
But the album’s weakest link might be its lack of editing. Tracks like “GLORY VOICE MEMO” and “THERAPY SESSION” stall momentum. “SWEET SPOT” wants to be a freaky slow jam but gets undercut by a jarring Sexyy Red feature. And while the album closes with “FORGIVENESS,” a gospel benediction by pastor Marvin Winans, it feels more like a gesture than a genuine coda.
In the end, SWAG is less about reclaiming pop dominance and more about Bieber figuring himself out — in real time, with a mic in his hand. It's rich in texture, light on structure, and undeniably scattered. But in its best moments, Bieber sounds more honest and musically curious than he has in years. The therapy might be clunky, but the growth is real.
