Every half-decade or so, Justin Bieber sloughs off the callused skin of the pop superstar he became at age 15 to reveal the tender and quirky R&B singer he’s always been at heart. He did it in 2013 with his album “Journals,” then in 2020 with “Changes.”

Like much of SWAG, “Walking Away” is inspired by old-school R&B. But rather than celebrate his love with Hailey, Bieber directly addresses their issues, even questioning why “you're throwing stones at my back” and asking to reflect on their own behavior. “Girl, we better stop before we say some sh*t,” he sings. “We've been testing our patience.”