Justin Bieber Thrills 2015 AMAs With Rain-Filled Medley In Emotional Finale

Currently sitting atop Billboard’s 200 albums chart, Justin Bieber and his tri-medley of Purpose hits were the perfect choice to close out the 2015 American Music Awards (AMAs) in Los Angeles on Sunday night.

Following an introduction by Ciara, the pop prince delivered a dramatic performance enhanced by his well-known emotional persona, a rain machine, and energetic dancing in two of the songs.

Stylishly clad in Virgil Abloh’s off-white label, in a hoodie, ripped jeans, sneakers, and a cap, the starry AMAs crowd gave Bieber a standing ovation as he kicked off with an acoustic version of “What Do You Mean?” — the lead single from his No 1. album.

Backed by one guitarist on the darkened stage, the 21-year-old wrapped the song’s questioning lyrics in soft, heartfelt nuance while the Microsoft Theater audience mouthed or sang along.

As quickly as it began, the heartthrob walked over to another part of the stage as the opening strains of Skrillex’s infamous “dolphin” effect ushered in back-up dancers, lights, and the EDM-Pop anthem “Where Are Ü Now?”

Singing live, as he did on “Mean,” Justin launched into the bittersweet banger, the words of which many see as a direct response to former girlfriend Selena Gomez’s heartbreak anthem “The Heart Wants What It Wants.” Incidentally, the Latina starlet performed that track live for the first time at last year’s American Music Awards.

Just before the iconic dance break, the Biebs dropped the mic (not from a great height) on stage, as he and the dancers began the familiar dance sequence on “Where.”

Then, it was all change again, and major spectacle, as the theater “heaven’s” opened, letting gallons of water gush over the Canadian crooner and (to a lesser extent) the dancers for a vibrant rendition of the island-flavored “Sorry,” complete with acrobatics from the dancers and a lot of slipping and sliding from the Biebs.

Obviously, Bieber lip-synced on the last song — and he made no pretence of otherwise — since water and electricity oft leads to death. It seems clear the point of “making it rain” for the last song of his finale was to amp up the drama and give the AMAs audience a good show.

Footage revealing amazed facial expressions on most of the guests, suggests the audience was wowed by the staged tsunami in the finale and didn’t need convincing that the Canadian can sing live.

The stunning water soaked set-piece ignited the not-bad-but-not-great AMAs and complemented the emotional currency that Bieber embodies now in his performances, and on his acclaimed new album, Purpose.

Two days after “Mean” officially dropped on August 28, the Biebs capped his performance at the 2015 MTV VMAs by bursting into “overwhelmed” tears onstage.

Earlier on at the AMAs, Bieber, Skrillex, and his Jack Ü partner, Diplo, won the trophy for “Collaboration of the Year.” It goes without saying that the game-changing song was the dance track that lit the summer.

Just one of the selection on Skrillex and Diplo Present Jack Ü album, the power of “Where” meant Bieber is now getting played on the iPods of an older, different demographic and a lot more males. Interest and respect for his new music cemented when “What Do You Mean?” “Sorry” and the rest rolled out.

Critics’ reviews of Purpose have mostly terrific. And on Sunday, Billboard finally declared Bieber saw off One Direction’s Made in the A.M. album with 629,000 pure album sales plus streaming and is No. 1 on the 200 Albums Chart.

Apart from the U.K., that pattern is happening everywhere.

.@JustinBieber beat @OneDirection to the top in the Land Down Under: https://t.co/2a802tF6jO

— billboard (@billboard) November 23, 2015

? YAASS! ? That's how you do a red carpet look, @justinbieber! #AMAs #BieberOnAmas https://t.co/CYETdGOQ3k

— AMAs (@TheAMAs) November 23, 2015

That will all change when Adele’s makes her official entrance onto the chart. However, Bieber’s Purpose sees him forge a new record as the youngest artist to have six No. 1 albums debut on the 200 Albums chart while landing The biggest sales first week for any male artist. Those records will stand forever.

As well as releasing Purpose, the Biebs has announced an extensive North American tour in support of it. This begins on March 9 in Seattle and finishes at Madison Square Garden on July 19.

During her preamble, Ciara said of Bieber, “He’s an artist you can never count out. Welcome back, Justin Bieber.” Seconded.

[Image via Getty Images for ABC]