True Life: I Love "Yummy" by Justin Bieber
Syjah Harris
After a near five year hiatus, Justin Bieber’s highly anticipated fifth studio album is due for release this Friday. The first of three singles, “Yummy,” has received a wide range of criticism since its release. Overwhelmingly, though, many felt genuine anger that this was the song he came out with despite years patiently waiting for new music. Honestly though, I’ve gotta keep it real and just come out and say it: “Yummy” is a bop. I already know people will be coming for my neck after this article, but points will be made. Hear me out.
When I first listened to the song, I immediately thought of my favorite Justin Bieber project Journals, which was a more hip-hop and R&B centric project in comparison to his others. Justin’s voice effortlessly slides through the melody, as well as the harmonic ad-libs that feel like a warm hug.
Beyond that, this song is genuinely just a mood. I find myself dropping lines at random points. After getting $40 worth of Wings Over with my roommates, I immediately sang “got that yummy yummmmm.” If someone tells me about something that interests me, my auto response is “say the word, on my way, YEAH BABE.” Truly knee jerk reactions at this point.
To address some of the haters who may be reading this article, who just see this as a pop radio hit...is there something wrong with that? Have you forgotten the roots of Sir Bieber’s stardom? Since he rose in the entertainment landscape, his target audience pandered towards pop-leaning songs. On the album Purpose, “Sorry” is musically a pretty basic, made-for-radio hit, but I surely still vibed to it during its peak.
Others will also say that a song with a chorus that consists of such a small amount of words should not be considered a good song. I will not stand for “Yummy” slander when we all walked around singing “be di daa doo boo’d up” through multiple seasons. Does the song “Yummy” carry any riveting lyrical prowess? No. Will you still catch me bopping to it? Absolutely.
Hold up, wait a minute...y’all thought I was finished? That I am not. Some of the dancers behind the choreography in the video for “Sorry” created their own dance video to this song. I often envision myself as one of these baddies when I’m listening to it on the way to class but...I could never.
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, Summer Walker hops on the remix last week. Though I wish her part played a larger role, her angelic tones combined with Justin’s does not disappoint.
With that, I rest my case. I’m very aware that “Yummy” will not go down in history as one of the greats, but it still hits. Simple as that. My roommate even said to me, “ENOUGH WITH THIS YUMMY MOVEMENT.” It’s safe to say that the movement has not ceased. Feel free to email me at syjah.harris@www.slopemedia.org with any questions, comments or concerns.