Justin Bieber shocked fans Friday with the surprise release of Swag, his seventh studio album and first since 2021’s Justice.
The 21-track project, inspired by his life as a husband and new father, features a more personal and reflective sound, reports AP.
Teasers appeared on billboards in Reykjavik and Los Angeles, with Bieber later sharing the tracklist on Instagram, including titles like “Dadz Love” and “Forgiveness.”
There’s a lot to love across the 21-tracks of the intimate “Swag.” Here are a few choice cuts.
1. “Daises” - The second track on the album may very well be its strongest; an exemplar in Bieber’s slow-burn brand of alternative R&B-pop, now anchored with lo-fi guitar. Here, his sweet voice is pronounced — exactly what his most dedicated fans want to hear.
2. “Devotion” ft. Dijon - Dijon is a rising R&B voice; some fans might be familiar with his 2021 debut album “Absolutely” or his contribution to Bon Iver’s“SABLE, fABLE” from earlier this year. He makes for a standout collaboration on “Swag,” a sweet song about deepening affection.
3. “Go Baby” - Bieber married the model Hailey Bieber (nee Baldwin) in 2018; she’s long been source material for his most loving tracks. “Go Baby” is a standout for that reason. “That’s my baby, she’s iconic,” he opens the track, “iPhone case, lip gloss on it,” referencing her Rhode skincare and beauty brand, which sold to Elf Beauty in a $1 billion deal.
4. “Walking Away” - Marriage isn’t easy; that’s clear on “Walking Away,” a slightly-more-uptempo track where Bieber makes his dedication evident. It’s the perfect song for dancing in the kitchen with your partner.
5. “All I Can Take” - The throwback opener “All I Can Take” has a vintage groove — echoes of Beiber’s early work, now matured to reflect his current adult reality. He sounds as sweet as ever in the pre-chorus, his declaration of “Ooh, baby, don’t it feel good? Baby, don’t it feel nice? / Ooh, baby, don’t it feel good? You don’t have to think twice.”
Justin Bieber, the two-time Grammy winner known for hits like “Baby” and “Sorry,” rose to fame with help from Usher and manager Scooter Braun. In 2023, he sold the rights to his music catalog to Hipgnosis for an estimated $200 million. Bieber and wife Hailey welcomed their first child, Jack Blues Bieber, in August 2024.
Bd-pratidin English/ ANI
