As Christians around the world celebrated the freedom found in salvation through Jesus’ finished work on the cross during Easter, Justin Bieber released a surprise EP titled Freedom.
Fans were pleasantly shocked to receive new music from the Christian R&B artist, especially when Bieber had just released his latest full length gospel album, Justice, in March.
Bieber announced the EP with a simple Instagram message: “Freedom on all platforms.”
The album is drenched in faith-filled imagery, lyrics and gospel influences. The first of which is the cover, which references the popular Bible verse John 3:16 with its 3:16 timestamp. While each song on the 6-track EP touches on faith elements and personal struggles Bieber faces in his own journey with God, the track “We’re in This Together” offers a vulnerable look at Bieber’s prayers for others.
“I pray for every single person listening to this song right now. I pray for peace. I pray for joy. I pray for confidence. I pray for reassurance,” he petitions. “Thank you so much for the person listening to this right now. I pray that you will bless them. Bless their mind, their finances, bless their family, bless their sons, bless their daughters, bless their moms, bless their dads, bless their grandparents.”
Likewise, the title track “Freedom” puts the Easter message to music:
“Blessed sons and daughters/ We all lookin’ for the answers/ We in search of living water/ Too blind to see the Messiah/ Are you weary? Are you tired?/ Runnin’ on empty, feelin’ the fire/ Mm, the Devil is a liar/ The story’s already written/ Children, you are forgiven (Yeah)/ Ain’t nothin’ you could do for you to change that/ And everythin’ you did, He erased that/ Yeah, He took it all and threw it in the wasteland.”
“It’s very rare you find leaders who are passionate for the things of God,” a member of Bieber’s creative team said in an Instagram video showing the reaction to the EP going live. “Those are the people I’m honored to serve but I’m also honored to protect.”
“God is so good—He’s the greatest,” Bieber said in response to finishing the project in just 3 days.
Freedom highlights the 27-year-old artist’s journey of faith and features Christian pop singer Tori Kelly, and notably, Bieber’s pastor Judah Smith of Churchome.
Smith plays the part of a skeptic on the track, “Where You Go I Follow,” asking, “Who is this Jesus?” After detailing the life of Jesus, the song concludes if all that is historically known about Him is true, then “there is nobody like Jesus.” {eoa}
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