EXCLUSIVE: Justin Bieber Mounts 'Desperate' Social Media Comeback After Drugs Pics Fallout… But Critics Blast it All as a 'Sham'
Justin Bieber has been trying to make a desperate social media comeback after drug pics, but critics called it a 'sham.'
Sept. 3 2025, Published 10:23 a.m. ET
Justin Bieber has launched a flurry of carefully curated social media posts to counter months of speculation about his marriage, mental health and substance use – but source tell RadarOnline.com the 31-year-old singer's efforts are a "hollow display" to hide his torment, relationship trouble and drug use.
The Baby hitmaker, whose career has been punctuated by controversy and illness, has spent the summer uploading romantic photos with wife Hailey Bieber, 28 and their son Jack Blues, 1.
Bieber's New Posts
Justin Bieber has flooded Instagram with family photos to squash rumors.
His posts, from a family trip to Idaho and nights out in Los Angeles, appear designed to drown out the fallout from images of Bieber looking disheveled and the mixed reaction to his latest album Swag.
Fans initially accused him of "acting single" earlier this year after he shared few images with Hailey and posted erratic, faith-tinged reflections online.
One June Instagram post, in which he wrote: "Telling other humans they deserve something is like raising someone else's kids," sparked hundreds of concerned comments urging him to "take a social media break."
All A 'Sham?'
Fans accuse him of staging posts to hide marriage and drug issues.
Now his turnaround in tone on his socials has also prompted backlash.
A music industry insider said: "Justin is desperate to rewrite the narrative after the drugs photos and the criticism of Swag.
"Flooding Instagram with happy-couple shots is the oldest PR trick in the book. It looks manufactured and is a sham."
Another source close to the Bieber camp said: "This is about optics. When Justin is in the studio making new music, he gets completely consumed and shuts everything else out.
"That created a lot of tension with Hailey. Posting love-up pictures now is supposed to prove everything is fine, but a lot of people aren't buying it. His relationship is still a mess, just like him, and he's still smoking weed."
The singer's seventh studio album, released in July, was his first full record since 2020 and his first since being diagnosed with Ramsey Hunt syndrome in 2022, which caused temporary facial paralysis.
Instead of cementing a triumphant return, Swag was described by critics as "a messy cry for help" thanks to its brooding lyrics about relationship turmoil.
In the track "Daisies," Bieber sings: "Baby, I ain't walking away / You were my diamond / Gave you a ring / I made you a promise."
Justin's Reset
Lyrics from 'Daisies' fuel speculation about relationship trouble.
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The release also reignited speculation about his marriage, with fans scrutinizing lyrics that hinted at distance.
Paparazzi images from earlier this year showing the couple looking strained in public only added to the narrative.
By August, however, Bieber had shifted strategy. He uploaded images of himself and Hailey on a grassy date night picnic, set to Otis Redding's 1965 ballad That's How Strong My Love Is.
In another post, the pair were pictured holding hands in Los Angeles, Bieber in a cannabis-branded T-shirt and slippers, Hailey in a crop top and jeans.
A source sympathetic to the singer said: "Justin has been through a rough period mentally and physically. The family holiday was a reset. He is trying to show stability and happiness.
People might call it a sham, but for him it's about reminding fans that he's not broken."
Paparazzi spotted Bieber looking strained with Hailey earlier this year.
Still, online reaction has been divided.
One fan wrote beneath the Idaho photos: "Glad you're back with Hailey but stop forcing it for the cameras."
Another commented: "This looks staged, but I hope you're really doing better."
Despite the scepticism, Bieber continues to post daily updates featuring Hailey and Jack – a stark contrast to his solitary, bleary-eyed uploads just weeks earlier.
