I'll Show You

Album: Purpose (2015)
Charted: 15 19
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Justin Bieber has consistently been in the spotlight ever since the release of My World in 2010. He was just 15 years old when his debut album dropped and since then every personal misstep that the young Canadian has made has been highlighted in the media. This vulnerable Skrillex-produced electronic slow ballad finds him singing about what it's like to have your every move being judged when you're growing up in the limelight.

    Cause life's not easy, I'm not made out of steel
    Don't forget that I'm human, don't forget that I'm real
    Act like you know me, but you never will
    There's one thing that I know for sure
    I'll show you
  • Bieber first hooked up with Skrillex when he supplied vocals for the Jack U hit "Where Are U Now." The Californian electronic musician and producer contributed to five tracks in total on Purpose, including the single "Sorry."
  • Skrillex commented to NME regarding "Show You": "There was a very different version of that track, and after I heard it I wanted to re-produce it so it was more slowed down and emotional."

    "That track is one of my favourites on the album. It has some of the best lyrics on the album. That was one of the songs that he [Bieber] really liked, and we were both proud of."
  • The Rory Kramer-directed music video was filmed in South Iceland. Part of it was shot at the picturesque Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon, which had been largely overlooked by tourists until it appeared in the clip. In the three years after the release of the clip foot traffic to the area increased 50 percent to 80 percent, many of them Justin Bieber fans. The Environmental Agency of Iceland was forced to close the location to the public between March and June 2019 to give paths and vegetation around the canyon a chance to recover.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Loudon Wainwright III

Loudon Wainwright IIISongwriter Interviews

"Dead Skunk" became a stinker for Loudon when he felt pressure to make another hit - his latest songs deal with mortality, his son Rufus, and picking up poop.

Sam Hollander

Sam HollanderSongwriter Interviews

The hitmaking songwriter/producer Sam Hollander with stories about songs for Weezer, Panic! At The Disco, Train, Pentatonix, and Fitz And The Tantrums.

Tom Keifer of Cinderella

Tom Keifer of CinderellaSongwriter Interviews

Tom talks about the evolution of Cinderella's songs through their first three albums, and how he writes as a solo artist.

David Sancious

David SanciousSongwriter Interviews

Keyboard great David Sancious talks about his work with Sting, Seal, Springsteen, Clapton and Aretha, and explains what quantum physics has to do with making music.

Linda Perry

Linda PerrySongwriter Interviews

Songwriting Hall of Famer Linda Perry talks about her songs "What's Up" and "Beautiful," her songwriting process, and her move into film music.

Judas Priest

Judas PriestSongwriter Interviews

Rob Halford, Richie Faulkner and Glenn Tipton talk twin guitar harmonies and explain how they create songs in Judas Priest.