Justin Bieber released a new album last year, Changes, which wasn’t my favorite thing from the pop star because it didn’t really seem to indicate much change. But you know what does? The new music he’s released since then, a stream of singles like “Holy,” Lonely,” and “Anyone” that are moving, melodic, and portray a more mature singer who is grappling with his past while looking toward the future. Personal growth, we love to see it — especially in massive celebrities.
Anyway, it’s unclear if these new songs are leading toward a larger release, but we did get a chance to see Bieber try them out live today during a special livestream performance he did as part of Spotify’s Stream On event. It was a huge day for the streaming platform who announced a series of new initiatives, including a new Hi-Fi lossless streaming tier and an exclusive podcast co-hosted by Bruce Springsteen and Barack Obama.
Back to Justin, he kicks off the medley with “Holy,” which has major worship band vibes in the best way (though no sign of Chance The Rapper is sad), then moves into an alien landscape VR backdrop for the heart-tugging “Lonely,” complete with a very cool AutoTuned breakdown and dance block from Bieber at the end. Finally, his band rejoins for a performance against a backdrop of blue waves and smoke for “Anyone.” Aside from being a great chance to hear these songs live, the set is also a model for what livestream shows could look like in the future: Great visuals, shorter sets, and a live band accompanying. Watch the performance above.