Justin Bieber livened up his two latest singles, “Yummy” and “Intentions,” by performing them on “Saturday Night Live” last night. During the performances he was joined at various points by an acoustic quartet, four lithe dancers and Migos rapper Quavo.
Bieber’s take on the lite R&B of “Yummy” got an unexpected start when he was accompanied by a violinist, cellist and acoustic guitarist, but for the second verse a beat and pre-recorded backing kicked in, the musicians exited and the dancers joined him for the remainder of the song.
But that performance paled next to his second, for “Intentions,” which saw him starting off by himself before being joined first by the dancers and then by Quavo, who finished the song with him.
The performance comes in advance of Bieber will release his fifth studio album, “Changes,” on Feb. 14. The Valentine’s Day drop comes a little over three weeks after his YouTube series “Justin Bieber: Seasons” premieres on the video streaming platform. “
In addition, Bieber’s “Changes” tour dates have been announced, kicking off May 14 in Seattle. As Bieber has instituted since the start of his touring career, one dollar from each ticket purchased will be donated to charity — specifically the Bieber Foundation which is committed to supporting mental health wellness. Kehlani and Jaden Smith are set to open.
In a listening session for the album held last month in Los Angeles, Bieber got emotional describing the challenges he’s faced in the last couple of years and the people who helped him get through it. “I don’t even think I should be alive never mind thrive,” he said in front of a crowd of a couple hundred gathered at Village Recorders.
Bieber credited God with helping him through the dark times. “There’s power in weakness,” he said, his voice quivering. His creative work, added Bieber, is “a reflection of that … thank you for loving me at my worst.”