Justin Bieber & Gunna, WAY IT IS | Dazzling Duets

In the 19^th edition of Dazzling Duets (2026), pop superstar Justin Bieber and melodic rapper Gunna collaborate on “WAY IT IS.”

Sometimes, two is better than one! That is the case when it comes to Dazzling Duets! On Dazzling Duets, we highlight striking songs performed by two artists collaborating. These duets can be from any musical style, making Dazzling Duets a flexible, versatile column. In the 19^th edition of Dazzling Duets (2026), Justin Bieber and Gunna collaborate on “WAY IT IS”. Let the dazzle begin! 

Matters of the heart, baby, and the Grammy-winning “Baby” singer himself, Justin Bieber, sells it like a champ on “WAY IT IS”, the seventh track on his 2025 Grammy-nominated album, SWAG.  “WAY IT IS” also appears as the 30^th track on the gargantuan, expanded SWAG II.  Bieber taps Grammy-nominated rapper Gunna for the assist.  Speaking of assists, there are lots of cooks in the kitchen that whipped up, aka composed, this soulful pop joint: Bieber, Gunna, Tobias Jesso Jr., Carter Lang, Eddie Benjamin, Sir Dylan, Jackson Lee Morgan, and Daniel Chetrit. Carter Lang and Sir Dylan also produced it.

There is lots to like about “WAY IT IS.” It features a backdrop of smooth keys and synths, anchored by a hard-hitting, rhythmic beat. Like many Justin Bieber songs, it has those R&B vibes working for it. Justin Bieber draws first blood on this collaboration, performing the second verse. Justin Bieber shows off his upper register; he sings with exuberance and soul. “I’m dreamin’, I’m reachin’ and pullin’ you closer,” he sings, and continues, “We could settle down, I’m dreamin’ of a place that we can go way.” Oh, snap! Beyond the core rhythmic melody, Bieber drops sweet runs and ad-libs.  As referenced earlier, the chorus is infectious, memorable, rhythmic, and incredibly tuneful. I love it when Bieber dips into his sweet falsetto.  He also gets help from Gunna, preceding the second verse.  Gunna brings it, flaunting his syrupy, melodic rap flow.  He delivers a compelling cadence and flow, intact with plenty of, dare I say, SWAG.  “I need more doses of your love, I’m intoxicated (Intoxicated) / I love the way you feel (Way you feel), dreamin’ and travelin’ places we’ve never seen,” the rapper raps. As his verse progresses, it grows more rhythmic, with him throwing even more rhymes into the mix. “You get your bang for your buck, I get whatever for you / Ain’t no one else, it’s just us, and it’s whatever for you.”  Ooh-wee! After Bieber professes his desires on the post-chorus (“And I just want you, hold you, love you”), “WAY IT IS” concludes with a lovely instrumental outro.  All in all, this collaboration between Bieber and Gunna is pretty sweet!

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Justin Bieber » SWAG » ILH Production Co. LLC / Def Jam Recordings » 2025

Justin Bieber & Gunna, WAY IT IS: Dazzling Duets No. 19 (2026) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; ILH Production Co. LLC / Def Jam Recordings; ANTONI SHKRABA production from Pexels; Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Gordon Johnson from Pixabay]

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