OPINION: You didn't clock Justin Bieber's genius Coachella vision and it shows

It’s just not clocking to you that Justin Bieber’s Coachella set was a headline act of creative genius - and it shows.

The ‘Sorry’ singer has nothing to apologise for after stepping onto one of the biggest festival stages in the world and essentially running through his catalogue via laptop and YouTube clips.

If you thought it was anything other than an incredibly deliberate musical vision of his journey through this industry, then we fear it was lost on you. 

Bieber’s set was built around retrospect. He quite literally returned to the platform where his career first exploded, and the whole set came across as a full-circle moment, not only for JB, but for us fans.

What’s being dubbed as the ‘worst of all time’ is getting lost in the Coachella noise - especially when compared to previous high-production spectacles like Sabrina Carpenter, Beyoncé, and Lady Gaga. 

But not every artist operates in fireworks, dancers and Broadway-level staging. Bieber’s strength - especially as of late - has been simple intimacy, and the ability to just sing.

It wasn’t about doing the most. It was about doing something different.

He’s evolved, and quite frankly, we think he did it in true Justin form.

He was aware that people came expecting ‘Bieber-chella’ and while that didn’t come in the form of theatrics, he made sure everyone felt like he was singing directly to them - particularly those of us attending Couch-ella, living streaming from home.

The live chat element, where fans could request songs in real time, only added to that feeling of Bieber genuinely wanting to cater to his audience.

He could have performed a pre-prepared high production set (we know he’s more than capable of it), but that could have come with the cost of skipping nostalgic hits like ‘Baby’, ‘Never Say Never’ and ‘Beauty and a Beat’.

Would we have preferred full versions of each song? Do birds fly? But let’s not forget there is still a WHOLE set still to come this weekend.

He creatively found a way to tick them all off, giving a nod to his roots, harmonising with baby Bieber, while catering for the majority of his set toward his new sound.

There’s also been online speculation that the use of YouTube footage may have been a creative workaround tied to possible complexities around his early discography.

Bieber sold his stake in his music publishing and artist royalties (including master recordings) to Hipgnosis Songs Capital for roughly USD$200 million back in late 2022.

Songs included in the sale include ‘Baby’, ‘Sorry’ and ‘Never Say Never’ - all featured via YouTube during Bieber’s Coachella set. 

And if that is the case… give this man a standing ovation for still providing the absolute bangers. 

Look, the ‘Deez Nuts’ and 'Double Rainbow' clips were a rogue shout, and yes, the Internet crapped out for a moment, but who else would hit that level of authenticity during a headline set? It also made the set feel unpredictable in a way that Coachella rarely delivers.

It genuinely felt like I was spending my Sunday night with JB, with a wine in my hand and taking a trip down memory lane.

He understood the assignment, and he made sure everyone had a good time. 

He’s never looked happier to be back on stage, and we think it comes down to him having full creative control over how we wanted to present this new chapter of his life.

People will always have opinions, especially when it comes to an artist at Bieber’s level, and a lot of that comes down to expectations.

The best thing about Bieber is that he is unpredictable - but the beauty is that what is always guaranteed is that he will do exactly what he wants to do - and he’s earned that privilege.

Despite all the recent paparazzi meltdowns and rogue social media posts, you can’t deny that the man will always get people talking. 

Credit is due here, and we’ll happily give it to him.