Justin Bieber’s “What Do You Mean?” Single: Review Revue
After the 2013 release of Journals LP, it seems like we have been waiting a long time for Justin Bieber to make an official comeback. He saw immense success with his “Where Are Ü Now” collaboration with Jack Ü, but now the former bad boy is ready to officially prep his next album with new single — “What Do You Mean?”
In our review of the song, we stated that it’s his best single to date: “Vocally, the 21-year-old has never sounded better. We got at glimpse of what he’s capable of on that severely-underrated Journals LP, but Justin sounds like a heavily-tattooed angel on this.”
So how do other music industry critics feel about Justin Bieber’s new single? Read what they had to say down below!
:: Vanity Fair compares it to one of the current songs of the summer: “It’s a breezy, low-key song, like ‘Where Are Ü Now?’ with 35 percent less propulsion. It’s actually vaguely reminiscent of OMI’s omnipresent ‘Cheerleader,’ which has been an unexpected hit this summer. Bieber sounds perhaps more relaxed and confident than ever on the track. Also, the subject matter is, of course, relatable: we have all, many of us multiple times a day, contemplated the meaning of a text message, or e-mail, or dating-app missive.”
:: Consequence of Sound said this: “Skrillex serves as producer of this slow burner, providing loops of tropical-flavored house beats to complement Bieber’s delicate croons. Honestly, it’s not terrible, in fact, it might actually be good. What say you?”
:: While PopCrush called it a “bouncy dance bop”: “Note the tick-tock beat in the background, as hinted at through all of his recent clock imagery. It’s also got the synth-generated pan flute sounds found in the burgeoning “tropical house” genre, chiefly popularized by platinum-selling producer Kygo. In other words, Bieber’s solidly on-trend and carving out a defined creative direction.”
:: Direct Lyrics shared their thoughts: “A very ‘chill; song (where JB tries to ‘figure out’ his girl), if you liked ‘Where Are U Now’ then you’re going to like this new song too, the beat acoustic-y, club-ready beat is really pleasant (it even has flute in it for God’s sake!), and overall this sounds to me like a bonafide late summer smash. Welcome back, Biebs!”
:: Hypetrak is also loving it: “Produced by Skrillex, the highly-anticipated song encapsulates the ever-trendy ‘tropical house’ aesthetic made popular by Kygo, featuring melodic flute riffs and an upbeat vibe. Despite how you feel about him as a person, Justin definitely came through this time around.”
:: Vulture kept it short and sweet: “The song sounds like what would happen if you took Steve Aoki’s alarm clock to a tropical beach resort. (In other words, electro-catchy as hell.)”
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