Singer, Justin Bieber opens up on marriage struggles and mental health in new album, his first in 4 years

Justin Bieber has released his most personal album yet. On Friday, July 11, Def Jam dropped SWAG, the 31-year-old pop stars seventh studio album and his first in four years. Across its 21 tracks, Bieber delves into everything from his mental health battles to recent strains in his marriage. The project features appearances from Sexyy Red, Dijon, Lil B, Gunna, Cash Cobain, 2 Chainz, comedian Druski, and more. It follows 2021s Justice. Among the albums standout moments is Walking Away, where Bieber seems to reference tensions with wife, Hailey Bieber: Days go by so fast, dont wanna spend them with youSo tell me why youre throwing stones at my backYou know Im defenseless...Girl, we better stop before we say some stWeve been testing our patienceI think we better off if we just take a break. But he makes it clear their love remains strong, singing later: Baby, I aint walking awayYou were my diamondGave you a ring, I made you a promiseI told you, Id change...And baby, I aint walking away. The album also nods to Biebers viral run-in with paparazzi last monthwhen he snapped, Im a dad. Im a husband. Im standing on business. That line inspired track 16, Standing on Business, which features a playful appearance by Druski. Bieber worked on SWAG in Iceland earlier this year. Last week, he teased the release by sharing the tracklist and a black-and-white billboard in Reykjavik. On Instagram, he posted intimate family photos with Hailey and their 10-month-old son, Jack. My forever n always, he captioned one shot of him hugging Hailey. The album arrives amid a turbulent stretch for Bieber. A 2023 documentary claimed financial stress drove him to sell his music catalog for $200 million in December 2022 after his Justice tour fell apart. An audit later revealed he owed former manager Scooter Braun over $8 million. Last week, Bieber finalized a settlement, agreeing to repay Braun and other debts. Bieber and Hailey, who married in 2018, welcomed Jack in August 2024. While sources told US Weekly that Bieber has been difficult to deal with during this period, Hailey has reportedly held their family together. Still, the couple has continued to publicly praise one another. Ive done a lot of dumb things, but the smartest was marrying Hailey, Bieber told Vogue.Hailey added, Ive learned so much from Justin hes had to face the most scrutiny of any person I know. He told me, Baby, Ive been here before. Youre not going to win. There is no winning. SWAG marks another chapter in Biebers eventful career, which began when Braun discovered his YouTube videos in 2007.  Now 31, Bieber has won dozens of awardsincluding Grammys, Billboard, and American Music Awards and continues to open up through his music. The post Singer, Justin Bieber opens up on marriage struggles and mental health in new album, his first in 4 years appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.