Justin Bieber serves up nothing but positive vibes on βHold On,β the fourth advance single from his sixth studio album, Justice.
Prior to making his comeback with Changes in 2020,
Justin Bieber hadnβt released a new album in nearly five years (
Purpose, 2015). This round, Bieber fans wonβt have to wait nearly as long as the
Grammy winner announced the release of
Justice arriving only a year after Changes. Bieber has been building up to his new album not long after Changes releasing a number of singles set to appear on Justice. The song at hand,
βHold On,β arrives just a week before the album itself. The premise? βA hopeful record of just holding on, because a lot of us want to give up at times,β Bieber tells NME.
Indeed, lyrically, βHold Onβ finds Justin Bieber offering both encouragement and support. On the first verse, heβs supportive, asserting, βIβll pick up the pieces if you come undone.β On the second, he describes feelings of loneliness and uncertainty, singing, βYou need connection but you canβt get close.β Prior to the chorus, on the pre-chorus, he lends his support once more, while on the chorus itself, he uses his own mishaps as βsomeone who loses their wayβ as means not to give up and hold on. On the bridge, he further confirms his willingness to be supportive. As far as messaging and writing (Bieber, Alexandra Tamposi,
Andrew Watt,
Jon Bellion,
Louis Bell,
Luiza BonfΓ‘, and
Walter de Backer), Justin says the right thing. Furthermore, Bieber sings well; he sounds smooth and performs expressively. Helping his cause is a pleasant, modern pop backdrop, produced by
Watt and
Bell.
Final Thoughts 
All in all, βHold Onβ is a winner for Justin Bieber. The message is positive, the vocals are solid, and the production and overall sound is just that β sound. βHold Onβ is not a game changer, but honestly, compared to some of the singles that graced Changes, this is a better sound for Bieber. Worth listening to by all means.
Justin Bieber β’
Justice β’
Def Jam β’
3.14.21
[
: Def Jam]