Justin Bieber called out Shawn Mendes after a magazine cover called the singer and songwriter the new “Prince of Pop,” effectively dethroning Bieber, who has not put out any new solo material since 2015’s “Purpose.”
“Sorry,” “What Do You Mean,” and “Love Yourself” were just some of the top tunes Bieber planted within the top of the Billboard charts during that time. But then, due to lingering personal issues, Bieber retreated from the last dates of his world tour and began several years of inner exploration of who he was as a person, singer, and entertainer.
Since Bieber’s hiatus, Mendes has quietly taken over the top spot on the charts with three No. 1 albums, his debut studio album Handwritten (2015), Illuminate (2016) and his self-titled third studio album (2018). Billboard reported that Mendes was the first artist to have three No. 1 singles on the magazine’s Adult Contemporary chart in 2017 and he was the first artist to score four No. 1 singles on the Adult Pop Songs chart, all before he hit the age of 20.
Bieber noted on an Instagram post by Mendes, where he was featured on the cover of The Observer Magazine with the title “The Prince Of Pop” that the singer would have to “break a few more titles” before he could be dethroned.
Shortly after Bieber’s comment, fans worried that there was an issue between the two singers. So Bieber posted yet another comment where he said there was “no competition” between the two and that it was all a “joke.”
Mendes, on the other hand, playfully clapped back at Bieber, who asked him to face off on the ice in a game of hockey, that he would face off with him “LOL any time, any day.”
The healthy rivalry between the two singers also covers their love lives as well. Just one year ago, Mendes walked the red carpet for the annual Met Gala alongside Hailey Baldwin, who would famously rekindle her relationship with Justin Bieber one month after Mendes and Baldwin made their Met debut in May 2018. Baldwin and Bieber would marry in September 2018.
While Mendes is in the midst of a major tour, Bieber is reportedly working on new music. While it wasn’t definitively mentioned that Bieber was releasing new music this year, a cryptic post by his manager, Scooter Braun, via Twitter in January of this year could mean otherwise.
2019 is gonna be a wild one. I just feel it
— Scott “Scooter” Braun (@scooterbraun) January 5, 2019
NME reported that Bieber’s new music could be heavily impacted by his faith.
Mendes’ tour will run through the conclusion of this year, with dates scheduled through December 21, 2019.
