Justin Bieber performed during the Spain vs. Argentina World Cup final on Sunday, and the internet had a whole lot to say about his contribution to the halftime show. 😭
For context, the halftime show also featured Madonna, BTS, Shakira, and Burna Boy. So, naturally, people were expecting huge songs, huge energy, and the general vibe of, you know, THE BIGGEST SOCCER GAME IN THE WORLD.
Keep in mind that Madonna is 67 and energetically performed “Music.” BTS sang and danced through “Dynamite.” And Shakira, the queen of the World Cup, came out and did what Shakira does best.
…And then Justin Bieber walked out with a guitar.
He performed “Everything Hallelujah,” a slower, stripped-back song from his newer catalog rather than one of the major hits that the average listener might have expected to hear.
Now, listen. There is nothing inherently wrong with standing onstage with a guitar and singing a slow song. But doing it in the middle of a World Cup final halftime show had viewers immediately notice the energy drain out of the stadium.
A huge part of the confusion was the song choice itself. Justin Bieber has been famous for nearly two decades and has enough recognizable hits to fill an entire halftime show by himself. So he could have easily performed “Sorry,” “Baby,” “What Do You Mean?” or any song of his that the entire stadium likely would have recognized immediately.
And even some Beliebers were begging him to read the room.
The performance also sparked comparisons with the other artists in the show, particularly Madonna and Shakira. A few viewers argued that Justin’s subtle approach highlighted the amount of spectacle and energy often expected of female pop stars compared to male singers.
Then there came the critique over the song’s religious messaging.
Some fans loved seeing Justin openly share his faith on such a huge global stage and praised the fact that the performance was raw and real.
But other World Cup fans viewed it as an overtly Christian performance and questioned whether it was an appropriate fit for the event.
So, what do you think? Could a female pop star have gotten away with the same performance? And was Justin right to perform whatever he wanted, or did he miss the mark? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
