Justin Bieber hasn't been at an award show in years. Tonight didn't change that. Bieber and his wife Hailey Baldwin opted not to go to the MTV VMAs in Newark, New Jersey. Baldwin's friend Kendall Jenner opted not to go either though she has been in the past—and it's because she's abroad with Baldwin.
Bieber was filmed out in Hollywood yesterday, so pretty far away from the East Coast ceremony.
Baldwin and Jenner, meanwhile, were photographed in Jamaica this weekend on a girls' trip. Hello! has photos.
Bieber does have a nomination for Best Collaboration with Ed Sheeran for their song "I Don't Care" tonight. But it's only one nomination for a more minor category, making Bieber's absence not wholly surprising.
In fact, TMZ reported way back in January 2018 that Bieber will skip all award shows until his new album is released, and he has new music to perform and promote. The Biebs hasn't released a new album yet, although one is coming.
Bieber explained back in March why his album was delayed, stating on Instagram that he was prioritizing his mental health. He wrote:
So I read a lot of messages saying you want an album .. I’ve toured my whole teenage life, and early 20s, I realized and as you guys probably saw I was unhappy last tour and I don’t deserve that and you don’t deserve that, you pay money to come and have a lively energetic fun light concert and I was unable emotionally to give you that near the end of the tour. I have been looking, seeking, trial and error as most of us do, I am now very focused on repairing some of the deep rooted issues that I have as most of us have, so that I don’t fall apart, so that I can sustain my marriage and be the father I want to be. Music is very important to me but Nothing comes before my family and my health. I will come with a kick ass album ASAP, my swag is undeniable and my drive is indescribable his love is supernatural his grace is that reliable…. the top is where I reside period whether I make music or not the king said so. ? but I will come with a vengeance believe that.. (grammar and punctuation will be terrible pretend it’s a text where u just don’t care).
Bieber was last at the VMAs in 2015; Jenner was last there in 2014; and Baldwin was there in 2017.
Alyssa Bailey News and Strategy Editor Alyssa Bailey is the news and strategy editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage of celebrities and royals (particularly Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton).
