Justin Bieber has been doing a lot of soul-searching lately. Between public introspection posts about feeling “like a fraud” and fans dissecting his every move, the 31-year-old seems to be living in the emotional equivalent of a reality show he didn’t sign up for. But just when things looked like they were calming down, Bieber decided to do something bold: extend an olive branch to Taylor Swift. And, well… it snapped right back in his face.
For those who forgot, Bieber and Swift have been allergic to each other since 2019. The fallout began when Swift accused Bieber’s then-manager, Scooter Braun, of “bullying” her after he bought Big Machine Records, which owned most of her master recordings. She called it her “worst-case scenario,” and Bieber, in all his 20-something wisdom at the time, clapped back online with a now-deleted post defending Braun. “What were you trying to accomplish by posting that blog?” he wrote. “Seems to me like it was to get sympathy.” Later, he apologized, admitting, “At the time I thought it was funny but looking back it was distasteful and insensitive.” The internet never forgets, though, especially the Swifties.
Now, in 2025, Justin Bieber seems eager to put the bad blood between him and Taylor Swift behind him. Earlier this year, he posted an Instagram Story featuring Swift’s song “Bad Blood” during a blood moon eclipse. Subtle? Not really. But it didn’t end there. In a more recent post, Bieber shared a fan edit of his baby boy, Jack Blues, set to Swift’s track “Never Grow Up.” The video was sweet: a tiny hand, a soft song, a proud dad moment.
Unfortunately, fans didn’t see it that way.
“Justin Bieber is still desperate for Taylor Swift’s approval,” one fan wrote on X. Others accused him of clout-chasing or trying to ride the wave of her re-recorded “Taylor’s Version” tracks. It’s not exactly the warm reception you hope for when you’re trying to make peace with the world’s most powerful fandom.
Amy Prenner, a communications executive at The Prenner Group, explained why Bieber’s well-intentioned moment might have backfired. “It’s all about perception vs. reality,” she told Nicki Swift. “Given that Justin and Taylor have had their share of drama, people are wondering if this was his way of trying to make peace—or if it was just a coincidence.” She added, “When celebrities try to squash beef publicly, it’s a bit of a gamble. Sometimes it comes off as a grown-up move. Other times, it feels like a social media stunt, and fans can sniff that out fast.”
Prenner had advice for Bieber, too: “The best game plan is to stay true and don’t feed the fire. Instead of jumping into online battles, keep the focus on the positives—your own work, your growth, and what you stand for.” Basically: log off, call Taylor privately, and stop soundtracking your posts with her songs.
And Swift probably isn’t losing sleep over any of this. The 35-year-old just toasted her best friend Selena Gomez’s wedding to Benny Blanco with a heartfelt speech, reportedly shading Bieber in the process. “She went into depth and talked about how over the years she saw Selena on the floor crying,” a source told Us Weekly. So yeah, no olive branches being exchanged from her side either.
At this point, Justin Bieber’s peace offering to Taylor Swift might be better left unsent, or at least playlist-free.
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