Changes is more of a side-step in musicality, rather than progression in maturity
Justin Bieber, Changes ★★★
It’s been five years since Justin Bieber released his last album, Purpose, marking his debut as a serious, grown-up recording artist. Since then, the 25-year-old has been through the mill a little, having gone through periods of heavy drug use, suffering from Lyme disease, legal issues and being banned from performing in Argentina and China. In the interim, fans were treated to snippets of the star as he collaborated with the likes of DJ Khaled and Puerto Rican singers Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee on the perennial banger “Despacito”.
On his latest, Changes, he sings, “I’m going through changes, but that doesn’t mean I’ve changed”. The refrain perfectly describes the record, which is a side-step rather than a progression in musicality. The biggest change in the star’s life has been his marriage to model Hailey Bieber née Baldwin in September 2018, and this album is almost entirely dedicated to his new wife. Every song is about falling in love, being in love or (this is Bieber after all) sex. “This is a song about how she can take it out on me… in the sack,” says the star about the saucy “Take It Out On Me.”
Unfortunately, that means there are very few surprises to be found in the 13 new tracks. Following the opener, “All Around Me” which serves as a beatless introduction, we launch into a series of similar-sounding, highly produced pop songs with blaring bass and declarations of love “for the rest of our lives” – at least it is cohesive. Singles “Yummy” and “Intentions” remain standouts.
Featured artists Post Malone and Clever make “Forever” a stomping bop that is more likely to be heard via Tik Tok than Spotify. Travis Scott, Quavo and comedy rapper Lil Dickie cement Bieber’s place in the world of hip-hop, but it’s his familiar saccharine vocals – particularly on slow jam “ETA” – and an appearance from Kehlani that place Changes well within classic RnBieber.
There’s hope of evolution towards the end of the album, however, as Bieber finds himself becoming a little more philosophical and introverted. The final track (before the hastily added “Yummy” remix, featuring upcoming RnB star Summer Walker) “At Least For Now”, sees the popstar take a more narrative approach to songwriting, which he says is inspired by one of his favourite musicians, Tracy Chapman. While this is no “Fast Car” (one of his favourite songs of all time), it does signpost a maturity in taste and outlook many have thought him incapable of.
