Justin Bieber is back!
Specifically, he’s back to the VMA stage for the first time in a minute.
The last time that Bieber performed at the MTV Video Music Awards, he was promoting his fourth studio album, Purpose (2015). The pop star performed the song “What Do U Mean?” for the first time live, and the music video for that track premiered the evening after his performance.
That year, Taylor Swift set the record for garnering the most VMA nominations–she had ten. But this year, Justin Bieber himself leads the pack as the most nominated star. The “Forever” singer is up for seven trophies at the 2021 ceremony, which will take place on September 12 at 7 p.m. CT.
Bieber is even up for the Video of the Year award for his iconic, tongue-in-cheek role in DJ Khaled’s music video for “Popstar,” for which I think he definitely deserves some shine. He’s likely to play some of the best tracks from his most recent album, Changes (2020), and perhaps even some unreleased music that he’s been working on for the past year.
Bieber Is Sure to Bring It
Bieber plans to celebrate his success with a triumphant return to the VMA stage after six years away. And if we know anything about the VMAs, it’s that almost every performance comes with a surprise.
Bieber might be past his “bad boy” rebel days, but he’s not finished defining himself as an artist and a human being. That means we can probably expect him to do something that will make this performance unforgettable.
After all, the VMAs are where we first saw Lady Gaga’s meat dress and Miley Cyrus’s initial foray into her twerking phase. The bar is set pretty high, is what I’m saying, and Bieber surely knows this.
Bieber’s role as a version of his superstar self in Khaled’s “Popstar” music video was incredibly self-aware and fun, and that seems to be part of his style now. The guy spent his rebellious teen years in the spotlight, a fate almost worse than cancellation. After going through those rough years, what does he have to lose?
He has a loving wife–the stunning Hailey Bieber–194 million Instagram followers, and he seems to become happier and more comfortable in his skin with each passing day. So, a performance of this magnitude couldn’t come at a better time. I just hope it comes with a viral moment!
Who Else Will Perform At This Year’s VMAs?
Of course, some of the pressure on Bieber will be shared by the other stars at the VMAs, and we already know what tracks some of them will be performing. These include:
- Camila Cabello – “Don’t Go Yet”
- Kacey Musgraves – “Star-Crossed”
- Machine Gun Kelly – “papercuts”
- Shawn Mendes – “Summer of Love”
- Twenty One Pilots – “Saturday”
- Chlöe– “Have Mercy”
We’ll also be hearing from Polo G, Swedish House Mafia, Lil Nas X, Olivia Rodrigo, Kim Petras, and Doja Cat, though these artists are keeping their set lists under wraps.
I couldn’t be more excited to see what the Biebs has in store for his return to the VMA stage. Will you be watching?
