Justin Bieber - ‘Peaches’ ft Daniel Caesar & GIVĒON Song Review + Album Review

Today Justin Bieber released his new album and its final single ‘Peaches’, a song that seems to be ushering in a new era of sound and maturity for the singer. In fact, the lyrical content of the chorus appears to show that the singer is ready to focus on more R-rated subject matter, such as his “bad ass b*tch” and his Californian weed - something he’d previously faced negative press for smoking before. It is a bold move on Justin’s part that I believe will pay off in the long run for him, especially because he can slowly begin to diversify the subject matter of his music.

Although he is widely known as a Pop sensation, he has made it clear that it is high time he was taken seriously as an R&B artist, and even went as far as missing the 2021 Grammys to solidify this point. Taking to Instagram, he wrote: “I am flattered to be acknowledged and appreciated for my artistry. I am very meticulous and intentional about my music. With that being said, I set out to make an R&B album. ‘Changes’ was and is an R&B album. It is not being acknowledged as an R&B album, which is very strange to me.” In order to respect Mr. Bieber’s wishes, I have decided to listen to ‘Peaches’ with an RnB ear, and the following critique is a reflection of that:

To begin, it was an excellent decision to invoke the help of some of the biggest names in R&B right now - Daniel Caesar and GIVĒON - to push his agenda. All three of their voices melted smoothly into the beat and were able to bring something distinct and equally valuable to the table. The chorus of the song is short, sweet and catchy, which will give it the commercial edge that ear worms like this tend to benefit from. Plus, the visuals for the song, with the directional genius of Colin Tilley, is a kaleidoscope of fruity colours that is bound to catch (and hold) your attention, and makes for a video with high replay value.

The only problem is, however, is that as an R&B song this missed the mark - big time. There was a distinct lack in all things that make R&B what it is. Bringing in the feature artists he did was great, but their full potential was not reached. There was not a single chorus harmony from any of them, the backing vocals were lacklustre and the melody was predictable and safe. We weren’t served any gut-wrenching riffs, the track was too synth-heavy and the closest indicator that this song was not intended to be a Pop song is the heavy baseline, which in itself was also rather unambitious. All of this said, the song is not bad, not by a long shot. However, if JB wants to be taken seriously as an R&B artist, this won’t cut it. If the Daniel Caesars and SZAs of the world are considered 100% pure cotton in R&B, JB currently ranks more like a poly cotton blend than the real deal; almost like imitation art. We know Justin has the potential to get it right, especially if his 2013 album ‘Journals’ is any indication, however he will need to turn the heat up quite a bit and dig a bit more beneath the surface.

This sentiment is unfortunately reflected throughout the album, so if you were expecting an R&B album you will be sorely disappointed. However, this is an EXCELLENT Pop album should you choose to see it that way and makes for a nice sunny-day listen. Overall, as an R&B album it’s a solid 5.6/10. As a Pop album though? Easily an 8/10. Give it a listen and let us know what you think!

Review by Oluwadara Apampa