Justin Bieber significantly scaled back on excess—both materially and metaphorically—during the crafting of his latest album, Swag, a transformation vividly showcased in the new “First Place” music video.
Released in striking black and white on August 13, the clip finds Bieber and his collaborators sequestered in an alpine lodge, wholly absorbed in songwriting and production, far from the distractions of city life. Between laying down vocals—often punctuated by a casual smoke—the artist ventures into the wilderness, carving fresh lines down snowy slopes and exploring a deserted coastal shack.
In one daring sequence, the Grammy Award–winner sheds all but his white boxer briefs for a nocturnal plunge into icy waters, emerging from the swim with a visible shiver. He cheekily acknowledges that moment in the YouTube caption, writing, “FORGIVE MY CHICKEN LEGS.”
This visual arrives about a month after Bieber’s surprise release of Swag, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. The 21-track LP features collaborations with Gunna, Sexyy Red and Dijon, marking his seventh studio album and his first full-length effort since 2021’s Justice.
A week prior to “First Place,” Bieber unveiled the album’s first video for “Yukon,” another monochrome piece that documented a retreat with his wife, Hailey, and their then 11-month-old son, Jack Blues, who made his on-screen debut.
Watch the “First Place” music video above.
