Justin Bieber’s new era of Twitch streaming

Pop superstar Justin Bieber recently went live on Twitch for the first time, blurring the definitions between classic “celebrity” and the more accessible influencer types once again. Not only does this move signal a shift in his own brand strategy, but reflects a legitimacy streamers and other online content creators have been attempting to foster in their own brands for years.

Streamers and other content creators on platforms like Twitch, TikTok, and YouTube have had a direct line to their fans that many “mainstream” celebrities have balked at in the past, but no longer; from Drake, to T-Pain, to Justin Bieber, many celebrities previously thought of as inaccessible are hopping onto the streaming wave.

Bieber started his stream off rather simply — showing off his warehouse, complete with basketball hoops, skate ramps, a lounge, a recording studio, and a space for his rarely-shown son, Jack Blues Bieber. Regarding his career, Bieber mostly kept coy about any new tracks or albums, but did tease his gig at next year’s Coachella music festival, seeming very excited about the $10 million dollar deal while telling fans, “This is our space for the next few months, so excited; I’m gonna put on a hell of a show for you guys at Coachella. I can’t wait.”

Image via Twitch

Justin’s Twitch stream wasn’t your typical stream, either. Far from the average Twitch stream where the streamer sits in front of a microphone, Bieber and his crew scrimmed some basketball, owing to Bieber and his team SKYLRK’s recent appearances in The League, a private, A-List basketball and futsal club. The multi-camera, multi-person affair seemed more like a glimpse into Bieber’s daily goings-on and process. At a certain point, Bieber and his crew were posted up in the lounge area and playing with a voice-activated Iron Man helmet. Bieber is definitely trying to show a more friendly and accessible side of himself lately, and these streams certainly prove it.

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This foray into a more accessible J-Biebs isn’t completely unprecedented; since the birth of his son, Bieber has been much more active on social media, presenting a more friendly and approachable version of the Yummy singer. When he isn’t tying Bruno Mars for pop airplay records, he’s posting on Instagram and engaging with his fans. While he promises “near-daily” livestreams on Twitch, only time will tell how this new angle works for him.

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Featured image credit: Twitch/Justin Bieber