In case you missed it, Justin Bieber had his ceremonial rebirth at the MTV Video Music Awards this week.
Following a performance of new songs Where Are U Now and What Do You Mean?, the Biebs broke down in tears in front of a cheering crowd. It's particularly meaningful, considering he was booed at the last awards show he attended.
Despite not having released any new material since 2013's disappointing Journals, Bieber has stayed firmly in the public eye - mostly due to his bad behaviour. That famous mugshot, peeing in a bucket, picking a fight with Orlando Bloom - the list goes on.
But let's be real - he never had a chance to age gracefully. Dropped into the music industry machine as a baby-faced 12-year-old, Bieber became a love object for millions of tween girls, but was also the butt of jokes for millions more. It's no wonder the young star went on a hyper-masculine overcompensation bender at 18.
It all seemed to go wrong when he cut off his trademark golden locks. However, this year he's been growing his hair out, going to church and, most importantly, he seems to be releasing decent tunes.
Just moments after his emotional VMA performance, the steamy video for What Do You Mean? dropped on YouTube. With an intimate piano melody and a mid-tempo ticking metronome beat, this track is an ideal redemption song, the perfect follow-up to his excellent Diplo/Skrillex collab Where Are U Now.
What Do You Mean? is about an on-again off-again relationship and Lena Dunham has perhaps rightfully criticised the line "When you nod your head yes, but you wanna say no".
But really, that line sums up the reaction to Bieber and his new song perfectly.
Knowing his past, we might want to say no to this comeback offering - but it's just so good, you can't help but nod your head, yes.
- TimeOut