When Justin Bieber dropped the song “Baby” back in 2010, he was a mere teenager being introduced to a world that was both glittery and overwhelming at once. A world with fame and opportunity, but also danger, drugs, and situations most teens are never thrust into. On Christmas Eve this year, he reflected on the music industry, how it treated him, and what he wants to see changed from within, just as he’s gone on a journey of faith to change himself from within.
In a lengthy message on Instagram over Christmas Eve, Justin Bieber got candid about where he’d ended up in life and the “system” that was really rewarding, but also took a lot from him. He wrote:
I grew up in a system that rewarded my gift but didn’t always protect my soul. There were moments I felt used, rushed, shaped into something I didn’t full choose. That kind of pressure leaves wounds you don’t see on stage. I’ve carried anger. I’ve asked God why.
Justin Bieber’s gone through a lot in his short time on Earth. At only 31, he allegedly grew and then lost a $90 million fortune. Like Britney Spears, he no longer really performs (though he's expected to make a Coachella comeback). We've also seen the anger he mentioned he's carried when he's confronted paparazzi and more.
This year, his early mentorship and the time he spent with P. Diddy unfortunately put him back into the spotlight during the rapper’s arrest and subsequent trial. His drug use is well-documented, sometimes even by the pop singer himself. Troubled marriage rumors have swirled around him and wife Hailey Bieber, with reports citing it being “tense” after the birth of their son Jack Blues Bieber. They’ve tried to pour water on the rumors, but reports of trouble have persisted.
However, despite the trials and tribulations the singer has faced in his personal life, he noted in his post he does not “want to burn the music industry down.” He wants to see it made better for newcomers coming in so they can combat the specific struggles the young and newly famous face. He doesn’t share any particular solutions, but I think it’s important to note he doesn’t seem bitter, and is look toward a better future for those coming up in the business.
I don’t want to burn the music industry down. I want to see it made new – safer, more honest, more human.
There's the public-facing Bieber we often see misbehaving, but the other part of him finds great comfort in faith. Justin Bieber and his wife Hailey belong to Churchome, whose pastor has also attracted attention and a bit of controversy. Nonetheless, Bieber spends the majority of this Christmas Eve post discussing his faith and how finding God and Jesus has led him onto a better path. His takeaway?
I didn’t come out of this untouched. I grew up inside a system that took more than it guarded. That pain was real. But it doesn’t define me anymore. Jesus does.
You can see his Christmas Even comments in full, below.
The future is now, and now that Bieber is a father and constantly working on himself using faith as a tool, he let the world know that he wants to be the change he wants to see. We’ll have to wait and see what 2026 brings.
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