Justin Bieber, Freedom. (EP) | Album Review 💿

Justin Bieber, fresh off a releasing Justice, showcases his spiritual side on his six-track EP, Freedom. with interesting results.  

Following a so-so return in 2020 with 💿 Changes, 🎙 Justin Bieber stepped up his game, at least to some extent, on his 2021 studio album, 💿 Justice.  Justice was no masterpiece, but easily bested Changes, which somehow garnered 🏆 Grammy nominations! Post-Justice in its 💿 Triple Chucks Deluxe edition, Bieber threw us all a curveball.  He released a six-track, Christian pop EP, 💿 Freedom.  Justin has managed to acknowledge his faith in the past, though musically, that acknowledgement has been harder to come by until now.  Freedom. certainly finds Justin repenting of past sins, striving to become a better person, and encouraging others. 

“Freedom”

“Freedom, don’t it feel good?” ✅ 🎵 “Freedom” commences Freedom., finding Justin Bieber collaborating with 🎙BEAM.  Bieber sings the first verse, which focuses on spiritual matters, hence, setting the tone for the EP. He follows with the chorus, which features the aforementioned, titular lyric.  The sound of the record blends pop, gospel, and Jamaican music – quite intriguing. BEAM arrives on the second verse, further cementing the Jamaican aesthetic of this pop-gospel record.  Of course, credit a production team comprised of 🎛 Boi 1da, 🎛 Vinylz, 🎛 CRVE, and 🎛 Don Mills in constructing a pretty sweet backdrop.  

On ✅ 🎵 “All She Wrote,” Boi 1da and Vinylz are joined by producers 🎛 Lee Major, and 🎛 Sean Momberger to build yet another alluring backdrop.  Also, adding to the lit-ness is the use of a Gerald Levert sample, the soulful 🎵 “It’s Your Turn” (R.I.P. Gerald).  Interestingly, this record, which brings on 🎙 Brandon Love and 🎙 Chandler Moore for the assist, definitely sounds like something Bieber’s fellow Canadian, 🎙 Drake might record.  Furthermore, Bieber seems to emulate Drake’s sound, embracing pop rap.  The record continues to have a Christian tilt but that doesn’t stop Bieber from dropping a little profanity, damn it.  Bieber handles the first two verses while Love appears on the third.  As for Moore, he adds select lines on the second verse and performs the bridge.  There is no chorus.  It’s certainly an interesting listen.

“We’re in This Together”

On 🎵 “We’re in This Together,” we get more rapping from Bieber – another contrast to much of his past music.  No worries though – Bieber also sings, including the chorus.  Keeping the sounds slick, “We’re in This Together” brings in four different producers: 🎛 Federico Vindver, 🎛 Angel Lopez, 🎛 Wallis Lane, and 🎛 DJ Alizay.  The sound matches the contemporary R&B and pop aesthetic anchored by rhythmic drum programming, while also fitting this contemporary pop-gospel vibe established at the beginning of Freedom.  Here, Justin reflects on his musical ambitions, a checkered past (“I was doing stupid shit to get people to like me”), his accomplishments, and becoming a better, more mature soul.  On the outro, he prays for everybody. 

“There’s nobody like You, Jesus / There’ll be nobody like You.” On 🎵 “Where You Go I Follow,” Justin enlists the services of guests, including another appearance by Chandler Moore, and adding 🎙 Pink Sweat$ and 🎙 Judah Smith.  Here, the modus operandi is praise to the Most High, period. Not only does Bieber vow to follow God faithfully, but he also recounts the resurrection, singing, “On the third day, yeah, you rose up / And you beat death once and for all.” Pink Sweat$ offers up praises on the second verse (“You’re my end, You’re my new beginning”), Chandler performs the bridge and final pre-chorus, while Smith delivers the outro, filled with inquiry regarding The Most High.  Once more employing numerous producers, 🎛 GOATSMANS produce the first of two consecutive numbers for the Grammy-winner. The sounds are certainly sleek.

“Where Do I Fit In”

Penultimate number 🎵 “Where Do I Fit In” brings 🏆 Grammy winner 🎙 Tori Kelly into the fold, alongside Moore and Smith once more.  As aforementioned, GOATSMANS handle their second consecutive production, with this one a bit more restrained and reverent.  The vocals are silky smooth – beautifully nuanced from Bieber, Kelly, and Moore on the first, second, and third verses respectively.  As for Smith, he provides an encouraging, uplifting sermon prior to a closing “Hallelujah” by Bieber.  

🎵 “Afraid to Say” concludes the 22-minute EP.  On this number produced by Bieber and 🎛 Julian “JULESTHEWULF” McGuire, he seems to reflect on making mistakes, seeking forgiveness, and having the opportunity to grow.  Bieber questions ‘cancel culture,’ a hot, divisive topic among many folks: “What have we done with society? / When everybody’s being canceled / And can’t there be room for maturity? / ‘Cause writing ‘em off is not the answer.” Bieber goes on to say, definitely from personal experience, “You can’t write people off / God never writes us off / Even in our darkest days, even when we least deserve it.”  While you can have a debate about his thinking, there is definitely a level of maturity from the pop singer we hadn’t heard until this EP. 🎙 Lauren Walters caps things off with another sermon, citing Psalms 139.

Final Thoughts 💭 

Freedom. (EP) definitely came out of nowhere.  Sure, we knew that faith played a pivotal role in Justin Bieber’s life, but aside from the likes of “Holy” (Justice), we hadn’t seen it play a huge role in his music.  Freedom. explores that side of an once trouble pop star who seems to want to continue to become a better, more wholesome, upstanding man.  I wouldn’t call this a tour de force, but this is definitely an intriguing effort that seems to come from the right place.  

✅ Gems 💎: “Freedom” & “All She Wrote” 

🎙 Justin Bieber • 💿 Freedom. (EP) • 🏷 Def Jam • 🗓 4.4.21

[📷: Def Jam]