Even facial paralysis, a lawsuit over NFTs, and losing a good friend in an armed robbery can't keep a good Biebs down. Justin Bieber's been candid about his recent lows, but he's coming back in a big way.
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00:00 Even facial paralysis, a lawsuit over NFTs, and losing a good friend in an armed robbery
00:06 can't keep a good Biebs down. Justin Bieber's been candid about his recent lows, but he's
00:10 coming back in a big way.
00:13 Child stars and tragedy often go hand in hand, with a number of talented youngsters dying
00:17 before their time, or falling into a dark, downward spiral. Justin Bieber has taken a
00:22 major step back from the spotlight since the release of his 2021 album, Justice. He's also
00:27 opened up about the trauma he endured as a young performer.
00:30 "It was hard for me, being that young and being in the industry, not knowing where to
00:35 turn."
00:36 He also began crying when he discussed his need to protect Billie Eilish, another singer
00:40 catapulted into superstardom at an alarmingly young age. Bieber said that if Eilish ever
00:45 needed him, he would always be there for her.
00:47 "I don't want her to go through anything I went through. I don't wish that upon anybody.
00:51 Yeah, if she ever needs me, I'm just a call away."
00:55 Moreover, in a 2021 interview with GQ, Bieber acknowledged that these issues got in the
01:00 way of his marriage to Hailey Bieber, as he struggled with unresolved childhood trauma.
01:05 The first year of marriage was really tough, because there was a lot going back to the
01:09 trauma stuff. There was just lack of trust. There was all these things that you don't
01:13 want to admit to the person that you're with, because it's scary.
01:16 A large part of Justin Bieber's healing journey lies in his ability to open up about his personal
01:21 turmoil. On a 2020 episode of Justin Bieber Seasons, he discussed his substance abuse
01:26 issues in great detail, revealing that he started out smoking pot at just 12 or 13,
01:31 before finding himself making the transition to harder substances.
01:34 "Bro, I was like dying. My security and stuff were coming into the room at night to check
01:39 my pulse. People don't know how serious it got."
01:42 The baby star divulged that he would take pills and smoke pot first thing in the morning.
01:47 Although he was able to get sober, he acknowledged that he never explored the root cause of his
01:51 issues.
01:52 "I never did the actual work. I got off the pills, but I never went to the root of everything."
01:57 His wife suggested that these substance abuse struggles were the result of severe, untreated
02:02 anxiety. Subsequently, Justin emphasized the importance of medication in treating mental
02:07 health issues, which he said people should not feel ashamed about. Since then, the singer
02:11 has used his platform to raise awareness of mental illness.
02:15 Once viewed as an innocuous teen pop star, public opinion of Justin Bieber began to shift
02:19 after a series of controversies. These included a resurfaced clip in which the singer told
02:24 a racist joke, an alleged assault in Argentina, and his infamous mugshot following his 2014
02:29 arrest for a DUI. However, in his 2021 chat with GQ, Bieber revealed that he sought to
02:35 make amends for all his past behavior. A Christian, he explained that his belief in God propelled
02:40 him to make meaningful changes in his life, saying,
02:43 "Every time we mess up, he's picking us back up every single time. That's how I view it.
02:47 And so it's like, I made a mistake. I won't dwell in it. I don't sit and shame, but it
02:51 actually makes me want to do better."
02:53 However, Bieber also highlighted that his past controversies don't make him irredeemable,
02:58 reflecting that he won't let his mistakes dictate the way he lives the rest of his life,
03:02 adding,
03:03 "A lot of people let their past weigh them down, and they never do what they want to
03:06 do because they think that they're not good enough. But I'm just like, 'I did a bunch
03:09 of stupid s---, and I'm still worthy of helping.'"
03:12 Bieber has suffered a series of health problems that hindered his return to the public eye.
03:17 In 2020, he made his Lyme disease diagnosis public, putting an end to speculation that
03:21 his sickly appearance was due to substance abuse. He later criticized the media for fueling
03:26 such speculation by publishing unflattering photos of him looking unwell.
03:30 Two years later, Bieber was set to embark on a world tour when he suffered yet another
03:34 health setback. In an emotional video posted on Instagram, he revealed that he had been
03:39 diagnosed with Ramsey-Hunt syndrome, which is caused by a dormant virus reactivating.
03:43 The condition caused full paralysis to one side of Bieber's face.
03:47 "As you can see, this eye is not blinking. I can't smile on this side of my face."
03:54 He apologized to all the fans who had been looking forward to his shows, explaining that
03:58 he didn't have the energy or the strength to perform.
04:01 "I wish this wasn't the case, but obviously my body's telling me I gotta slow down."
04:08 By the following year, Bieber had mostly recovered from the condition and shared a few photos
04:12 of himself being able to smile again. Despite regaining facial mobility, Bieber officially
04:16 canceled his world tour, having previously stated that it would only be postponed pending
04:21 his recovery.
04:22 Pretty much the whole world knows the name Scooter Braun thanks to Taylor Swift, and
04:26 the manager also appears to have had a falling out with Justin Bieber. The two men were once
04:31 tight, with Braun managing Bieber since he was just 13 years old. But in 2023, Puck News
04:36 reported that the two had parted ways after not speaking to each other in months.
04:40 Soon enough, People magazine also reported that the pair's relationship had become strained,
04:45 and Bieber had decided to work on new music without the exec, with a source claiming,
04:49 "Justin's been working on his new record for the last six months. Scooter and SB Projects
04:53 have not set up one session or done one thing for this new record. The relationship with
04:58 Scooter has run its course."
04:59 Hailey had apparently encouraged her husband to seek new management, according to what
05:03 another source told Us Weekly. However, after all those reports surfaced, insiders told
05:08 Entertainment Tonight that Braun and Bieber were still working together.
05:12 There has been talk about a seventh Bieber studio album for quite some time, but so far,
05:16 nothing has materialized. His last album, Justice, was released in 2021, with no studio
05:22 output from the singer since. Although he uploaded snaps of himself in a recording studio
05:26 in 2024, he has not officially announced the release of any new music, nor stated if another
05:31 record is in the works. But even during his break from releasing new music, Bieber has
05:35 collaborated with other artists.
05:37 In 2023, he joined forces with SZA, appearing in the romantic video for her track "Snooze"
05:42 and lending vocals to its unplugged version. In a chat with Wall Street Journal, SZA explained
05:47 how Bieber's appearance in the video came to be, and how much fun the two had working
05:51 together. She explained,
05:52 "Justin wasn't even in the video until the video was already being shot. Him and Hailey
05:56 were randomly the first people to hit me on FaceTime after SOS dropped. Bieber showed
06:01 up and he was down as s--- for the whole day, and didn't trip about nothing."
06:06 Justin and Hailey have money to burn, particularly when it comes to making investments. Amid
06:09 the turmoil of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2021 became the year of NFTs. Bieber hopped on
06:15 the trend the following year, investing about $1.3 million in BoredApe NFT. Soon after,
06:21 he reportedly purchased a second BoredApe NFT, shelling out $470,000. However, the investment
06:27 backfired. The investments are reportedly worth just a fraction of the money spent on
06:31 them. But was this simply a bad investment?
06:34 That year, Bieber, along with fellow stars Paris Hilton and Madonna, was named in a lawsuit
06:39 against elite auction house Sotheby's, which was accused of misleading consumers and exploiting
06:43 the aforementioned celebrities' status to inflate the values of NFTs. Among the allegations
06:49 is that Bieber was reportedly paid in NFTs to promote them on Instagram. Attorney Sean
06:53 Masson told The Telegraph,
06:54 "The Sotheby's stamp of approval played a big part in the deceptive promotion of the NFT
06:59 collection as a legitimate investment. Unfortunately, Sotheby's overhyped auction turned out to
07:04 be a farce that served as the starting point for the massive scheme alleged to have defrauded
07:08 investors."
07:09 Though he hasn't released any new music recently, that doesn't mean Justin Bieber isn't keeping
07:13 super busy. The singer ventured into fashion, debuting his street-style brand, Drew House,
07:18 in 2019. By 2022, the label enjoyed a surge in popularity.
07:22 "I know what Drew House is, 'cause all the kids is wearing it."
07:26 Co-founder Ryan Good told Vogue at the time,
07:28 "Justin and I will text each other, going back and forth on what's cool and what we
07:32 like. Obviously, his eye is so amazing. He's got really great taste. We are always sending
07:37 ideas like, 'This would be cool,' or 'What about these colors?'"
07:40 In 2024, Bieber collaborated with NHL and Adidas, a fitting partnership for the avid
07:46 hockey fan. This was the NHL's second venture with the star, who had previously helped design
07:50 an alternate jersey for his beloved Toronto Maple Leafs.
07:53 The 2024 collab featured a series of colorful NHL jerseys, modeled by Bieber. The NHL's
07:59 Brian Jennings told Billboard,
08:01 "The All-Star Weekend in Toronto is the perfect setting for a fresh perspective on the All-Star
08:05 jersey. The vibrant colors in this year's All-Star collection are both youthful and
08:09 classic and offer the perfect complement to the young NHL talent set to meet in Toronto
08:13 for this year's NHL All-Star Weekend."
08:16 Unfortunately, while his fashion line seems to be thriving, Bieber's recent years have
08:20 been touched by tragedy.
08:22 In April 2024, Bieber's friend, 32-year-old rapper Chris King, real name Chris Cheeks,
08:28 was shot and killed in Nashville. King and a friend were reportedly shot following an
08:32 attempted robbery by a group of three perpetrators. The second victim survived their injuries.
08:37 On X, Nashville PD stated that 19-year-old Adrian Cameron was suspected of killing King.
08:43 Cameron had previously been linked to a 2021 murder, which occurred when he was 16, and
08:48 had been wearing an ankle monitor at the time of King's murder. Just months before his death,
08:52 King posted a snap of himself and Bieber hugging and laughing on Instagram. He wrote in the
08:57 caption,
08:58 "Fun fact, I lived at my brother crib for a full year and a half almost 10 years ago.
09:02 Glad some people never change no matter what. All love, forever extended family."
09:06 Following King's death, Bieber reposted the poignant photo on his Instagram story, writing,
09:11 "Love you bro. This one hurts. Please keep his family in your prayers. See you in paradise
09:16 brother."
09:18 Various rumors began swirling around Justin and Hailey Bieber soon into their 2018 marriage.
09:23 Though the pair appeared to be stronger than ever in the subsequent years, with Hailey
09:26 supporting her husband throughout his personal struggles, there were reports of discord between
09:30 the two in March 2024. The following month, Bieber posted a carousel of images on Instagram,
09:36 including a selfie in which he was visibly crying, without a caption or context.
09:40 According to sources who spoke to InTouch Weekly, friends were growing increasingly
09:44 concerned over Bieber's behavior. One insider claimed,
09:47 "He finally got his health back, but now friends are worried that he's spiraling again. He
09:51 has severe ups and downs."
09:53 Furthermore, body language expert Judy James told the Mirror that Bieber's selfies indicated
09:58 a man in severe distress.
09:59 "It's a very sad image that creates a desire to nurture and support. The one tear signals
10:04 genuine distress that has perhaps been bottled up for years. It is leaking out rather than
10:09 flowing and that makes it all the sadder here."
10:12 On the other hand, an insider told the Daily Mail that Bieber's tears were not the result
10:16 of any specific troubles. Rather, he's an emotional person who was apparently expressing
10:20 his religious devotion through tears. They said,
10:23 "He is being vulnerable and he believes it shows some maturity that he once didn't have."
10:27 However, some people in the comments thought Bieber's range of emotions reflected those
10:32 of someone who'd found out they were going to be a father. Whether or not they were right
10:35 at the time, Justin and Hailey revealed on May 9th that they were, in fact, expecting.
10:40 No matter what's going on with Bieber privately right now, there are certainly some big changes
10:44 on the way in his future.
10:46 -