Freedom
EP by
Justin Bieber
ReleasedApril 4, 2021 (2021-04-04)
Length22:20
LabelDef Jam
Producer
  • Angel Lopez
  • Boi-1da
  • Cvre
  • Don Mills
  • Federico Vindver
  • Goatsmans
  • Sean Momberger
  • JulesTheWulf
  • Justin Bieber
  • Lee Major
  • Wallis Lane
  • Vinylz
Justin Bieber chronology
Justice
(2021) 		Freedom
(2021)

Freedom is the second extended play (EP) by Canadian singer Justin Bieber. It is also the first EP released by Bieber since My World (2009).[1] It was surprise-released on April 4, 2021, by Def Jam Recordings.[2] The EP is a follow-up to Bieber's sixth studio album Justice, released a few weeks prior on March 19, 2021.[3] The EP is gospel-inspired.[2]

Background and songs

Freedom is a gospel-inspired EP that serves as Bieber's way of professing his love to God as he embarks on a soul-searching journey to better understand himself and his past through the lens of his religious beliefs.[2][4][5] The EP begins with the Afrobeat-filled title track, a collaboration with Beam, where Bieber and Beam address temptation against laid-back tropical beats.[6][7] On the following tracks, "All She Wrote" featuring Brandon Love and Chandler Moore and R&B cut "We're in This Together", Bieber shifts into rap, discussing his fame and "needing saving", with the latter alluding to the 2014 police raid of his Los Angeles home after being accused of allegedly egging a neighbor's house and ending with a prayer for those listening and their families.[5][6][8][9] The fourth track, "Where You Go I Follow" featuring Moore, Pink Sweats, and Judah Smith, finds Bieber singing about the resurrection of Jesus.[6][8] He is joined by Moore, Smith, and Tori Kelly on the fifth track, "Where Do I Fit In", where they sing about Jesus and his unconditional love for everyone.[6][8] The final track, "Afraid to Say" featuring Lauren Walters, takes a more guitar-focused turn as Bieber explores the effects of cancel culture.[5][6]

Reception

Critical response

Vulture's Halle Kiefer compared Freedom to Bieber's sixth studio album, Justice, saying they both find him "ruminating on the spiritual and existential state of his existence".[10] Emlyn Travis, writing for MTV News, felt that the EP "allows Bieber to redefine himself and restructure his future".[5] Tomás Mier from People wrote that "Bieber is channeling his spirituality through song".[6] Brad Wheeler of The Globe and Mail found the EP to be "mundane" and that it came off as "self-absorbed", further adding, "He's not serving somebody – he's serving himself."[7]

Accolades

Year-end lists
Publication Accolade Rank Ref.
365 Days of Inspiring Media Top 25 EPs of 2021 21
[11]
Louder Than The Music LTTM Album Awards 2021 2
[12]

Commercial performance

Freedom debuted at number 172 on the US Billboard 200 chart.[13] The EP earned 7,000 equivalent album units with less than five full days of availability in its first tracking week.[14] It is Bieber's first entry on the Top Christian Albums chart, debuting at number three for the week of April 17, 2021.[14] All six of the EP's tracks concurrently charted on the Hot Christian Songs chart, also becoming Bieber's first entries there.[14]

Track listing

Freedom track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Freedom" (with Beam)
2:45
2."All She Wrote" (featuring Brandon Love and Chandler Moore)
3:54
3."We're in This Together"
  • Bieber
  • Nima Jahanbin
  • Paimon Jahanbin
  • Federico Vindver
  • Jose Velazquez
  • Isaiah Johnson
3:01
4."Where You Go I Follow" (featuring Pink Sweats, Chandler Moore, and Judah Smith)
  • Bieber
  • David Bowden
  • Judah Smith
  • Jonathan Gateretse
  • Lenard Ishmael
  • Luigi Tiano
  • O'Necean Gordon
  • Tarik Henry
3:32
5."Where Do I Fit In" (featuring Tori Kelly, Chandler Moore, and Judah Smith)
  • Bieber
  • Tori Kelly
  • Moore
  • Smith
  • Gateretse
  • Ishmael
  • Tiano
  • Gordon
  • Henry
4:46
6."Afraid to Say" (featuring Lauren Walters)
  • Bieber
  • Julian McGuire
4:22
Total length:22:20

Personnel

Charts

References

  1. ^ Close, Paris (April 5, 2021). "Justin Bieber Surprises Fans With New Gospel EP 'Freedom'". iHeartRadio. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c Iasimone, Ashley (April 5, 2021). "Justin Bieber Surprise Releases 'Freedom' EP". Billboard. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  3. ^ Minsker, Evan (April 4, 2021). "Justin Bieber Shares Surprise New Freedom. EP". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  4. ^ Stone, Megan (April 5, 2021). "Justin Bieber releases surprise 'Freedom' EP on Easter". Good Morning America. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d Travis, Emlyn (April 5, 2021). "Justin Bieber Finds New Meaning In Life On Freedom". MTV News. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Mier, Tomás (April 5, 2021). "Justin Bieber Sings and Raps About Growing Up Famous on Gospel EP Freedom. Featuring Tori Kelly". People. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
  7. ^ a b Wheeler, Brad (April 8, 2021). "With his earnest pop-gospel EP Freedom, Justin Bieber is equal parts born again and boring again". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
  8. ^ a b c Shaffer, Claire (April 5, 2021). "Justin Bieber Surprise-Releases 'Freedom' EP on Easter". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  9. ^ Alexander, Bryan (April 4, 2021). "Justin Bieber surprises fans with 'Freedom' EP on Easter Sunday". USA Today. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  10. ^ Kiefer, Halle (April 4, 2021). "Justin Bieber Fills Your Easter Basket With Surprise Freedom EP". Vulture. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  11. ^ Andre, Joshua (May 9, 2022). "BEST OF 2021- PART 6: TOP 25 EP'S OF 2021 | 365 Days of Inspiring Media". 365 Days of Inspiring Media. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  12. ^ "Louder Than The Music - LTTM Album Awards 2021 - No. 2: Justin Bieber - Freedom". Louder Than The Music. January 19, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  13. ^ a b "Justin Bieber Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  14. ^ a b c Asker, Jim (April 13, 2021). "Justin Bieber Makes First Appearance on Top Christian Albums Chart as 'Freedom' Debuts at No. 3". Billboard. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  15. ^ "Ultratop.be – Justin Bieber – Freedom. %5BEP%5D" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  16. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Justin Bieber – Freedom. %5BEP%5D". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  17. ^ "Official Christian & Gospel Albums Chart Top 20 | Official Charts Company". Official Charts Company. April 22, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  18. ^ "Justin Bieber Chart History (Christian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  19. ^ "Top Christian Albums – Billboard". Billboard. Year-End Chart. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
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