Ghost (Justin Bieber song)

Bieber explained that his objective with the creation of "Ghost" was to "make people feel like there is hope and that the trauma and the hurt that you feel isn't gonna last forever".[2] In a Zoom playback of Justice, he acknowledged that 2021 "has been a really challenging year where we've lost loved ones and relationships" during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bieber went on to say that the song's hook "works for this quarantine situation" since "we're not relating and connecting in the same way", which in turn "has allowed us to only really have these memories".[3]

"Ghost" is an up-tempo pop rock ballad that meshes electronic dance music with drum and bass.[4][5][6][7] It makes use of a folky acoustic guitar, busy programmed drums, and shimmering EDM synthesizers.[8][9][10] The song's chattering beats give way to an acoustic guitar strum on the chorus.[7][11] Lyrically, the song is about grief caused by the absence of a loved one, with Bieber singing: "I'll settle for the ghost of you / I miss you more than life."[7][8][12]

To promote "Ghost", Bieber teamed up with Dolby Laboratories to create a long-form commercial for Dolby Atmos including the song.[13] A day later, Billboard chart director Gary Trust announced that the song started being officially promoted to U.S. pop radio.[14] Bieber performed it at the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards, where he sported a hoodie covering most of his face and was accompanied on set by large ice blocks.[15][16]

Allison Stewart of The Washington Post saw "Ghost" as the best song on Justice, writing that the "rafter-rattling ballad" is "perfectly suited to the unique concerns of quarantine".[6] Similarly, Los Angeles Times pop music critic Mikael Wood considered it one of the album's highlights, noting that the song's drums "punches up a vaguely creepy emo sentiment".[9] Jason Lipshutz of Billboard listed it ninth in his ranking of the best songs on Justice, believing that "Bieber drops one of the best vocal performances on the album here and carries the concept through".[11] The Evening Standard's David Smyth felt the song's synths were one of the many musically enjoyable aspects on Justice.[10] NME's Will Lavin wrote that the track "hits hard but imparts a healing guitar riff to cushion the blow".[4] Anna Clara Ribeiro from PopMatters found it to be the most intriguing song on Justice in terms of production, specifying "not so much for any of the sounds that prevail in it", but rather "for where each of them is placed". Ribeiro also called it a good lyrical moment of the album.[7] Baby A. Gil of The Philippine Star thought the song "effortlessly juggles grief and hope while depicting forever love".[17] Conseqence of Sound's Valerie Magan was less positive about the track, feeling its "impact remains as barren as the imagery".[18]

Upon the release of Justice, "Ghost" charted at number 41 on the Billboard Global 200.[19] It entered several record charts worldwide, including Australia (53),[20] Canada (27),[21] Denmark (25),[22] Portugal (114),[23] Slovakia (58),[24] and Sweden (72).[25] In the United States, the song debuted at number 66 on the Billboard Hot 100 as one of the 11 new entrances off Justice.[26] Following its promotion to pop radio as a single, the song peaked at number 32 on the US Billboard Hot 100, number 11 on the Canadian Hot 100, and number 30 on the Billboard Global 200.

The official music video for "Ghost", directed by Colin Tilley, premiered on October 8, 2021.[27] It coincided with the release of the complete edition of Justice and the Amazon Prime Video documentary, Justin Bieber: Our World.[28] Actress Diane Keaton stars as Bieber's grandmother in the video.[29] Bieber called up Keaton and asked her to be in it, to which she accepted the offer and expressed fondness for the song.[29] Keaton previously shared a brief interaction with Bieber in 2015 during her appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and admitted having a slight crush on him after being shown his Calvin Klein campaign.[30] On October 6, 2021, Bieber and Keaton shared a teaser of the video on their respective Instagram accounts.[31] Speaking about her experience working with Bieber, Keaton said it was "friendly, open, loose and unique", adding that he "was kind to everyone and his team was perfection".[32] While Keaton had never been in a music video before, she directed two of them for Belinda Carlisle's "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" and "I Get Weak".[32][33]

The video opens with Bieber playing the piano, celebrating his grandfather's birthday with him and Keaton.[34] The moment is interrupted in the next scene as Bieber and Keaton mourn the death of his grandfather at an ocean-side funeral.[34][35] Two years after the event,[36] Bieber sees Keaton is still struggling with her husband's passing.[34] He decides to take Keaton for a night out on the town as they attempt to move past their grief.[34][37] Bieber buys a Gucci dress for Keaton to cheer her up,[38] and they partake in activities such as going on long walks along Ventura Beach and taking shots, toasting, and dancing at a bar.[29][37][39] Bieber later encourages Keaton to date again as she looks for eligible bachelors on a dating app called Slide.[35][37][40] Bieber then drives Keaton to the beach in a convertible, where she scatters her husband's ashes in the ocean while dolphins jump up to greet them.[33][35] At the end of the video, Bieber surprises Keaton by setting her up on a date with a new man who slightly resembles her widower.[35][40]

Credits adapted from Tidal.[41]

• Justin Bieber – vocals, songwriting
• Jon Bellion – songwriting, production, backing vocals, engineering, programming, vocal production
• The Monsters & Strangerz – production, bass, drums, keyboards, programming
  • Jordan K. Johnson – songwriting
  • Stefan Johnson – songwriting, vocal production
• Michael Pollack – songwriting
• Heidi Wang – assistant mixing, engineering
• Ryan Lytle – assistant recording engineering
• Pierre-Luc Rioux – guitar
• Colin Leonard – mastering
• Josh Gudwin – mixing, vocal production