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Blogocentric Formulations #873709 added February 14, 2016 at 4:09pm
Restrictions: None
Sorry
** Image ID #2070351 Unavailable **
Song: "Sorry"
Artist: Justin Bieber
Album: Purpose
Well, Soundtrackers, we've only got two days of guilty pleasures left (well, technically one day but I'm posting two entries today to get caught up), so it's time to start dropping bombs and unloading the heavy artillery. While I can't confess to (nor would I want to) being a true Belieber, (using that phrase just made me throw up in my mouth a little), I have to admit that I really like the first three singles off Justin Bieber's new album. Okay, and a couple of tracks off his old albums. OKAY, and maybe he's not as much of a douche as I originally credited him as.
Admittedly, he was a horrible douche for a lot of years. I'm sure a lot of that probably has to do with the level of success he attained so young, and up until even a couple of years ago, he was frequently getting himself into trouble for his immature and irresponsible behavior. But he really seems to have grown as an artist (and generally as a human being) and recent interviews with him have shown a way more mature artist who seems to recognize the influence he carries and that he should be doing better things with his fame and fortune.
True story: my wife and I have friends who are planning on planting a church in San Diego later this year, and have been gathering with a small group of friends and supporters who want to help them. Last year, we were all talking about the kinds of things we usually pray for and one of the women said, "I pray for people like Justin Bieber. They just have so much influence on so many people, I pray that God gives them the wisdom and the maturity to use that impact for better things than bad behavior and selfish pursuits." It was less than two weeks later than Bieber gave this interview for Complex Magazine  about finding faith and his changed, matured perspective. 
Bieber's evolution as an artist, if not as a human being, is evident in this new album. He worked on it for more than three years, scrapping it completely more than once because he felt like it wasn't the right direction for him to go in as an artist. Eventually, he settled on a R&B and EDM-inspired sound and fused it with songs about apologies, faith, and recovery after difficult times. The album sold 522,000 copies its first week, has been almost universally cited by critics as not just his best album but as a generally impressive album that shows true growth, and the first three singles have all hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (which is a first for him).
I actually prefer "What Do You Mean?" and "Love Yourself" (the other two singles released so far) in terms of their lyrics and music, but "Sorry" is the most upbeat song and I really love the video (including the fact that Bieber doesn't appear in it at all). The girls dancing in the video are from Parris Goebel's Palace Dance Studio in New Zealand. Man, I'm really hitting the kiwi presence hard in this Soundtrackers challenge... maybe Elle - on hiatus  will give me honorary membership in "Invalid Item" if this entry doesn't scare her off! 
Oh, and if this blog entry hasn't scared you off, dear reader, and if you don't mind a little more Bieber, The Late Late Show with James Corden has a great bit called "Carpool Karaoke" where James drives around with another celebrity, interviewing them and singing songs. The one with Adele gained a lot of popularity about a month ago, but he has two carpool videos with Bieber, the first of which involves Bieber solving a Rubik's Cube in under two minutes, and the second of which involves an amusing shopping excursion.
Look, I know I've taken my shots at Bieber in the past, including An Un-Belieber-able Twist! from Wdc 14th Birthday Party Suspect Journal during Tornado Dodger  's Masquerade activity the year before last. And I'm as surprised as anyone to say it, but I actually kinda buy his reformed act and I think he's currently got the album and the social presence to prove it. Who knows if it'll keep, but for right now I'm not ashamed only mildly ashamed to admit that Justin Bieber's new album is a guilty pleasure of mine.
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