Beyond Bieber Fever

Abstract

The chapter inquires into Justin Bieber’s 2020 comeback, which followed a hiatus in his career in the late 2010s. After detailing some of the central themes and events in Bieber’s early career, it presents analyses of two music videos: Yummy (2020) and Holy (2020). Yummy is characterized by camp elements that fuel Bieber’s exhibition of a puerile playfulness, whereas Holy presents an earnest portrayal of a down-on-his-luck oil worker who finds solace in religious faith and romantic commitment. Addressing the flexibility with which Bieber adopts contrasting gender expressions in these videos, the author contemplates a number of questions related to the continual reinvention that characterizes the careers of many pop artists. The chapter also discusses how issues related to the sexualization of food, the gendering of work, and the social constraints associated with marriage are navigated within a pop context. If both Yummy and Holy seem to expand the boundaries of masculinity, they are simultaneously characterized by heteronormative elements that undermine such an effort. It is therefore concluded that Bieber’s strategic borrowing from the cultures and practices of black, queer, and working-class men increases his masculine capital without challenging existing relations of privilege and marginalization.