Bieber uploaded a couple pictures of himself singing with headphones on and mic in hand in a post on Saturday (Jan. 18). Photographer Rory Kramer, who’s been credited on all of the pop star’s most recent pictures on Instagram, was tagged on the post.

The visual preview hinting at potential music in the works comes just a few days after Bieber shared a 24-second clip of a track. In a short recording posted on Jan. 15, which sounded like a demo, he was heard singing lines that sounded like “B—- I’m takin’ bait/ I’m takin’ it/ You takin’ bait/ I’m shakin’ it/ You’re shakin’ it/ Shakin’ off the hate,” with raspy vocals accompanied by spare acoustic guitar.

Bieber also posted some photos from what also looked to be a studio session — where he was seen with a keyboard and mic — back in October, just a few weeks after fellow artist Mk.gee mentioned to the New York Times that he’d been in the studio with him.

“He’s searching. Anything that comes out of his mouth: That’s pop music. You can really do pretty wild stuff behind that, just because it represents something,” Mk.gee said at the time.

A new album release from Bieber, who made headlines in early January when he unfollowed longtime manager Scooter Braun, would be his first since 2021’s Justice. Debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in March of that year, Justice brought tracks including lead single “Holy” with Chance the Rapper, which peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100, and the No. 1 hit “Peaches” with Daniel Caesar and Giveon.

His most recent single was 2022 one-off “Honest” featuring Don Toliver.

In 2023, Bieber was a featured artist on Toliver’s track “Private Landing” with Future. He also sang with SZA on an acoustic version of “Snooze.”