Even in retirement, Justin Bieber just can’t be taken seriously.
Late last night, the Bieb tweeted that he was calling the music industry quits:
My beloved beliebers I’m officially retiring
— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) December 25, 2013
Fans’ reactions to this were mixed, possibly because no one really believed him. I mean, come on, Bieber wouldn’t really announce his retirement right before the biggest day of the year—the day of the U.S. release of his movie, Justin Bieber’s Believe?! Oh, right, and also Christmas.
That, too.
Confusing the issue was that Bieber immediately followed the “retirement” tweet with a tweet that many people read as denying the retirement tweet:
@justinbieber is not retiring. It was all the media. So all y’all that hate him, can be quiet now.👋😍 #belieber pic.twitter.com/5gfu9MqQOt
— Alexis Cumby♡ (@alexis_cumby) December 25, 2013
Then he ended the trifecta of confusion with “IM HERE FOREVER.”
Be kind loving to each other, forgive each other as god forgave us through Christ Merry Christmas IM HERE FOREVER
— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) December 25, 2013
So is he or isn’t he?
This is the second time in a week Bieber’s tried to announce his retirement. The first time, amid a bizarre hoax claiming he induced a teenage fan to commit suicide, he told L.A. radio station Power 106 that he meant business and planned to retire after his new album drops.
Noooo, he doesn’t, was the unofficial Bieb entourage response to TMZ.
The reaction from fans was all over the place. From disbelief—
Haha that “justin bieber retiring prank” is all over the news, this shows how stupid the media is 😒 @justinbieber
— sahooba_belieber (@sahooba_belieb) December 25, 2013
To confusion—
@justinbieber oi tutty are you retiring or not
— Alishba (@__alishba) December 25, 2013
To floodbursts of “Justin Bieber ruined my Christmas.”
“@justinbieber: My beloved beliebers I’m officially retiring” now my christmas is ruined..
— Niall Santa Baby (@TiaHayne_Bieber) December 25, 2013
And finally, to the predictable fangirl tears:
@justinbieber nooo!.u cant take my life….ur my life….being a belieber is all about me…….n retiring is not a good decision..for sure
— #NORetiringJB:plss (@justinadrewbie4) December 25, 2013
“@justinbieber: My beloved beliebers I’m officially retiring” NO NO NO NO NO !!! WTF. THIS IS NOT HAPPENING. I’ll go cry now..
— jazzy. (@Jaay_Jaaay) December 25, 2013
As for Bieber, he went right back to tweeting endless promotions for his movie like nothing had changed.
So what’s a Belieber supposed to believe?
USA Today might know. The site reports that the troubled artist, who spent much of this year in the limelight for all the wrong reasons, told them via email earlier this week that he just plans to take some time off to refocus—a good thing considering his new album is currently getting panned.
So, not so much a “retirement” after all. Then again, considering we’re dealing with a guy who doesn’t know what “German” is despite having a German name, maybe it shouldn’t surprise us that the nuanced difference between “retirement” and “hiatus” have escaped him.
In any case, have a Merry Christmas, Beliebers: it looks like your star will stay shining a while longer.
Photo via cukuskumir/Flickr