Justin and Hailey Bieber are reportedly having the best weekend after the release of his seventh studio album.
On July 11, Justin released a surprise album, SWAG, featuring guests like Gunna, Sexyy Red, Lil B, Cash Cobain, and more. Dijon and Eddie Benjamin were also featured on the album and worked alongside Justin on the production.
It’s been more than four years since his sixth album, Justice, and the EP Freedom, and it was well worth the wait because SWAG is an album reportedly made on his terms. It’s an experimental blend of pop and R&B that’s personal, raw, and dare I say — swaggie.
According to a source obtained by People, the 31-year-old Grammy winner and his wife, the founder of Rhode, are in celebration mode in honor of the album’s creation — a project that rose from the ashes of a tumultuous last few months of rumors and speculation.
“Hailey was by Justin’s side for the whole creation of the album,” the source told the publication. “Everyone knows Justin as a star and a performer. They now get to know the artist that Hailey has known all these years.”
Justin apparently had a new creative process where he got to “run his own show” by selecting his producers and musicians, and only used “stripped-down” live vocals.
“Hailey supported Justin to follow his artistic instincts,” the source adds. “She helped him to trust himself and do what Justin knew he wanted to do as an artist.”
People reported that the source felt like Justin could create the album he wanted after significantly changing his career, regaining control of his creative direction, and parting with his former manager, Scooter Braun.
On July 12, Rolling Stone reported that Justin had no regrets parting ways with his former manager. Justin and Scooter had worked together for over 15 years before ending their business relationship in 2023. “Breaking away from Scooter Braun and his team has been something that Justin has wanted for so long, and now that he’s fully free, he could finally share this album with his fans and with the world,” a source told the publication.
“Having full creative freedom, sadly, is something new for him as an artist,” the source continued. “Not having to stress about creating the perfect single, or perfect album, allowed for him to create the best body of music he’s ever made.”
While Justin’s busy celebrating his release alongside Hailey and their son Jack Blues, Scooter supported SWAG in a post on his Instagram stories. “Been having a beautiful start to the weekend and been getting a lot of texts about how I feel about Justin’s new album,” Scooter wrote. “So I will just leave this here.. This is without a doubt, the most authentically Justin Bieber album to date. It’s beautiful, raw, and truly him. And that matters.”
On July 10, another source told People that SWAG was supposed to be a “darker, more vulnerable and less polished” album compared to his previous work. But, dark and vulnerable doesn’t mean it’s “depressing.”
I’ve already listened to the album five times with no skips. Justin took back control of his narrative from all the gossip, speculation, haters, and being constantly stalked by paparazzi.
Congratulations, Justin! The album is 🔥.
We reached out to Justin and Hailey’s team for further comment, and we’ll let you know if we hear back.