Valentine’s Day is coming up, and if you don’t already have plans, don’t worry. Justin Bieber and TikTok have you covered. While many of us are scrambling to figure out what to do to fete our romantic partners on the heart-shaped Hallmark holiday, Bieber at least has a thematically appropriate concert streaming live on TikTok, where he’ll be performing one of his most beloved, romance-inspired projects: His December 2013 “compilation album,” Journals.
For those who may have missed out on one of the blog era’s biggest musical moments, Journals was the moment Justin officially “grew up” in the eyes of many, setting aside his usual pop tunes for an album of maturish, feature-packed alt-R&B. Employing a small army of the genre’s best-known and respected producers including Andre Harris, Darkchild, Maejor Ali, Poo Bear, T-Minus and more, Journals saw Justin embark on his first foray into the world of unapologetic Black music, accompanied by some of the biggest names in rap at the time. Big Sean, Chance the Rapper, Future, and Lil Wayne all appeared, helping to lend an edge that the former tween pop star had been missing.
@justinbieber #JournalsLive this #ValentinesDay here on my TikTok
While it received lukewarm reviews at the time of its release, among a certain subset of fans, the album was a tremendous hit, even going so far as to earn Justin the unofficial nickname “Biebervelli,” playing on Tupac’s Makavelli alter ego. It’s a very fitting album for a Valentine’s Day event, especially after a year in which most concerts were forced to move online for safety reasons. Some of us may end up spending V-Day by ourselves, but at least we won’t be alone.
Tune in via Justin’s TikTok at 9 pm ET / 6 pm PT or, if you miss it, catch the encore Monday at 1 pm ET / 10 pm PT,
