Lost Hit: Justin Bieber & Halsey’s “The Feeling” Should Have Been A Single

Mike Nied | March 1, 2018 3:05 pm

Justin Bieber was on top of the world in 2015. After embarking on a lengthy apology tour to make up for past transgressions, the hitmaker emerged victorious with a slew of electro-kissed anthems. He kicked things off by teaming up with Diplo and Skrillex on their top 10 hit, “Where Are U Now,” but things reached a fever pitch with the unveiling of “What Do You Mean.” The lead single to his fourth album, Purpose, stormed the charts and led to his first time topping the Billboard Hot 100. After topping the chart once, he did it twice more with his follow-up singles, “Sorry” and “Love Yourself.”

The crooner ended his streak when he selected “Company” as the LP’s fourth and final single in 2016. Although it performed respectably, he could have easily enjoyed one more number one with his Halsey-assisted “The Feeling.” The crooner hooked up with the “New Americana” siren for a highly anticipated duet on the album, and it should have been massive. With production credits from Ian Kirkpatrick and Skrillex and a writing credit from Julia Michaels, the fan-favored anthem was a whimsical ode to the pains of falling in love.

“Am I in love with you, or am I in love with the feeling,” the pair coo over heavenly synths on the chorus. Rolled out as a buzz track ahead of Purpose’s release, it seemed destined for an eventual single treatment. The pair of starstruck lovers performed it at a variety of promotional events, and it drummed up rave reviews along the way. It also received a heavily choreographed video treatment as part of Justin’s PURPOSE: The Movement visual collection and found some love on the charts based on streams and album purchases.

However, things never lined up for an official release. Despite never receiving the single treatment, “The Feeling” remains a highlight on Purpose and in both Justin and Halsey’s discography. The atmospheric bop explored the intricacies of love and included one of the tightest productions and some of the most insightful lyrics on the project. The pair have since climbed to the top of the charts on other releases, but their duet could have been massive. Revisit the whimsical anthem below!

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