Last Halloween, Justin Bieber welcomed comedian Sebastian Maniscalco on his Twitch stream, and Maniscalco asked Bieber about his relationship with touring.
"I think, just because I've been touring for so long, just even the idea of touring at this point in my life sounds super daunting," Bieber said. "I think I always start out really loving it, and then it always gets to a point where I'm just super burnt out. I think at this point in my life, I really want to do spot dates where I just pick a city and do a couple of shows and not commit to a whole two-year run."
Bieber said that he was solely focused on making his Coachella headlining debut, which he did on April 11. His 90-minute performance broke multiple records and redefined what a Coachella set could be. With that behind him, Bieber may have gotten the itch to go back on tour.
Just before he takes the stage to headline Coachella Weekend 2 on Saturday night, Bieber's official website underwent an eyebrow-raising change.
The homepage now reads, "Sorry, No Shows Currently. Click RSVP below to be notified when new tour dates are announced."
Maybe it means nothing. But it's possible that Bieber is following through on his plan to do spot dates or a shorter tour without completely changing his mindset about avoiding a grueling, traditional-length tour.
Bieber has been forced to cancel his past two world tours. In July 2017, after staging over 150 Purpose World Tour shows, Bieber canceled the remaining 14 dates out of self-preservation. He explained on Instagram, "I want my mind, heart, and soul to be sustainable."
Bieber's Justice World Tour was marred by health concerns, as he had to postpone dates after being diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome in June 2022. He resumed the tour on July 31, but ultimately canceled it in March 2023.
Last July, Bieber released his Grammy-nominated album "SWAG," his first offering since 2021's "Justice," and surprise-dropped "SWAG II" in September. The two albums boast 44 combined tracks, so he'd have plenty of material to fill a tour.
As I wrote in my review, Bieber's Coachella headlining debut illustrated what he's reaped by prioritizing his personal well-being over the past three years. He looked happy, healthy, and fulfilled while letting his voice speak for itself.
After everything he's fought through since he catapulted to global superstardom at age 13, Bieber has made it clear he won't compromise on his humanity for the sake of the industry or profit. We'll see whether he's found a way to incorporate touring into his new reality.