‘Changes’ fails to meet fans’ expectations

Emily Stisser
Entertainment Columnist

Justin Bieber is back, releasing his newest album, “Changes,” on Feb. 14.
This is the 25-year-old artist’s first album since 2015, cultivating much fan anticipation for his return.

In Bieber’s early years, critics were quick to differentiate him as a spotlight artist of younger generations. “Changes” is not evident of that.

As Oscar Wilde said, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”
The pop album begins shakily with “All Around Me,” setting a basic tone for the rest of “Changes.”

Although it received a surplus of criticism, “Yummy” is a personal standout on the album. The successful leading single off of “Changes,” “Yummy,” quickly received much radio play and high streaming numbers. However, fans’ expectations were most certainly not met, considering they were disappointed at the release of this track.

Unfortunately, most of the album does not outshine this track.

Most tracks that feature other artists stand out among other but are still underwhelming.

In most of the tracks, the featured artist does not even enter the song until at least the second verse, failing to reflect personal influence or lyricism.

However, “Get Me (feat. Kehlani)” is by far the best on the album, exuding a strong R&B influence.

Additionally, “Forever (feat. Post Malone & Clever)” is a popular track that meets the mark.

Track nine, “Take It Out On Me,” is not anything fans haven’t heard before from Bieber, short in length like several other tracks.

Lastly, regarding collaborations, “Second Emotion (feat. Travis Scott)” reflects an upbeat, hip-hop inspired style.

“Changes,” the designated “slow song” of the album, is worth skipping. Although it is somewhat honest and genuine, it does not deserve to be the title track of the album.

Track 15, “That’s What Love Is,” is refreshing in comparison to the style of the rest of the album. It additionally differs from past work.

The last track on the album, “At Least For Now,” does not finish “Changes” well.

In short, “Changes” did not hit the mark lyrically, failing to address Bieber’s extensive career in the spotlight and the recent harder times in his life.

The album is also amiss of any religious influence, creating an interesting contradiction between Bieber’s self-proclaimed passions and what he has produced, leaving listeners with many questions.

Considering most of the tracks sound similar, lyrically and musically, merely writing about his passions would have created a significant impact.

All in all, I think fans were looking for something different, considering how long he has been around and how long it took him to create this album.

Although I am not the hugest Bieber follower, I have consistently listened to his music from a young age and honestly, I’d rather listen to his old work than to “Changes.”

In conclusion, “Changes” is an upbeat album to get ready and dance to, but not a work where you could listen to every track and not skip a single one. It could have easily been shortened to 10 or 12 tracks, instead of 17.

On July 13, Bieber will be performing his “Changes” Tour at Enterprise Center, along with special guests Kehlani and Jaden Smith. Tickets are available for purchase at www.ticketmaster.com.

“Changes” is available on all major streaming services.