Justin Bieber Taps Into His R&B Roots With Surprise Album ‘SWAG’
GLOBAL — After a four-year musical hiatus, Justin Bieber is back — and he’s grooving deeper into R&B than ever before. Dropped without fanfare on July 11, 2025, his seventh studio album SWAG feels like a personal journal turned soulful soundtrack. It’s romantic, vulnerable, and clearly built from the heart.
The album marks Bieber’s first major release since parting ways with longtime manager Scooter Braun and selling his music catalogue in 2022. It’s also his most streamed album release week ever, with 198.77 million on-demand streams, 16 tracks charting on the Billboard Hot 100, and a No. 2 debut on the Billboard 200.
SWAG: A Passion Project With Purpose
Musically, SWAG leans more into the R&B space than any of Bieber’s past work — even more so than his 2020 album Changes. Lyrically, the record is anchored in themes of marriage, fatherhood, self-reflection, and faith.
Tracks like:
- “ALL I CAN TAKE” open the album with synth-fueled energy and layered vocals,
- “DAISIES” (his biggest streaming single) delivers an addictive romantic groove,
- and “GO BABY” reads like a love letter to wife Hailey Bieber.
Other standout moments include “YUKON”, performed entirely in a pitched-up vocal, and “DADZ LOVE”, which creatively samples Bieber drumming as a toddler. The album also includes emotional conversational skits with comedian Druski, adding a humanizing, sometimes funny layer to the listening experience.
Star-Studded Collaborators Elevate SWAG
Bieber didn’t go it alone — SWAG features a rich mix of producers, co-writers, and artists across genres:
- Carter Lang (SZA’s Ctrl, Sunflower)
- Dylan Wiggins
- Eddie Benjamin (who also features on the title track)
- Daniel Chetrit, Mk.gee, and Daniel Caesar
- Features include Lil B, Sexyy Red, Cash Cobain, Druski, and Dijon
Faith-themed collaborators Marvin Winans and Rick Founds contribute to the deeply personal track “FORGIVENESS”, while other contributors like Tobias Jesso Jr., Knox Fortune, and Harv round out the diverse production credits.
Top Tracks To Stream First
Whether you’re a longtime Belieber or a casual listener, these songs are a great entry point into SWAG’s unique sound:
- DAISIES
- Walking Away
- All I Can Take
- Go Baby
- YUKON
- Devotion ft. Dijon
- Butterflies
- Things You Do
- First Place
- Sweet Spot ft. Sexyy Red
Final Verdict
SWAG earns a solid 7/10 — an honest, genre-blending R&B album that highlights Bieber’s vocal strength and creative independence. While a few tracks fall flat lyrically, the album as a whole succeeds in delivering warmth, faith, and feeling.
It’s not a perfect project, but in many ways, that’s the point — SWAG reflects real life, love, and growth, unpolished and sincere.
Have you streamed Justin Bieber’s SWAG yet? Which track is your favorite? Drop your thoughts or album rating in the comments, and discover more new releases on ChicagoMusicGuide.com.