Justin Bieber opens up on marriage struggles and mental health in new album

Justin Bieber has released his most personal album yet.
 

On Friday, July 11, Def Jam dropped SWAG, the 31-year-old pop star’s seventh studio album and his first in four years. Across its 21 tracks, Bieber delves into everything from his mental health battles to recent strains in his marriage.
 

The project features appearances from Sexyy Red, Dijon, Lil B, Gunna, Cash Cobain, 2 Chainz, comedian Druski, and more. It follows 2021’s Justice.
 

Among the album’s standout moments is “Walking Away,” where Bieber seems to reference tensions with wife, Hailey Bieber:
 

“Days go by so fast, don’t wanna spend them with you
So tell me why you’re throwing stones at my back
You know I’m defenseless…
Girl, we better stop before we say some s–t
We’ve been testing our patience
I think we better off if we just take a break.”
 

But he makes it clear their love remains strong, singing later:

 

“Baby, I ain’t walking away
You were my diamond
Gave you a ring, I made you a promise
I told you, ‘I’d change’…
And baby, I ain’t walking away.”
 

The album also nods to Bieber’s viral run-in with paparazzi last month—when he snapped, “I’m a dad. I’m a husband. I’m standing on business.” That line inspired track 16, “Standing on Business,” which features a playful appearance by Druski.
 

Bieber worked on SWAG in Iceland earlier this year. Last week, he teased the release by sharing the tracklist and a black-and-white billboard in Reykjavik. On Instagram, he posted intimate family photos with Hailey and their 10-month-old son, Jack.
 

“My forever n always,” he captioned one shot of him hugging Hailey.
 

The album arrives amid a turbulent stretch for Bieber. A 2023 documentary claimed financial stress drove him to sell his music catalog for $200 million in December 2022 after his Justice tour fell apart. An audit later revealed he owed former manager Scooter Braun over $8 million. Last week, Bieber finalized a settlement, agreeing to repay Braun and other debts.
 

Bieber and Hailey, who married in 2018, welcomed Jack in August 2024. While sources told US Weekly that Bieber has been “difficult to deal with” during this period, Hailey has reportedly held their family together. Still, the couple has continued to publicly praise one another.
 

“I’ve done a lot of dumb things, but the smartest was marrying Hailey,” Bieber told Vogue.

Hailey added, “I’ve learned so much from Justin… he’s had to face the most scrutiny of any person I know. He told me, ‘Baby, I’ve been here before. You’re not going to win. There is no winning.’”
 

SWAG marks another chapter in Bieber’s eventful career, which began when Braun discovered his YouTube videos in 2007. 

Now 31, Bieber has won dozens of awards—including Grammys, Billboard, and American Music Awards and continues to open up through his music.

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