By MARIA SHERMAN AP Music Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Never say never… again? In July, Justin Bieber surprised fans by releasing his seventh studio album, “Swag,” hours after he teased it on billboards and social media posts. It turns out, he wasn’t done yet. On Thursday morning, Bieber shared that “Swag II” will arrive on Friday.
The popstar posted the release’s artwork on Instagram — a pale pink background with the text “Swag II” featured in the center. It contrasts with the cover of “Swag,” which also featured only the album’s title, but on a black background.
Bieber also shared an image of himself, his wife model Hailey Bieber (nee Baldwin), and their infant son, Jack Blues Bieber.
“Swag II Tonight Midnight,” he wrote in the caption.
Because it is yet another surprise drop, little is known about the forthcoming release. The same was true of “Swag.” That album, across 21 tracks, explored themes of love, life and fatherhood. Some of the strongest songs include “Daisies,” Bieber’s slow-burn alt-R&B performed atop lo-fi guitar, “Go Baby,” a celebration of his wife and “Devotion,” which features rising R&B voice Dijon.
Before “Swag II” and “Swag,” Bieber hadn’t released a new album since 2021’s “Justice.”
And in 2023, Bieber sold the rights to his music — all six of his albums, including hits like “Sorry” and “Baby” — to Hipgnosis, a U.K-based music investment company. The deal’s financial details were not disclosed.