New York (AFP)
Former teen pop sensation Justin Bieber, very discreet lately, took a step towards a return to public life on Friday by releasing his first album since 2015, "Changes", a collection of sweet and loving songs.
The 25-year-old Canadian - whose reputation with police and drug problems has tarnished - recently stepped back and revealed the depression he had suffered, as well as the happiness he had found in marriage.
This new album with R&B coloring is a hesitant return to the spotlight which presents love as a refuge from the difficulties of celebrity.
The 17 songs of "Changes", short and full of love messages intended for his wife, Hailey Baldwin Bieber, have as a recurring theme his desire to evolve.
"Sometimes I smile as if everything is fine / Even if there is pain under the smile", sings Justin Bieber in the eponymous title, in a voice less sweet - and sometimes modified with the autotune - than that which 'he used in his teenage pop.
Justin Bieber has recruited a cohort of stars for this new album, including rappers Post Malone, Quavo and Travis Scott as well as singer Kehlani.
Discovered as a teenager after posting videos of him singing on YouTube, Justin Bieber rose to the rank of superstar overnight, but quickly faltered - before collapsing - under the weight of his celebrity.
In parallel to the album, Justin Bieber launched the documentary series "Seasons" on YouTube last month, to present to the public his creative process and his personal journey.
"I was drinking 'lean' (a mixture of codeine medicines and syrup, note), I was taking pills, molly (ectasy) and mushrooms," he confides in the series.
"I was dying. My security personnel came into my room at night to check my pulse. People didn't know how serious it was."
With "Changes", the young man now presents himself as someone who prefers to snuggle up on the sofa with his wife.
"I have the rest of our lives," he sings in the song "Confirmation". "Everything you want / and everything you really need is at home".
© 2020 AFP