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The student voice of Sycamore High School in Cincinnati, Ohio

The Leaf

The student voice of Sycamore High School in Cincinnati, Ohio

The Leaf

The student voice of Sycamore High School in Cincinnati, Ohio

The Leaf

‘Journals’ by Justin Bieber album review

Bieber’s latest and last album impresses people by his new twist to music. His announcement on retirement has saddened many fans. His recent arrest has also brought a lot of controversy. Photo Courtesy: MCT Photo
Bieber’s latest and last album impresses people by his new twist to music. His announcement on retirement has saddened many fans. His recent arrest has also brought a lot of controversy.
Photo courtesy of MCT Photo.

In Justin Bieber’s newest album, “Journals,” each track was released separately, each one week after the other. Together, his new album is much more adult sounding than his previous works.

The songs bond by banishing the brightness and pep of Bieber’s previous pop in favor of dreamy, creamy, slow-jam R&B. The difference in this album and his previous album, “Believe” are unique.

“Justin Bieber may be causing a lot of issues with the media and such, but he does have a lot of vocal talent,” said Lily Retford, 9.

His new songs tackle a wider emotional range, touching on feelings of apology and regret. Many of his songs reference to a lover who got fed up with him, as well as a plea that she take him back. Is Selena Gomez the lover in question?

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“I think that Bieber’s newest album is not his best. A lot of the songs sound very similar,” said Jory Gould, 10.

Previously in his music, teen girls were meant to dream themselves into the lyrics. Here, the teen idol gets to speak entirely for his own love life.

If nothing else, the listener can take pleasure in the star’s expanding vocal range. He pushes the limits of the melodies and brings out a lot of energy.

“I really like Bieber’s voice because it is really recognizable and it sounds really good,” said Gould.

The album finds energy in Bieber’s deepening personality. He gets more into slow songs, changing it up from his old personality.

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About the Contributor
Amy Deng, Managing Editor
Hello! My name is Amy Deng and I am a senior at Sycamore High School. This is my fourth year on staff and I currently hold the position of managing editor for the print magazine, The Leaf. My job is to design the style sheet, mentor new students, and oversee the design process of the print platform. I enjoy writing articles on multiple genres, including feature, news, and sports. In particular, I work with several design programs such as Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop to create pages and layouts for the Leaf. I joined journalism hoping to experience hands-on news coverage and to improve my writing skills. Over the years, I have grown to enjoy and value my experiences in the classroom. Through collaborating with other staff members, I have developed and improved my communication and leadership skills; and through working as a team, we have been able to produce an award-winning, student-run news magazine. I am excited for the new year and can’t wait to see what it holds! More about myself: I have always been involved with sports ever since I was a child. I participated in synchronized swimming for seven years and am currently a part of the school varsity swim team and during the offseason I am part of a club team, BASH. In addition, I have always been passionate about my cultural roots which is why I am the vice president of the Chinese Club. My role is to lead club presentations and organize bi-weekly activities. I also volunteer at Bethesda North Hospital as an escort where I discharge patients. Additionally, my favorite hobby is listening to music. I enjoy a wide span of genres and a few of my favorite artists include: Two Door Cinema Club, Mac Demarco, Beach House, Bon Iver, Chance the Rapper, Childish Gambino, and Stevie Wonder. Quote to live by: “As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others” - Audrey Hepburn.
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‘Journals’ by Justin Bieber album review