Side Note

Justin Bieber is pulling a Bob Dylan

Have you ever wished Justin Bieber would express his love for Jesus through song? It’s time to get your hopes up: The rapscallion pop star (whom Bill Hader recently revealed as the worst behaved SNL musical guest ever) is reportedly allowing his newfound commitment to Christianity (and his celebrity-full megachurch Hillsong) influence his next album, per a report in The Sun. Yes, it’s The Sun, take it with a train of salt, but the idea of an uber-religious Biebs — whose most recent hits have circled around how easily confused he is by everything — is certainly something new. And should he follow through, he will be joining an exclusive list of famous musicians who have pivoted to God.

Justin Bieber looking messianic in 2011.

Justin Bieber looking messianic in 2011.

From Whitney Houston to Katy Perry, many a pop star began their careers singing in the church, but the pivot from secular music to religious is much more rare. With his Jesus-praising album, Bieber will be following in the footsteps of someone like Bob Dylan who, after becoming a born-again Christian in the late 70s, released three explicitly religious albums. Bieber will also be joining his pal Snoop Dogg, who after releasing a slew of hip hop albums and one reggae one, just released a full-blown gospel album this month.

Of course, plenty of pop stars today are religious. (Beyoncé, for one, has never been shy about her belief in God.) Still, few cater their music specifically to religious audiences for obvious, market size reasons. If Bieber wants to be the first one to make a religious conversion album take off, power to him. True believers, true Beliebers — it all shakes out to the same devout faith in some higher power.