Justin Bieber & Jaden, Never Say Never | 1 Hit WONDERful

In the 18^th edition of 1 Hit WONDERful (2024), we highlight “Never Say Never” performed by Justin Bieber and Jaden. 

It only takes ONE hit to solidify a musical legacy 💯! On 1 Hit WONDERful, we highlight songs that were the SOLE hit by a given musician.  To be fair, it is possible that the artists appearing on this list earned a minor hit or two, BUT for the most part, it’s that ONE hit that earned them recognition. So, in the 18^th edition of 1 Hit WONDERful (2024) we dive into “Never Say Never”, a top-10 hit for the ultra-successful Justin Bieber and a one-hit wonder for Jaden Smith (Jaden).

BELIEBERS, don’t get your panties in a wad or your knickers in a twist! No wedgies are necessary! Grammy-winning pop artist Justin Bieber IS NOT a one-hit wonder.  Bieber has 26 top-10 hits to his name as of this publication.  Eight of those top-10s were number one hits which is impressive.  Bieber’s 2010, top-10 hit, “Never Say Never”, which peaked at no. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, was the sole pop hit for Jaden Smith, the son of Academy Award and Grammy winner, Will Smith. Jaden has released his fair share of music, however, none of his solo singles have impacted the pop charts. His guest feature on “Never Say Never” is technically, his sole hit, hence making him a one-hit wonder.

When “Never Say Never” was released in 2010, Justin Bieber was 16 years old.  The song appeared in the film, The Karate Kid, which starred 11-year-old Smith.  Bieber does the majority of the heavy lifting on this record produced by The Messengers. The lyrics are uplifting, with a teenage Bieber selling it in a classy fashion. “And there’s no turning back / When your heart’s under attack / Gonna give everything I have / It’s my destiny.” Say it, Justin!  The centerpiece, leading to the multiplatinum certification, undoubtedly, is the chorus, again, performed by Bieber:

“I will never say never, I will fight

I will fight ‘til forever make it right

Whenever you knock me down

I will not stay on the ground

Pick it up, pick it up, pick it up, pick it up-up-up

And never say never.”

In the third verse, Jaden earns his hit with a pre-teen rap for the ages. “Now he’s bigger than me, taller than me / And he’s older than me and stronger than me,” he spits, adding, “But he ain’t on a JB song with me.” BARZ! There’s more: “No pun intended was raised by the power of Will.” We’ll leave it there… So, in closing, Justin Bieber added to his top-10 hits while Jaden Smith earned his sole hit with “Never Say Never”. Funny how that works out.

Justin Bieber // Never Say Never – The Remixes // The Island Def Jam Music Group // 2011

Justin Bieber & Jaden, Never Say Never: 1 Hit WONDERful No. 18 (2024) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; The Island Def Jam Music Group; Elias Souza from Pexels; OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay]