Artist
Will.i.am Feat. Justin Bieber
Why we feature this artist That Power: a sung refrain against a deliberately angular beat #thatPOWER places Justin Bieber’s melodic refrain inside a will.i.am recording built from abrupt electronic figures and firmly marked rhythmic changes. Released in 2013, …
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- United States, Canada
- Sound
- Pop, electronic
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The story of Will.i.am Feat. Justin Bieber
Why we feature this artist
That Power: a sung refrain against a deliberately angular beat
#thatPOWER places Justin Bieber’s melodic refrain inside a will.i.am recording built from abrupt electronic figures and firmly marked rhythmic changes. Released in 2013, the song keeps its two vocal approaches distinct. The singer offers a more continuous line, while the producer-performer works through shorter, percussive verbal ideas.
The hook supplies the smooth surface
The original credits name will.i.am and Damien Leroy as producers, with both and Bieber connected to the writing. The featured voice is part of the composition’s construction as well as a recognisable addition to the finished recording.
Bieber’s delivery makes the refrain feel broader than the surrounding passages. The backing can sound angular and tightly cut, but the sustained melody gives it a destination. That change of texture is more effective than simply increasing the instrumental volume every time the title returns.
A particular part of #willpower
The recording appears on the 2013 #willpower album, and the official April video retains the Justin Bieber featured credit. Its choreographed, highly controlled presentation suits a song whose transitions are organised around precise entrances and interruptions.
The strongest contrast remains the simplest one: an easy-to-follow melodic line placed against sounds that do not always move smoothly. The track can reduce itself to a few signals, then return to the refrain with a larger sense of release. The two performances remain different enough for that return to feel like a change of perspective.
Essential releases
#thatPOWER
The #willpower single pairs Bieber’s sustained melodic hook with will.i.am and Damien Leroy’s sharply organised electronic production.