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Light-Skinned Bieber Lore: On Usher, Justin Bieber, and the Performance that Changed Everything

Photo by Jay Wennington on Unsplash

It has been an excellent week for R&B performances. Over the weekend, Usher presented his anticipated Super Bowl Half-Time Show in Las Vegas to rave reviews and social media controversy. From the costuming to the choreography, I enjoyed the homage to Usher’s start in the 1990s and the references to HBCUs and Atlanta (because nothing says Atlanta like stripper poles and fraternity strolls). And, while many people rushed to Twitter to see how Swizz Beatz would respond to the dance between Usher and Alicia Keys, I was more interested in hearing about where Justin Bieber was on Usher’s big night.

Before the Super Bowl, many people speculated that Justin Bieber would perform with Usher because Bieber is one of Usher’s proteges in the music industry. Although not as widely discussed as when Usher was a prominent feature in Justin’s music videos and interviews, it seemed even more likely following the recent buzz around the singer last weekend. Specifically, the internet cannot stop talking about Justin Bieber’s surprise live rendition of SZA’s Grammy-winning single “Snooze” at Drake’s History Night Club and his ease in singing such a popular R&B song.

However, I was not surprised by his “Snooze” performance, as he is in the music video. But, what surprised me the most was how quickly the internet has forgotten the deep cuts of the “Light-Skinned Justin Bieber” Lore. Especially following the 2021 release of the album “Justice,” many pundits and social media influencers declared the return of “light-skinned” Justin Bieber (aka Jermaine). These claims are usually made in moments when the singer ventures into “blue-eyed soul” music with a touch of southern swagger that reflects his R&B roots.

Even as Justin Bieber has matured and evolved as a pop star, audiences and critics often forget his musical beginnings. However, there are instances where the singer pays homage to his roots. Therefore, I want to use this post to share some little-known internet lore about the disappearance and reemergence of Justin Bieber’s second compilation album, “Journals,” which is a tribute to many decades of R&B music. It’s also the perfect time of year to re-watch the 2021 Valentine’s Day performance that broke TikTok and brought “Journals” back into the public eye.

The Journey to Journals: My World, Marketing, and the Social Media Era of Popular Music

But first, let’s talk about the early era of Justin Bieber’s music. In 2008, the singer was discovered by manager Scooter Braun while singing Chris Brown songs online, just like many other artists who emerged in the early 2000s. Back then, he was just a twelve-year-old kid from Canada who gained recognition for his cover songs on YouTube. From the beginning, Bieber was adept at using the internet and the new era of video-sharing platforms, digital downloads, and streaming to his benefit. Once he entered the limelight, he became known for the bubble-gum pop and iconic choreography that made artists like Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake famous.

Releasing the single “Baby” in 2010, the song and the album “My World 2.0” have sold millions of copies, and the music video is one of the most popular videos in YouTube History. The following year, Justin Bieber received multiple Grammy nominations, including Best New Artist and Best Pop Album. But, what made him stand out from other pop artists were his collaborations with R&B and Hip-Hop artists. During that time, his team marketed him as a younger, whiter version of stars like Chris Brown, who had begun to face public scrutiny for several incidents of physical assault and bad behavior.

This marketing plot followed in the long lineage of R&B and rap being re-packaged for white audiences, usually to much more popularity and accolades. For example, see the differences between the career trajectory of a group like New Edition and the popularity of NSync, Backstreet Boys, and 98 Degrees in the following decades. At the same time, Bieber’s music also filled a void in the industry, and his collaborations with Ludacris and Usher positioned him as a Southern-adjacent singer who could serve multiple audiences.

An epic music tour followed Justin Bieber’s first album in 2012. His team devised another genius marketing invention during this time, calling the concerts “The Believe Tour,” which was a preview to the title of his third studio album. This name also referenced his internet fandom, which he called “The Beliebers.” As a result, there was a lot of anticipation for Bieber’s second album during this tour. Through social media, fans could follow his journey and career progression from an internet sensation to a global superstar.

During the tour, Justin started working on his second album, “Journals.” This album was unique in using social media and fandom to create hype around the music. Inspired by the success of mixtape and sneaker releases in the hip-hop world, the album release occurred through a ten-week event called “Music Mondays.” Every Monday, fans could tune in for a new digital release of one song featured on the album. Then, in October 2013, the entire album dropped, including some additional songs fans had yet to hear on Music Mondays.

Unfortunately, there were some controversies surrounding the album’s release, so it was not physically available until 2016. Furthermore, the label never submitted the album for Nielsen ratings, so it did not rank highly in America during its first week. Although the album was declared a Platinum seller with billions of streams, it did not receive nearly as many nominations and acclaim as the first or subsequent albums. This outcome is primarily because the album is a full-on R&B record with collaborations from various rappers and R&B artists, so it didn’t have the same cross-over appeal as his previous projects.

Controversial Collaboration: On The R.Kelly Reckoning in R&B

At the same time, I am not surprised that “Journals” went off the radar for a while. Because the album was not available in physical form and did not find its way to popular streaming platforms until months after its release, it was hard to find the record. And I remember there was a period when I thought the album had disappeared because it did not receive the same level of attention that fans saw from most of Justin Bieber’s music.

But, in reflecting on the timeline, I have always believed that the “Journals” album disappeared because of the role that R. Kelly played in its production. It is important to remember that 2013 was four years before the “Mute R. Kelly” movement. That year, Kelly was honored at the BET Awards with a performance medley of his songs, and he continued to receive Grammy nominations and collaborations. However, in the following years, many artists apologized for working with him. Although R. Kelly is featured on only one of the songs (“PYD”), his influence can also be felt in the album’s themes and style.

Most of the tracks on the album revolve around a man who has made mistakes and is trying to win back his girl, along with other common R&B themes that are more suitable for late-night listening. As I listened to the album “Journals” a decade after its release, Justin Bieber had no business singing those songs, and the album didn’t make sense for his fanbase of young girls who loved pop hits. However, this album and its association with R. Kelly made me think about how frequently R&B artists started singing love (and love-making) songs before they matured.

In the music industry, numerous scandals have occurred involving young artists under the guidance of older producers. Often, the producers promote a more mature image of the artists, making it easier to downplay the significance of their relationship status. From the controversial relationship between R. Kelly and Aaliyah to the allegations about Diddy and Cassie, these scandals have often found their way into the artists’ music.

As a child, I was not allowed to sing certain songs, such as Cassie’s “Me and U,” Aaliyah’s “Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number” album, and even Usher’s “My Way” album, due to their adult themes and innuendos, which revolved around making young people sound much older than they were. Looking back, whenever I listen to old songs by Usher, Chris Brown, or even Bow Wow, I can’t help but notice how young their voices sound while singing such adult-themed music (and how young they look even after eighteen).

It’s not just R&B music that’s affected by this issue. We see the same thing happening in pop, rap, country, and many other media genres like film and television. To learn more about this problem, I highly recommend watching documentaries about producers like Phil Spector and the development of the Motown sound, which discuss the constant search for younger stars.

When I reflected on Justin Bieber’s story, I also realized that while many Black and Brown artists are pushed into the limelight and presented as mature adults, young white artists can maintain their innocence throughout their careers. Their teams work hard to preserve and protect that youthful identity for as long as possible. They even create tours and albums to announce when those artists are finally ready to be seen as adults (Remember the “Britney” album).

With hindsight, I can understand why Justin Bieber’s team did not jump for joy over “Journals.” Although I didn’t appreciate that the album disappeared from the public eye and that R. Kelly’s involvement potentially tainted the LP’s reception, it’s impressive that Justin Bieber had a team around him who chose to protect his artistic image (even as his public and professional image took some hits over the years). They ensured he had enough time to grow and develop before delving into more mature music.

Justice for Journals: TikTok and the Quarantine Concert Era

It has been almost a decade since “Journals” premiered, bringing us to 2021. At that time, Justin Bieber was in his late twenties and had been married to his wife, Hailey Bieber, for a few years. Over the past ten years, Bieber has evolved from his bubble-gum pop persona to a more seasoned artist, breaking records set by industry greats like Elvis Presley. We have also witnessed him endure low moments of bad behavior, drug dependency, and even worse break-ups. His fans adore him despite this, and Bieber continues leveraging social media to his advantage.

In 2021, social distancing restrictions also started to loosen up, but many concert venues remained closed. However, during the period of isolation, online music performances and indoor dance parties replaced those in-person events. From NPR’s at-home version of Tiny Desk concerts to the Hip-Hop Verzuz Battles, we explored a new way of using social media to experience our favorite music. For many, these “quarantine concerts” turned out to be even more exciting and engaging than we expected, and as always, Justin Bieber was at the forefront of using social media to engage with his fans.

Consequently, I was excited when Justin Bieber announced that he would be taking to the TikTok stage on Valentine’s Day 2021 for his first-ever performance of the “Journals” album. Specifically, the TikTok Newroom described the performance as a Valentine’s Day gift to his fans and “the first-ever single-artist, full-length concert performance to air LIVE on TikTok.” Although I was on vacation then, I tuned in for the entire performance and was not disappointed.

While listening to Justin Bieber’s first live performance versus the album, I couldn’t help but notice how much his voice and stage presence has changed over the years. Although the album has many collaborations with artists such as Lil Wayne and Big Sean, the setlist mainly consists of stand-alone singles. Hearing it live also highlighted the implicit R&B references in his songs, such as the allusions to Craig David in “Recovery.” Consequently, I was glad there was some time between the album’s production and this performance because Justin’s almost 30-year-old voice gives much more justice to “Journals” than his younger voice ever could.

In 2021, Justin Bieber also dropped the singles for the “Justice” album, and critics claimed that light-skinned Justin Bieber is back! The album “Justice” also made chart-topping history with songs like “Peaches” and “Holy.” While we cannot say that the success was solely due to his previous album, “Journals,” we can say that it helped pave the way for the popular reception of “Justice.” As we approach Valentine’s Day 2024 and Justin Bieber’s iconic performance anniversary, it would be great to watch the performance and stream “Journals” for old-time sake. I also hope the album reappears when JB performs at his Super Bowl Half-Time Show (sometime in the future)!

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