Justin Bieber Gives an Emotional Reflection of his Childhood Fame in "Lonely" Feat. Benny Blanco

 Justin Bieber has grown up in the public eye from the time he was a young teen, and he's shared many times the effects that's had on his mental health. Now he shares it in song - his newest single "Lonely" details his reflections on his childhood stardom. Co-written with producers Benny Blanco and FINNEAS, the song is an authentic telling of his early rise to fame and the toll it has taken on him today. 

     The lyrics clearly come straight from Bieber's heart. The opening verse is about how famous he has become, but how strange it still feels to him. He then sings about how he feels like he has it all, but he still doesn't have anybody to share it with. "What if you had it all / But nobody to call?" he asks in the pre-chorus. In the following chorus, just two lines, he smooths over the word "Lonely" in a raw falsetto that radiates vulnerability. He moves on to the second verse, a reflection on his controversial past. Discovered by Scooter Braun at just 13, he had a rough rise to fame after his parents' divorce and his personal struggles with drug abuse - all of which was in the spotlight. "They criticized the things I did as an idiot kid," he sings, touching on his poor choices at the beginning of his career. The track itself is stripped with merely a keyboard accompaniment and a low bass, making for an intimate, personal listen of Bieber's sentiment. 

     The single was released a month after his release of "Holy" featuring Chance the Rapper. These are the first works he's released since the release of his album Changes in February of 2020. While no news of a new album has been publicized, Bieber teased with the release of "Holy" that he was beginning a "new era." For now, you can stream "Lonely" featuring Benny Blanco everywhere now.