Justin Bieber, the beloved singer presently emerging from his recent multi-year dormancy, has gifted us with yet another album this summer. Following the release of “Swag” in early July, Bieber surprise dropped “Swag II” Sept. 5, receiving a positive response from fans. This 23-track album (intended to join the 21 of its predecessor) consists of addictive R&B melodies paired with expert vocal layering and quality, emotional lyrics that honestly can’t be said for “Swag.”
Despite the stark difference in quality between “Swag” and its successor, the first album was afforded significantly more attention, receiving more than double the streams on its first day and immediate attention towards songs like “Daisies” and “Yukon.” Even now, those songs are still charting on the Billboard Top 100 while the same is not true for a single song off “Swag II.”
One could argue that the culprit behind the lack of immediate success of “Swag II” is due to the drop’s short-notice announcement, as well as general lack of advertisement. Alternatively, it is my belief that the average music listener expected more pop hits, which “Swag II” does not provide.
Although this catalog of songs may not serve as TikTok-trend material, they offer something even greater: a fresh, high-quality sound that proves Bieber’s caliber as an artist. Upon first listening to “Swag II,” I was struck by the obvious difference between this album and all of his previous work. As a casual Bieber listener, I grew up knowing the popular songs like “Sorry” and “Confident” by heart, but now in my day-to-day life, my music taste tends to lean towards more lyrical and melodic songs. The fact that Bieber put out an entire deluxe album of songs focused on the music rather than the cash grab proves his tenacity to continue to grow as an artist — a quality we can all appreciate.
A few songs that I want to specifically recommend are “Speed Demon,” “Mother In You,” and “Petting Zoo.” “Speed Demon” opens the deluxe with a fast-paced, percussion-heavy beat that solidifies it as a memorable pop song. However, the aspect of the song that keeps it unique are the lyrics, which express Bieber’s personal experiences with criticism and the family support pushing him forward. This song also works well as an opening since it is the most similar in sound to his previous work, slowly integrating the listener into the rest of the album. “Mother In You” is my personal favorite song on the album, due to its unbelievably emotional — romantic even — quality. It’s refreshing to hear Bieber speak so tenderly about his experience with fatherhood and seeing his wife, Hailey Bieber, reflected in their child. To have such a sensitive experience reflected in a song gives it a romantic edge. “Petting Zoo” is one of the most impressive songs on the album, offering a mix of soft acoustics and skillfully blended vocal layers. When listening to music, I tend to reach for the songs that feature both of those aspects as together they create a beautifully constructed piece of music. Bieber’s vocal talent shines in this song, which only adds to the quality since his greatest melodic strength is his voice.
“Swag II” is Bieber’s decision to enter the next stage of his craft, where he’ll take advantage of fresh styles and lyrical topics. The album proves his quality as an artist who can continue to grow and release better and better music.
Justin Bieber is not the teenager the world fell in love with 15 years ago. This is a new era of his passion, and I encourage you to experience it with him.
