Justin Bieber was the talk of the night at the Grammys after performing in his boxers and revealing a new tattoo of his wife Hailey’s face on Sunday.
The Yukon singer, 31, ensured all eyes were on him as he took to the stage at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles to perform his single at the ceremony.
And his new inking didn’t fly under the radar, as viewers watching at home clocked the huge tattoo of his wife’s face on his back during the performance.
Many insisted that Justin’s drawing was inspired by Hailey’s 2020 Elle cover shoot, which showed her posing in a strapless top and swimwear on the beach.
And they were quick to draw comparison between the tattoo of Hailey and one he used to have of his ex Selena Gomez, which was also based on an Elle shoot.
The inking, which has since been covered up, was of Selena’s face on his wrist and is believed to have been sketched from an Elle magazine photo shoot in 2012.
Justin Bieberwas the talk of the night at the Grammysafter performing in his boxers and revealing a new tattoo of his wife Hailey’s face on Sunday
The Yukon singer, 31, ensured all eyes were on him as he took to the stage at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angelesto perform his single at the ceremony
Many insisted that Justin’s drawing was inspired by Hailey’s 2020 Elle cover shoot, which showed her posing in a strapless top and swimwear on the beach
The tattoo in question depicts the singer with a pair of large angel wings and long hair, sporting a plunging neckline similar to the outfit in the cover photo.
Justin and Selena ended their on-again, off-again relationship in March 2018, following a brief reconciliation that began in late 2017, the pair split for good.
Justin admitted in the past that he had attempted to erase her likeness from his body, telling Billboard in 2016: ‘This is my ex-girlfriend so I tried to cover her face up with some shading but people still know.’
Justin was spotted with the tattoo still on his arm shortly before he was set to marry Hailey in 2018, however he has since had the tattoo covered.
Picking up on the similarities between the two tattoos, fans said: ‘There is no way Justin Bieber got a tattoo of Hailey Bieber’s Elle magazine… similarly to the one he got of Selena Gomez’s Elle cover’.
And: ‘Justin Bieber got a tattoo of his wife. It’s worth remembering that he previously had a tattoo of Selena Gomez, which he later covered up’;
Others said: ‘Justin Bieber tattooed Hailey’s face on his back’; ‘Justin got Hailey’s face tattooed omg’; ‘Justin Bieber debuts a new tattoo of Hailey and Jack’s face’; ‘Justin Bieber got Hailey’s face tattooed on his back, in 2020 he said he wanted to save his back for his kids, and he started with a pic of Hailey’;
‘Remember when Hailey told Justin she doesn’t want him to get any tattoo on his back and he said he was saving it for something important? Oh well he got Hailey f***ing Bieber’s face tattooed!’
Justin left many viewers perplexed after taking the Grammy Awards stage for the first time in four years – shirtless and wearing only gym shorts.
Picking up on the similarities between the two tattoos, fans said: ‘There is no way Justin Bieber got a tattoo of Hailey Bieber’s Elle magazine… similarly to the one he got of Selena Gomez’s Elle cover’
‘Remember when Hailey told Justin she doesn’t want him to get any tattoo on his back and he said he was saving it for something important? Oh well he got Hailey f***ing Bieber’s face tattooed!’
The superstar delivered the raw set, looping an electric guitar and drum sample for a stripped-down performance of his song Yukon.
As he sang the emotional track, which he has previously revealed was written about his wife, cameras repeatedly cut to Hailey in the audience as she smiled proudly.
Just hours earlier, the couple had earlier walked the red carpet together wearing matching ‘ICE OUT’ pins.
Justin’s appearance marked his first Grammys performance since 2022, when he performed Peaches alongside Giveon and Daniel Caesar.
Since then, his onstage appearances have been rare, limited to a surprise guest spot during a SZA concert and a handful of private events following the cancellation of his tour due to health issues.
The performance served as a preview of what’s to come, with Justin set to headline both weekends of Coachella later this spring.
This year, the star is nominated for four awards, including Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for Swag, Best Pop Solo Performance for Daisies, and Best R&B Performance for Yukon.
Across his career, Justin has earned 23 Grammy nominations and taken home two wins.
He delivered the raw set at the Grammy Awards
As Justin sang the emotional track, which he has previously revealed was written about his wife, cameras repeatedly cut to Hailey in the audience as she smiled proudly
Across his career, Justin has earned 23 Grammy nominations and taken home two wins
Still, it was his wardrobe, or lack thereof, that dominated conversation online, with some praising the performance while others questioned his nearly naked appearance
Still, it was his wardrobe, or lack thereof, that dominated conversation online.
Reactions on X were sharply divided, with some praising the vulnerability of the performance while others questioned his nearly naked appearance.
‘Such a beautiful and vulnerable performance,’ one fan wrote, while another joked, ‘Just out there in his drawls and socks…’
Others were far less impressed.
‘Justin this is the Grammys and not the beach… just embarrassing,’ one critic posted.
‘Where is his shirt?’ another asked, as someone else added, ‘He’s dressed like this at the Grammys?? So lazy.’
Some viewers expressed concern rather than criticism.
‘This is actually sad. This man is calling out for help and no one’s noticing,’ one user wrote.
Supporters quickly pushed back, praising his stage presence and vocals.
‘Justin Bieber still knows how to command a stage,’ one fan declared, while another gushed, ‘His vocals are so raw – I’m obsessed with this stripped-down version.’
Just hours earlier, the couple had earlier walked the red carpet together wearing matching ‘ICE OUT’ pins
Justin’s return comes on the heels of his surprise 2025 album Swag, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 with more than 163,000 units in its first week.
While narrowly missing the top spot, the project delivered the biggest streaming debut of his career, with 16 of its 21 tracks charting on the Billboard Hot 100.
Released in July 2025, Swag showcased a more introspective, alt-R&B sound and featured tracks including ALL I CAN TAKE, YUKON, GO BABY, DADZ LOVE, THERAPY SESSION and FORGIVENESS.
A follow-up album, Swag II, arrived just two months later in September, bringing the total track count across both releases to 44.
Later this year, Justin will headline Coachella in a historic, self-negotiated deal reportedly worth more than $10 million – making him the highest-paid performer in the festival’s history.
‘It’s a groundbreaking move for a headliner, and it’s something he built entirely on his own,’ a source close to Justin previously told Rolling Stone.
‘Between headlining Coachella and the success of Swag, it’s clear this is the start of an exciting new era for Justin – one where he’s fully in the driver’s seat.’
Justin’s appearance marked his first Grammys performance since 2022, when he performed Peaches alongside Giveon and Daniel Caesar (seen in 2019)
Later this year, Justin will headline Coachella in a historic, self-negotiated deal reportedly worth more than $10 million (pictured in 2022)
Insiders say Justin’s fee surpasses $5 million per weekend, a figure that puts him well above past Coachella payouts.
Although Coachella never reveals how much they pay artists, speculative reports online have surfaced over the years for past acts.
Bad Bunny, who was one of the headliners for 2023’s Coachella, allegedly got paid $5 million, per the Trapital Podcast.
Meanwhile, The Weeknd reportedly asked for $8.5 million and Ariana Grande is said to have taken home $8 million.
Billboard previously reported that Beyoncé made somewhere between $8-$12 million for headlining in 2018.
A year prior, The New Yorker reported that Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar and Radiohead each earned $3-4 million for their performances in 2017.
Goldenvoice’s parent company, AEG, has long partnered with Justin in his touring career, but this marks the first time he’s personally stepped into the negotiating room.
