The Real Reason Justin Bieber Is Stepping Away From Music

Singer Justin Bieber became a household name in 2009 when he released his first EP, My World, at age 13. Singles like "Baby" and "One Less Lonely Girl" became national anthems, and many people fell in love with the boy wonder's signature shag haircut and side-swept bangs. He quickly amassed a cult following called the Beliebers (catchy, right?) and booked gig after gig, including a December 2009 performance at the White House. All in all, Bieber was on top of the world. 

A decade later — during which the singer endured arrests, breakups, and professional setbacks — Bieber announced his departure from the music scene. "So I read a lot of messages saying you want an album," he wrote via Instagram post on March 25, 2019. "...I've toured my whole teenage life, and early 20s, I realized and as you guys probably saw I was unhappy last tour and I don't deserve that and you don't deserve that... " That sounds intense, right? 

We don't want to get into the rest of Bieber's emotional message just yet, but let's just say it left us with many unanswered questions. Was Bieber actually "unhappy" with performing, or is there more to this story? Pull up a seat and let's dig deep into the real reason Justin Bieber is stepping away from music.

One of the arguably best qualities about Justin Bieber is honesty. This candor was front and center in March 2019, when he took to Instagram to announce his break from the music biz. Instead of sugarcoating things for the sake of his image, the singer openly admitted that he needs to work on himself before he can tour again. "I am now very focused on repairing some of the deep rooted issues that I have as most of us have, so that I don't fall apart, so that I can sustain my marriage and be the father I want to be," he told fans. "Music is very important to me but Nothing comes before my family and my health." So raw, right?

Bieber didn't elaborate on his issues, but it's possible he's dealing with anxiety and depression. "He sees a therapist, but he's not in a special center or anything," a source told Us Weekly in February 2019. "He doesn't want to be dependent on medication. He struggles with ups and downs, anxiety, depression and uncertainty about the future."

The Canadian crooner admitted to Vogue in 2019 that he was unhappy during his 2016-2017 Purpose tour. "I got really depressed on tour," he said. "I haven't talked about this, and I'm still processing so much stuff that I haven't talked about. I was lonely. I needed some time."

Here's to Bieber getting the help he needs.

Justin Bieber surprised many fans when, in November 2018, he confirmed his marriage to model Hailey Baldwin. "First thanksgiving as a married man, first time hosting thanksgiving," he wrote on Instagram, just two months after the couple secured its marriage license. "...Relationships are hard and love isn't always easy but thank you Jesus for showing me how!"

Making a partnership work can be difficult, and when you're a pair of 20-somethings trying to figure it out in the public eye, the pressure to have a successful marriage is definitely intense. Baldwin reiterated this in February 2019, telling Vogue: "The thing is, marriage is very hard. That is the sentence you should lead with. It's really effing hard." Bieber echoed his wife's take in a discussion about trust: "It's been difficult for me even to trust Hailey," he said. "We've been working through stuff."

Considering the singer's marriage is incredibly important to him (his IG has become a shrine to his wifey), it's understandable he wants to focus a lot of his attention on his union. From meeting with a marriage counselor (he mentioned this to Vogue) to spending one-on-one time with the missus, Bieber is all about giving L-O-V-E his best shot. Good luck, kid. 

Although Hailey Baldwin and Justin Bieber are already married, they haven't thrown a ritzy reception to celebrate the nuptials. One big obstacle standing in their way? Look no further than a little thing called scheduling. "They're working with the schedules of all their friends and family to make sure they can be surrounded by the people they love," a source explained to People in January 2019. Given the couple's many famous friends and loved ones, we imagine this process has been challenging. 

Another issue? The two reportedly want to throw the perfect wedding — a goal which can take time. "They're going to have a big blowout in front of God and everyone they love," an insider dished to People. 

Since Bieber and Baldwin are already man and wife, there's no need to rush the process or throw something together overnight. Bieber stepping away from music could give the couple more down time to devote to pulling off the perfect day.

Now that Bieber is a married man, he's supposedly considering fatherhood. Although some people might argue that Bieber is too immature to welcome kids into the world, a source told Entertainment Tonight that he wants to be a young dad. "[Justin's] parents were young when they had him," the insider said. "He's always loved the relationship they have and how it's more of a friendship." Not to mention, he's used to playing the role of big brother to Jaxon Bieber (pictured).

As for a timeline? The source claimed in March 2019 that it could happen sooner than later: "Justin and Hailey have talked about kids, and it's a priority to them. They want to be in the right place before having them: having a home, being married and Justin being in a good mental state. The couple wants a few kids and their friends wouldn't be surprised if that happened soon."

If these rumors are true, then it doesn't make sense for Bieber to resume his music career in the near future. Daddy duties take up time, folks.

The Beliebers — aka Justin Bieber's fan group — can be a bit overbearing at times. Case in point: After Bieber confirmed his marriage to Hailey Baldwin, many of his fans took to the couple's respective Instagram accounts to post mean comments. A common dig concerned Bieber's ex-girlfriend, pop star Selena Gomez, who some believe is Bieber's one true love. Obviously, this theory is offensive to Baldwin and to the couple's relationship, and Bieber isn't here for the nonsense anymore. His frustration reached a boiling point on March 26, 2019, after a fan commented (via Elle): "You are NOT in love with Hailey! You only married her to get back at SG [Selena Gomez]."

"Ur immature the fact that you have an account dedicated to dissing my wife and I is absolutely absurd why would I dedicate my whole life to someone in marriage to get back [at] my ex, anyone who believes this is mean spirited or 10 years old or younger because a logical person doesn't talk or think this way u should be ashamed of yourself really," he shot back. "I absolutely loved and love Selena she will always hold a place in my heart, but I am head over heels in love with my wife and she is absolutely the BEST THING that has ever happened to me period."

Yikes! It's clear Bieber needs a vacation from his fans, at least until the drama dies down.

Justin Bieber loves his many adoring fans, but his celebrity status can be overwhelming. The singer opened up about this issue in a May 2016 Instagram post, informing fans that he was over the photo ops. "I'm done taking pictures. It has gotten to the point that people won't even say hi to me or recognize me as a human," he said. "I feel like a zoo animal, and I wanna be able to keep my sanity. I realize people will be disappointed, but I don't owe anybody a picture." Fair enough. 

Two months prior to his no photos rule, Bieber canceled meet-and-greets. "Want to make people smile and happy but not at my expense, and I always leave feeling mentally and emotionally exhausted to the point of depression," he said. "The pressure of meeting people's expectations of what I'm supposed to be is so much for me to handle and a lot on my shoulders."

It's possible Bieber is putting off his music career to avoid the perils of fame. As the pop star clearly noted in his posts, Hollywood can be draining.

Justin Bieber's longtime friend and manager, Scooter Braun, made a shocking admission about his client's well-being in September 2018. Braun alluded to Bieber's supposed drug use, explaining in an interview on The Red Pill podcast: "I thought he was going to die. I thought he was going to go to sleep one night and have so much crap in his system that he would not wake up the next morning." Wow, this is heavy stuff. Braun added, "There was a time where I would go to sleep almost every night, when he had the money to fly away from me, and I was worried every night that I was going to lose him."

The interview took a more positive turn, however, when Braun noted that Bieber is now committed to a healthier lifestyle. "I think that he made a conscious choice for himself to change," Braun said. "It wasn't until one day he woke up and said, 'Hey, I need to talk to you. I don't want to be this person anymore.' He made the decision to change and actually put that into action. The result is who he's become today."

It can be difficult to resist vices on tour, so perhaps Bieber is avoiding the music scene to stay healthy and strong.

Sometimes it can be easy to forget that Justin Bieber has grown up in the music industry, and given how long he's been in the biz, it's really no surprise he's feeling a bit worn out. Fans caught a glimpse of this after Bieber canceled a leg of his Purpose tour in July 2017, a situation some blamed on exhaustion. "This is a guy who has had 150 shows on this tour, on six continents, over the last year and half, and he's tired," a source told Entertainment Tonight. "He needed a break and as much as he didn't want to disappoint his fans, the best decision for him was to cancel the remaining tour dates." The insider said that the decision wasn't an easy one for Bieber. "The tour was just really long and he was exhausted. He doesn't want to let his fans down but they have always had his back."

We don't know about you guys, but we think Bieber deserves a break. He's only human, after all.

It's not uncommon for celebrities to to branch out into other industries, a phenomenon Bieber exemplified when he launched his own fashion line, Drew House, in January 2019. The unisex line — which notably includes hoodies adorned with smiley faces — has a very chill mission statement. "Drew house is a place where you can be yourself. Blah blah blah blahsdbksjdfhl," its website states. "Wear like you don't care. Come chill. K. Bye." Um, interesting.

Despite Drew House's IDGAF attitude, the line took a lot of time and effort to create. The fashion house's director, Ryan Good, told GQ that Bieber is very hands-on. "He's involved in every step of it, from what we want to make to how we're going to shoot it to how visuals are going to look and how we're going to roll it out," he said.

"He's got great instinct," Good added. "...It's not just his impact, but his actual eye for fashion is one of the most valuable tools that our brand has." Given the line's success (It sold out within hours), it's fair to assume Bieber is busy working on future designs. Go get 'em, Biebs.

Many musicians go on tour for the ticket sales, but the same can't be said for Justin Bieber. The guy is already rolling in dough. Celebrity Net Worth estimates he has a whopping $265 million to his name. Dang. The site claims Bieber "began earning $50-70 million every year from music sales, merchandise, product endorsements, touring and various other business ventures" after 2012. When you consider Bieber's fashion line and other business endeavors, it becomes clear that there's no budgetary need for him to get back in the studio anytime soon.

The only possible foil in Bieber's enviable situation is his alleged spending habits. "He's blowing through $1 million a month," a source told Page Six in January 2014. "The guys handling his investments at Mellon Bank complain that there is nothing left for them to invest." Hopefully, Bieber has wised up since then.