Justin Bieber’s new ‘Lonely’ music video, starring Jacob Tremblay, movingly portrays his life as a child star
Tremblay plays Bieber’s younger self in the clip
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Justin Bieber has unveiled the music video for his song “Lonely”, documenting the painful aspects of his experience as a child star.
The singer is portrayed in the clip by 14-year-old actor Jacob Tremblay, who starred opposite Brie Larson in the 2015 Room.
In the video, directed by Jake Schreier, Tremblay’s Bieber can be seen preparing to go on stage for a performance. But when he finally steps onto the stage, it turns out the venue is empty, and Bieber is actually all by himself.
At the end of the clip, the camera pans to reveal present-day Bieber pensively contemplating his younger self.
The storyline echoes the song’s lyrics, which include lines such as: “What if you had it all but nobody to call?” and “ Everybody knows my past now/Like my house was always made of glass/And maybe that's the price you pay/For the money and fame at an early age.”
Tremblay’s outfit in the clip includes a purple hoodie – a callback to some of Bieber’s trademark outfits in the early stages of his fame. Bieber was just 13 years old when he was discovered as a talent. He has opened up about his struggles with celebrity in the past, writing in a 2019 Instagram post that “by 20 I made every bad decision you could have thought of”.
Bieber praised Tremblay on Twitter, writing: “And @JacobTremblay is so talented. It was emotional to see him play me from the outside looking in.”
The singer will be Saturday Night Live’s musical guest this Saturday, joining host Issa Rae.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments