Forever (Justin Bieber song)

On January 3, 2020, TMZ reported that Post Malone was among the featured artists to appear on Justin Bieber's upcoming album.[4] Bieber had completed his parts for the collaboration and was waiting on vocals from Malone.[4] Bieber last collaborated with Malone on the song "Deja Vu", featured on the latter's debut studio album Stoney (2016).[4] Forever was one of the names being thrown around as a possible title for the new album, with Bieber also recently getting the word tattooed on his neck.[4] On February 5, Bieber revealed the tracklist for Changes, which listed Malone and rising hip hop artist Clever as features on the seventh track titled "Forever".[5] According to Dustin Fox of The Gadsden Times, Clever recorded his vocals in Gadsden at GAD3 Studios.[6]

"Forever" is a trap song set in the key of C♯ minor with a tempo of 136 beats per minute.[7][8] Lyndsey Havens of Billboard remarked that it is one of the few songs on Changes "that strays from more traditional-sounding R&B".[9] NME's Hannah Mylrea described the track as a "jangly cut" with "upbeat production and warm, nostalgic beats".[10] Jeremy Helligar of Variety noted the song's use of "plunky synths", which he characterized as "sound[ing] like drops of water".[11] Alexis Petridis of The Guardian compared the vocal delivery on the song to that of mumble rap.[12] It is a love song dealing with one's "overpowering urge to be with [another] until the end of [their] days".[13]

Lynn Sharpe from HotNewHipHop praised the vocals on "Forever", feeling that Bieber and Malone "compliment[ed] each other" in a seamless manner and that Clever beautifully reflected the track's "passionate nature".[13] Billboard critic Taylor Weatherby ranked it as the third-best song on Changes and regarded it as "one of the most distinctive tracks" on the album, highlighting "[t]he plinking production, the staccato chorus, Post Malone's very Posty verse and Clever's punchy lines".[14] Koltan Greenwood of Alternative Press called the song "a catchy and emotional bop".[15] The A.V. Club's Annie Zaleski felt it was one of Changes's "most enduring moments", adding that Malone and Clever bring "gruff vulnerability" to the song.[16] Carolyn Droke from Uproxx wrote that the song "boasts a full, resounding beat and succinct lyrical delivery".[17] Pitchfork's Jayson Greene considered Malone's guest appearance one of the "[s]cattered bright spots" on Changes.[18]

However, Ben Devlin from musicOMH found Clever's voice on "Forever" to be "obnoxiously weak".[19] Joshua Bote of Paste remarked that Malone "adds a frantic tension to the cut", but disapproved of Bieber as "sound[ing] drained".[20] Hannah Mylrea of NME thought that the song "begins to drag" after the start before it "stutter[s] to a stop".[10] The Music writer Cyclone said that the track "never really goes anywhere" aside from the vocal performances.[7]

In the United States, "Forever" debuted at number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart dated February 29, 2020. It became Clever's first Hot 100 hit.[21] Furthermore, it was one of the eight tracks from Changes to debut on the Hot R&B Songs chart. It led the pack with an entrance at number six and secured Bieber's 10th top 10 entry on the chart.[22] On the UK Singles Chart, the song debuted at number 29 as the third top 40 track from Changes, after "Yummy" and "Intentions".[23]

A dance visual for "Forever", directed by Nick DeMoura, was released on March 9, 2020, as part of a collection of 16 music videos titled Changes: The Movement.[24][25] In an interview with MTV News, DeMoura said the video came about after being inspired by the film Entrapment (1999).[25] Straying away from the previous visuals for "Habitual" and "All Around Me" which focus on intimate and intricate routines, the video centers around a group of masked performers wearing riot gear-styled attire that dance as lights flicker around them.[24] Trey Alston from MTV News described it as a high-tech espionage thriller with a cinematic flair.[24]

Credits adapted from Tidal.[26]