Justin Bieber and Shawn Mendes reflect on the overwhelming pressures of their soaring careers in their collaboration ‘Monster.’ The two artists have a number of nearly-identical similarities that unite them in this profound contemplation. Both are from Ontario, Canada; they were both plucked from the ever-competitive platform of YouTube, they were thrust into the spotlight while they were mere teenagers, and they both went on to have unprecedented levels of female fan following. Currently, both Shawn and Justin are in high-profile relationships, which attract both scrutiny and adoration from the public on a daily basis. It’s no surprise that they were able to mine from their shared experiences and create something meaningful. 

The two ‘Princes Of Pop’ come together in a disarmingly haunting feature, where each verse is acutely biographical and, simultaneously, universal. While both Shawn and Justin fully showcase the power of their crystal-clear vocals, a word must be made about the chilling production of the piece. The tune opens out with a moody cacophony of layered sounds, after which Shawn immediately delves into his verse, his silky-smooth vocals up to the task of conveying a range of emotions in each and every note. 

While this ‘cacophony’ is a recurring element of the tune, the verses themselves are set to nothing but a drum beat; the tempo of which keeps the composition from getting too intense or romanticized. What’s really worth appreciating about this tune is that they’re able to sustain a moody, soulful, R&B/jazz-infused tone, something that hasn’t truly been explored by either of the artists in their respective albums. 

The song details being put on a “pedestal,” where they’re expected to behave in a certain way. But deep in their hearts, they harbor fears of failing, of being a “Monster.” While the subject matter isn’t all that extraordinary, what sells it is the atmosphere created by both the vocal stanzas, the eerie production, and a music video that has the artists looking trapped in a big, empty, dark space. 

The track closes out with Justin Bieber’s scat echoes while an electric guitar sounds in the background, imparting vibes of doom, of regret, and a whole lot of apprehension — a combination that most fans wouldn’t expect but they would admire it nonetheless. 

Author: Shaoni Das

Shaoni Das is a writer/editor currently based in Edmonton, Canada. She remains eager to inspect how the changing culture of music impacts upon the greater world.