Justin Bieber is quietly returning to the studio with plans for a new album-his first in four years-as sources close to the artist say personal struggles and fears tied to Sean "Diddy" Combs' legal scandal have pushed him to use music as a therapeutic outlet. According to people familiar with the project, the Canadian singer-songwriter has begun working with British producer Fred Again, co-architect of Bieber and Ed Sheeran's 2019 hit I Don't Care.
"Justin is looking to make a new album with Fred. It is pretty early days but they've shared some studio time together," a source told RadarOnline.com. The insider added that Bieber's counselor urged him to channel his emotions into songwriting. "The guy's marriage is hanging by a thread, and channeling his trauma into something creative might just be the therapy he needs."
The pop star, now 31, is reportedly grappling with a deteriorating marriage to Hailey Bieber, with whom he shares a son born in August 2024. Sources say the model has grown "fed up" with what they describe as Bieber's "infantile behavior," and the couple's relationship has been tested further by the arrest of Bieber's former mentor, Combs, who is facing federal sex trafficking charges. Combs denies all allegations.
Bieber is said to be "terrified" that he could be subpoenaed when the case reaches trial. The looming legal risk, combined with intense public scrutiny and internal guilt over past associations, has contributed to what one source called a "downward spiral" in Bieber's emotional health.
The pressure has surfaced in Bieber's own words. In a March 22 Instagram post, he wrote, "I think I hate myself sometimes when I feel myself start to become inauthentic," adding, "we're all being made to think we're not enough but I still hate when I change myself to please people." The post featured video of Bieber jamming with friends, including singer-songwriter Jensen McRae, in his Beverly Hills home.
In an earlier message this month, he admitted feeling like a fraud. "It made me feel sneaky like 'Damn if they only knew my thoughts, how judgemental I am, how selfish I really am, they wouldn't be saying this'," Bieber wrote. "I definitely feel unequipped and unqualified most days."
His openness follows months of speculation about his well-being, fueled by a viral video in February that showed him rapping about being high. A representative quickly dismissed drug use rumors as "false" and "harmful," telling Rolling Stone, "the public's fixation on the artist's health is exhausting and pitiful."
The representative also emphasized that 2024 has been "very transformative" for Bieber, who has reportedly ended several long-term friendships and business relationships in an effort to regain control over his life.
Bieber last released a studio album in 2021 with Justice, and although he contributed to tracks like Don Toliver's Private Landing and a stripped-back version of SZA's Snooze in 2023, his solo output has been limited. In 2022, he canceled the remaining legs of his Justice World Tour after revealing that he had been diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, which left part of his face temporarily paralyzed.
"Can't believe I'm saying this," Bieber said in an emotional video at the time. "I've done everything to get better but my sickness is getting worse." He added, "To all my people I love you so much and I'm gonna rest and get better."
