If you were anywhere on the internet during the Grammys, chances are you didn’t just watch the show, you’ve experienced it via memes. And while the night delivered its usual mix of jaw-dropping performances, chaotic fashion choices, and iconic reactions, one moment truly hijacked all of our timelines: Justin Bieber performing in what appeared to be his underwear. Yes, underwear.
Justin Bieber returned to the Grammy Awards on Feb. 1, and performed “Yukon” off of his Grammy-nominated album, Swag. But when Bieber was introduced for his performance, fans were surprised to see him stripped down — literally — performing in only a pair of short shorts that looked like underwear.
What makes Bieber’s performance fit (or lack thereof) look so irresistible is how deeply it taps into our long-standing relationship with him as a celebrity. We’ve watched him grow up, fall apart, reinvent himself, and lean into a more unfiltered, IDGAF energy. And yet, beneath all of the humor, there’s something kind of fascinating about how effortlessly he still commands attention. Love him or side-eye him, Bieber remains a pop culture magnet that’s capable of dominating the conversation — and meme culture — without saying a word.
Longtime Beliebers are familiar with Bieber’s early red carpet days, where he was sporting a shaggy haircut and his ever-reliable blazer and high-top kicks outfit combo. But over time, the “Daisies” singer began embracing an oversized, comfort-first aesthetic that leans heavily on baggy pants, even baggier hoodies, and intentional nonchalance. And now, we can add performing at the Grammys in his underwear to the rotation. The irony, of course, is that his wife Hailey Bieber dominates practically all of our Pinterest boards with her effortless ability to serve looks. It just makes his ultra-casual approach look all the more pronounced.
Bieber’s ability to dominate the internet with a single unexpected moment serves as the ultimate testimony to how deeply embedded he is in our cultural memory. We’ve grown up alongside him, watched him switch eras in real time, and learned to process those changes the way the internet does best — through humor. So somewhere between the memes and the never-ending discourse, Bieber proves once again that even when he’s doing the bare minimum, he’s still one of the most talked-about pop stars of our generation. And he’s certainly doing it with a whole lot of swag.