If you’re unfamiliar with the term “crash out,” it’s internet slang for when someone—usually a celebrity—spirals publicly, making chaotic decisions that lead people to wonder, “Is everything OK at home?” Sorry, Beliebers, but lately, Justin Bieber has been giving the internet a whole lot of reasons to think he’s deep in his crash-out era.
The pop star, who has spent more than a decade bouncing between music icon and walking controversy, is back in headlines for all the wrong reasons: cryptic social media posts, resurfaced Selena Gomez drama, and just generally… moving weird. While some fans are brushing it off as Bieber just being Bieber, others are clocking this as another messy chapter in his long history of public meltdowns.
His latest online behavior includes a string of eyebrow-raising Instagram stories, some quickly deleted, that left fans and internet sleuths scrambling to piece together his confusing puzzle. One story featured a black screen with white text that said, “People always switch up when you’re at your lowest,” which had fans speculating whether or not it was directed to his wife, Hailey Bieber.
Another was a throwback selfie from his “Purpose Era” captioned, “Back when things were simpler.” That post, in particular, set the internet ablaze, with many questioning if he was hinting at missing his past relationship with Selena Gomez.
And then there was the Instagram Live. In a now widely circulated clip, Bieber went live for nearly 5 minutes, rambling about how he “used to be so free” before abruptly ending the session. He seemed frustrated, glancing off camera multiple times as if someone was telling him to stop. Comments flooded in instantly, with fans spamming, “Blink twice if you’re okay,” and “What is actually going on???”
Adding fuel to the fire, internet users caught Bieber liking a recent post featuring Selena Gomez and her fiancé Benny Blanco, only to mysteriously unlike it hours later. Screenshots flooded X, and speculation reached a fever pitch.
For years, rumors have swirled about Bieber’s lingering attachment to Gomez, but his recent behavior has people convinced that it’s not just speculation. So-called TikTok detectives and Twitter analysts have resurfaced old receipts, analyzing alleged interactions and cryptic posts, trying to figure out if Bieber is just reminiscing or if he’s still hung up on his ex.
All of this is happening at a crucial time in Justin’s life— he and his wife, Hailey Bieber, just welcomed their first child. Normally, people expect fatherhood to be a stabilizing force, but instead of posting baby pictures and heartfelt captions, Justin seems to be set on causing a stir on the internet.
Twitter, as always, has been having a field day.
“Not Justin Bieber moving mad on Instagram again… fatherhood was supposed to calm him down,” tweeted user @PopCultureInsider. “It’s giving mid-life crisis at 30, and the fact that he’s still bringing up Selena unprovoked is WILD.”
This isn’t Justin’s first “crashout” either. The man has a track record of diving headfirst into chaos—whether it is egging a neighbor’s house, getting arrested for drag racing, storming off stage mid-concert, or, most recently, stirring up his old age drama with Selena Gomez. Some people are wondering if this is just who he is at this point.
“I think that lands perfectly with his track record,” said Madisyn Parker, a sophomore and longtime pop culture fan. “Like, how, apparently he had called Selena, like, 23 times on his wedding day.”
Even Rolling Stone has entered the chat, publishing a deep dive into Bieber’s struggle with fame, controversy, and mental health. Their article, Justin Bieber’s Rocky Road to Redemption, explores the toll of public scrutiny and how Bieber has repeatedly found himself in the middle of messy situations.
Of course, some fans are rushing to defend him, saying the internet is just overanalyzing everything. Others believe this is a prime example of Justin’s crazy behavior. The plot is only getting messier.
With Bieber himself staying quiet on the speculation, the internet is left to do what it does best— wait, watch, and refresh his Instagram story for the next update in this saga.
