Justin Bieber is opening up about his reasons for canceling the remainder of his massively successful Purpose tour in late July, saying that he wants a “sustainable” career.
In a letter shared on Instagram Thursday, the 23-year-old pop star began by thanking fans for their support. “Im grateful for the tours but most of all I am grateful i get to go through this life WITH YOU.!” wrote Bieber, who was recently banned from performing in China. “Learning and growing hasn’t always been easy but knowing I im not alone has kept me going. I have let my insecurities get the best of me at times.”
He also discussed his personal life, penning, “I let my broken relationships dictate the way I acted toward people and the way I treated them! i let bitterness, jealously and fear run my life.!!!! I am extremely blessed to have people in the past few years help me build my character back up reminding me of who I am and who I want to be!!!”
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Though the Purpose tour was “unbelievable” and taught him “so much about myself,” Bieber ultimately felt compelled to cancel his remaining dates for his own well-being, he revealed. “Me taking this time right now is me saying I want to be SUSTAINABLE,” Bieber explained. “I want my career to be sustainable, but I also want my mind heart and soul to be sustainable. So that I can be the man I want to be, the husband I eventually want to be and the father I want to be.”
In a statement on July 24, the “Sorry” singer’s rep initially cited “unforeseen circumstances” as the reason for the cancellation and noted that “Justin loves his fans and hates to disappoint them.”
Bieber received support from fellow musicians John Mayer and Michael Angelakos in the wake of the news. “When someone pulls remaining dates of a tour, it means they would have done real damage to themselves if they kept going,” Mayer tweeted. “We’ve lost so many great artists lately. I give Justin [two thumbs-up emojis] for realizing it was time to call it. You should too.”
When someone pulls remaining dates of a tour, it means they would have done real damage to themselves if they kept going. 1/2
— John Mayer (@JohnMayer) July 24, 2017
We've lost so many great artists lately. I give Justin 👍🏼👍🏼 for realizing it was time to call it. You should too. 2/2
— John Mayer (@JohnMayer) July 24, 2017
Angelakos, lead singer of Passion Pit, retweeted Mayer’s message and detailed his own struggles with touring. “‘Mental health reasons’ went over REALLY well when I had to cancel shows 5 years ago (in a hospital receiving electroconvulsive therapy,” he wrote in a series of tweets. “Was pretty rough but then my drs and I worked out a relatively manageable balance btwn treatment and touring. Toured for over two years. <3”
Until it is safer and healthier for us to be advocates, to be a writers, producers, and performers, I simply cannot continue making music.
— #weneedscience (@passionpit) July 24, 2017
I love Passion Pit and I love music even more. When something would be wrong, I'd try to ignore it. Then I'd almost die. Really.
— #weneedscience (@passionpit) July 24, 2017
History loves to repeat itself and it's because of systems and their flaws. So, I decided to make solving this issue my priority for now. xo
— #weneedscience (@passionpit) July 24, 2017
how many more episodes of behind the music do we need? how many more artists need to die? sexual harassment lawsuits need to be thrown out?
— #weneedscience (@passionpit) July 24, 2017
i make so much music on a regular basis. the only way i can do that is because i work really hard to stay healthy. better health = more art
— #weneedscience (@passionpit) July 24, 2017
it's the 5th-anniversary of Gossamer, an album that is about and the product of a manic episode. I nearly lost everything, including my life
— #weneedscience (@passionpit) July 24, 2017
trying to make sure that Gossamer doesn't happen to me or anyone ever again. 🙏❤️ #weneedscience https://t.co/vGgwHYregc
— #weneedscience (@passionpit) July 24, 2017
"mental health reasons" went over REALLY well when I had to cancel shows 5 years ago (in a hospital receiving electroconvulsive therapy)
— #weneedscience (@passionpit) July 24, 2017
was pretty rough but then my drs and i worked out a relatively manageable balance btwn treatment and touring. toured for over two years. <3
— #weneedscience (@passionpit) July 24, 2017
On July 26 — two days after the cancellation — Bieber made headlines again when he accidentally hit paparazzo photographer Maurice Lamont with his truck. The victim suffered non-life threatening injuries and was transported to Cedars-Sinai hospital, where he later recorded an Instagram video calling Bieber a “good kid.”
“I think the truck was a little bit too big for him, though, because there’s no way he could see over the front — it was the slope it was on,” said Lamont. “But like I said, he got out, he was compassionate, he’s a good kid, accidents happen.”
