This wasn't "Baby" Bieber anymore. This was Believe era Bieber. He was growing up, experimenting with R&B and dance music, and trying to shed his teenybopper image. Pairing him with will.i.am was a masterstroke. Lyrically, “#thatPOWER” isn't deep—and that’s the point. It’s a mantra for the dressing room before a big game or the shot of adrenaline before a night out.
Bieber’s verse is pure bravado. He sings about critics, about proving people wrong, and about the electric feeling of commanding a room. It’s the musical equivalent of staring at yourself in the mirror and nodding. will i am justin bieber that power
Is it high art? No. Is it a shot of pure, unapologetic energy? Absolutely. This wasn't "Baby" Bieber anymore
The music video is a fever dream of Roman centurions, CGI pyramids, and dance battles. It doesn’t make sense, but you can’t look away. It screams "2013." Looking back, “#thatPOWER” serves as a bridge. For Justin Bieber, it was a step toward the more mature electronic sounds he would explore later on Purpose (think “Sorry” and “Where Are Ü Now”). It proved his voice could sit comfortably over a heavy club beat. Pairing him with will
For will.i.am, it was the last roar of the "superstar DJ" era before the tropical house and deep house wave washed over pop radio.