Justin Bieber surprised fans today with the release of his seventh studio album “SWAG” after a four-year break from music. The 21-track album marks his first release since 2021’s “Justice” and comes amid significant personal and professional changes in the pop star’s life.
The album features an impressive lineup of collaborators including Gunna, Sexyy Red, Cash Cobain, Lil B, Dijon, Eddie Benjamin, and gospel singer Marvin Winans. Bieber handled production alongside several notable producers including Carter Lang, Dylan Wiggins, Daniel Caesar, and mk.gee.
Fans first noticed something was happening when billboards appeared yesterday in cities worldwide including New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Reykjavik, Iceland. The billboards featured a black-and-white image of Bieber with the word “SWAG” prominently displayed. Hours later, Bieber confirmed the news by posting images of the billboards on his Instagram account, along with a video showing a Times Square billboard revealing the album’s tracklist.
The 20-song tracklist includes titles that hint at personal themes, such as “Dadz Love,” “Therapy Session,” “Go Baby,” and “Forgiveness.” The album closes with “Forgiveness,” which is a rendition of the worship song “Lord, I Lift Your Name on High” featuring Marvin Winans.
Industry sources describe the album as representing a shift in Bieber’s musical direction. Rather than writing his own music during a time of personal upheaval, Bieber turned to teams of professional songwriters. This includes Grammy nominee Carter Lang, who won awards with SZA in 2024 and 2025, and Tobias Jesso, known for his work with Adele.
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The album arrives during a period of significant change for the 31-year-old singer. In January 2023, Bieber sold his music catalog to Hipgnosis Songs Capital for over $200 million, which reports indicate might be the largest such deal in music history for an artist under 30.
That same year, he split from longtime manager Scooter Braun. According to reports, the split involved financial issues after Braun provided Bieber a loan to repay concert promoter AEG following the cancellation of his “Justice” tour.
On a personal front, Bieber became a father last year with the birth of his son Jack Blues Bieber with wife Hailey. Images from what appears to be the album cover shoot show Bieber holding his son and accompanied by Hailey.
Sources indicate that “SWAG” might just be the beginning of Bieber’s return to music. Despite the album’s long tracklist, insiders say Bieber has been working on a ton of new music and reportedly has “another, more pop-inspired album on the way.”
Prior to this release, Bieber has charted 11 projects on the Billboard 200, including eight No. 1 albums. His last chart-topping singles were 2021’s “Stay” featuring The Kid LAROI and “Peaches” featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon.
Def Jam Recordings, Bieber’s label, described the album as being inspired by his devotion as a husband and father, fostering a deeper perspective and more reflective sound, resulting in some of his most personal music yet.
With “SWAG,” Justin Bieber appears to be starting a new chapter in his career, one that reflects his evolution as both an artist and a person.
