Justin Bieber Killed It at the Grammys Wearing Just His Boxers

It's been four years since Justin Bieber performed at the Grammys, and his 2026 return to the Grammy stage was both artful and powerful. Early during the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, Bieber took to the stage wearing only his boxers and socks with his guitar strapped to his body. And then, he performed his hit song "Yukon" from the album Swag with what has to be described as a quiet intensity.

Nobody saw this exact kind of performance coming, and even host Trevor Noah noted that the feeling in the room was intense. Bieber didn't dance. He barely even moved. He essentially played one instrument and sang a stripped-down version of "Yukon," which on the album is already a fairly simple track. But this performance was even more straightforward and heartfelt. Was this Bieber at his most relatable? His most artistic? His most defiant?

The answer is kind of all of the above. Bieber attacked this song like he was a rock star with nothing to prove, which is interesting because, in a sense, he did have something to prove. It's been a tumultuous few years for the singer, and in some ways, this was a make-or-break moment. And Bieber pulled it off with guts.

The performance was also, crucially, weird. And by being so simple and weird, Bieber succeeded in being cool as hell without trying. Since 2024, Bieber has been open about his mental health struggles, as well as admitting at more than one point that he was "broken."

Throughout his Grammys perfomance, we saw several shots of Bieber's wife, Hailey Bieber, looking on approvingly. The pair just had Jack Blues Bieber, their first child, in August 2024. And, with his really ordinary socks and normal-guy boxers, Bieber felt like he might be, just maybe, entering into a new era of dad rock.

Can you be a messy, down-to-earth guy and a pop star at the same time? Bieber just proved the answer is a big yes.