Justin Bieber had an eventful first Father’s Day, at least according to his Instagram account. On June 15, the singer, 31, shared nearly 20 posts, the tone of which ranged from menacing (“I’m a dad that’s not to be f***ed with,” he captioned his first image, a close-up of his face with a middle finger emoji) to celebratory (“Happy daddy day to me u lil ho,” he wrote alongside photos of him showing off a pricey frosted gold Audemars Piguet watch) to sweet (he included two pictures of wife Hailey holding their son, Jack, at a piano). He also shared screenshots of a text exchange with a former friend in which he tells the person their “short-lived relationship” is over, adding, “If you don’t like my anger you don’t like me.”
For months, Justin’s social media posts have been undeniably chaotic and cryptic. Followers have been analyzing every image and word, searching for clues about his well-being and the state of his six-year marriage to Hailey, 28. While the couple, who welcomed Jack last August, appear to be maintaining a united front, sources tell Us Weekly their relationship is more complicated behind the scenes. “Things aren’t great right now,” says one source, noting that Justin’s erratic behavior is causing “a lot of stress” for Hailey.
There’s also an obvious shift in the power dynamic between the duo. When the pair rekindled their romance in 2018 (they’d previously dated for a few months before splitting in 2016), she was a budding model, while Justin was one of the biggest pop stars in the world. He hasn’t released an album since 2021’s Justice and announced he’d severed ties with his clothing brand, Drew House, in April. (His new line, Skylrk, has yet to be launched.)
Hailey, meanwhile, landed the cover of Vogue’s June issue and sold her beauty brand, Rhode, for $1 billion. “Family issues have clouded her success,” says the first source. Adds a second: “Justin’s going through a difficult time, and Hailey is giving him room to get himself back on track. He’s doing his best, but it’s tough.”
Fans have expressed concern for Justin since late February when a video clip of him acting strangely during a Rhode event went viral. (A rep for Justin told TMZ at the time that speculation about drug use was “exhausting and pitiful.”) In a March 22 Instagram post, he mused about his “anger issues,” adding, “I hate myself sometimes when I feel myself start to become inauthentic.” In video footage from Coachella on April 18, he appeared to be smoking weed next to his 15-year-old brother, Jaxon. And on June 13, he had a heated stand-off with paparazzi outside of Soho House in L.A., where he told photographers, “You don’t get to disrespect me and get away with it.”
The Grammy winner has been open about his past mental health challenges. In a 2019 Vogue interview, he revealed he got “really depressed” during his 2016 Purpose Tour and turned to drugs like Xanax to cope. (In his 2020 docuseries, Justin Bieber: Sessions, he said he’d used MDMA and mushrooms.) “Drugs put a screen between me and what I was doing,” he told Vogue, adding, “It got pretty dark. I think there were times when my security was coming in late at night to check my pulse and see if I was still breathing.” That same year, he posted an emotional essay on Instagram about the trappings of early fame and how it led to suicidal thoughts, writing, “Sometimes it can even get to the point where you don’t even want to live anymore.”
He appears to be struggling once again. On June 16, he shared an Instagram Story that read in part: “People keep telling me to heal … don’t you think if I could have fixed myself I would have already? I know I’m broken.” The first source says the star feels lost amid so much change in his life — he parted ways with his longtime manager, Scooter Braun, in 2023, and The Hollywood Reporter claimed in April that he’s estranged from his former friend (and best man at his wedding to Hailey) and Drew House partner Ryan Good. (In May, an insider told Us that “no one is really managing Justin’s day-to-day or career… He’s really on his own.”) Adds the first source: “His friend group has shifted, and [he’s been] navigating fatherhood and trying to put out music. [It’s all] been a lot for him.”
His marriage to Hailey has not gone unscathed. “Justin’s been a hard person to deal with recently because of what he’s going through,” says the first source. “Hailey is the stable parent and the one keeping their family together. It’s been really hard on her.”
The second source says there have been more “ups and downs” than usual for the couple. “Things have been very tense in the last month. Hailey’s worried about Justin, especially with a [baby at home]. He hasn’t been down like this in quite some time, so there’s concern.” While Justin continues to lash out publicly, she’s the one holding things down. The online backlash “frustrates her,” says the second source. [But] she knows that’s part of the industry and who she’s married to.”
According to both sources, the couple is determined to make it through this rough patch. They renewed their vows last May in Hawaii, and in Hailey’s Vogue cover story, she insisted she and Justin are going strong. “They don’t talk about divorce,” says the first source. The second source says the chances of them splitting “are very slim, especially because of their faith.” The couple are members of Churchome, a Christian community led by pastor Judah Smith, who is also Justin’s spiritual advisor. “Faith is a big part of their life,” says the source. “They believe they are soulmates and meant for each other.”
Neither will give up without a fight. “They’ll do anything to make it work,” says the second source. As for talk about Justin feeling outshined by Hailey’s recent success — the singer’s odd Instagram comment under her Vogue shoot admitting he’d once told her she’d “never” be the cover to “get even” after a fight didn’t sit well with fans — the second source insists there is no jealousy. “Justin only wants the best for her.”
Ultimately, the source says the ball is in Hailey’s court, and she’s standing by Justin’s side. “He’s a loose cannon, and Hailey’s making room for that,” says the second source, adding that she hasn’t lost faith in the relationship or his accountability as a father. “They are going to get through it.”
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