One Of Justin Bieber's Darkest Songs Just Surged 1,400% in Sales — Fans Think The Lyrics Hint at Diddy

Trigger Warning: This article contains themes of sexual abuse that some readers may find distressing.

Justin Bieber's poignant 2021 track Lonely has seen a massive surge in popularity following the recent arrest of Sean 'Diddy' Combs on charges including sex trafficking. The song talks about feeling alone and being taken advantage of in the music world, and its sales have shot up by 1,400% in just a few days. According to Forbes, the song sold almost 1,500 copies last week, which is a huge jump from less than 100 the week before. Fans are diving back into the song's lyrics and wondering if there’s a link to Bieber's past with Diddy.

The buzz around Lonely is back because some old videos popped up showing a young Bieber hanging out with Diddy. Diddy was his mentor when he first started in the music world. One particularly eyebrow-raising clip features a 40-year-old Diddy with a 15-year-old Bieber, where Diddy claims he's been given "custody" of the teen star for 48 hours. In the video, Diddy stated, "I have been given custody of him. You know, he's signed to Usher and I had legal guardianship of Usher when he did his first album. I did Usher's first album. For the next 48 hours, he's with me. And we're gonna go full. Buck full crazy," as per Metro. 

The lyrics of Lonely have taken on new meaning for many fans in light of recent events. Bieber sings, "And everybody saw me sick / And it felt like no one gave a s**t / They criticized the things I did as an idiot kid." He continues, "What if you had it all / And it felt like nobody to call? Maybe then you'd know me / 'Cause I've had everything / But no one's listening / And that's just lonely." It's worth noting that Bieber hasn't mentioned receiving any poor treatment. There is no strong proof that his song is about his relationship with Diddy. However, it appears that other young performers have had similar interactions with the rap mogul. This is the reason why individuals associate the song with Diddy.

Usher, who also worked closely with Diddy as a young teen, has spoken about his time living in Diddy's New York home at age 13. He recalled: "There was always girls around. You'd open a door and see somebody doing it, or several people in a room having an orgy. You never knew what was going to happen." Sources close to Bieber claim that the pop star is "deeply disturbed" with the allegations against Diddy. An insider said, "Bieber is so disturbed by the Diddy news and is unwilling to process it or discuss it so he has shut off. So many people who helped to make him who he is were very close to Diddy and it has completely thrown him."

Diddy has denied all criminal allegations and any suggestion of wrongdoing. His lawyer, Erica Wolff, stated: "Mr. Combs emphatically and categorically denies as false and defamatory any claim that he sexually abused anyone, including minors. He looks forward to proving his innocence and vindicating himself in court, where the truth will be established based on evidence, not speculation."

If you are being subjected to sexual assault, or know of anyone who is, please call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673).