From ‘Baby’ to bad boy: Singer Justin Bieber baffled fans over the weekend with a string of bizarre selfies and cryptic messages to his Beliebers.
Canadian pop star Justin Bieber has again sparked concern among his “Belieber” fandom and industry insiders after posting a series of cryptic Instagram selfies over the weekend.
The images coincide with a fresh wave of speculation surrounding his personal life, including claims of financial distress, possible drug use, and deepening involvement in a religious group friends have labelled “cult-like”.
On Saturday, the 31-year-old singer shared a series of bathroom mirror selfies without context.
Justin Bieber: Ketamine question in Instagram Story alarms fans
A follow-up Instagram story mentioned ketamine and asked whether the substance “controls people’s emotions”, raising eyebrows across social media.
“ [You] could point at my flaws. Or [you] could recognise[ your]own lil b*tch 
“This feels like a cry for help,” one fan commented, echoing the sentiment of thousands more who flooded his feed with concern.
Justin Bieber up close and personal
The situation intensified when the Baby hitmaker shared a series of close-up images on his Instagram stories.
One particular slide, a screenshot of an AI chat conversation, caught the attention. The slide posed the question: “Has ketamine been used to control people’s emotions?”.
According to The Sun, the AI responded, “There is clear evidence that ketamine has been misused in certain law enforcement scenarios, particularly in ways that amount to chemical restraint or social control…”
Another post that Justin uploaded to his Instagram page on Saturday included a black-and-white selfie, as well as a screenshot, in which he appeared to be FaceTiming his wife, Hailey Bieber.
READ: Matthew Perry’s fatal dose: Ketamine crisis in the spotlight
Wife Hailey Bieber ‘concerned’ for Justin
The latest buzz about Justin’s bizarre social media update comes after the singer displayed “strange” behaviour at Hailey’s skincare event in February.
A source exclusively told Page Six that Bieber “isn’t sure how to manage things at this point” as he left Hailey and fans frantic with worry.
“Justin is going through a hard time and Hailey is doing her best to be there for him, but there’s only so much she can do,” the source added.
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Fame, fortune and financial troubles?
Bieber earned an estimated $500 million to $1 billion at the height of his career, but mismanagement and excessive spending reportedly left him in such dire financial straits that he was forced to sell his music catalogue for $200 million in 2023.
In May, it was reported that Bieber was in millions of dollars worth of debt to Scooter Braun, his former manager, despite parting ways with the music mogul almost two years ago.
According to Page Six, an independent six-month audit conducted by accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC), the singer owes Braun more than $8,806,000.
Friends have reportedly raised red flags over his continued big spending on private jets, luxury real estate, and extravagant gifts, despite his visible absence from the public performance circuit.
“He hasn’t worked in a really long time, and it’s starting to show,” an insider told the publication.
READ ALSO: Justin Bieber is a troublemaker
WATCH: Justin Bieber’s money mess and meltdown
Drug use concerns reignite
In the midst of the financial chatter, a darker narrative has also emerged — that Bieber may be struggling again with substance use.
The singer has publicly detailed his past drug addiction, notably in the 2021 docuseries Seasons, where he described feeling like he was “dying” during his lowest points.
Recent selfies showed paraphernalia like a large bong and marijuana-themed accessories. And while weed is legal in California, fans noted Bieber’s vague ketamine references and erratic captions as potentially more troubling.
“There’s been talk of him using again — mostly weed and pills, maybe lean,” a source told Page Six.
“It’s not like before, but people are definitely worried.”
His team has denied any current hard drug use, telling TMZ that Bieber is “focused on health, faith, and family,” but concerns persist – especially given the substance themes woven into his latest posts.
Cult accusations: Church under fire
A third and increasingly controversial element to Bieber’s current story is his close affiliation with Churchome, a megachurch led by Pastor Judah Smith.
“They treat him like he’s a prophet,” one former associate told Rolling Stone. “He’s surrounded by yes-men and scripture—and not the healthy kind.”
TMZ’s new documentary, TMZ Investigates: What Happened to Justin Bieber, now available on Hulu, looks into Bieber’s involvement in the organisation.
One of Justin Bieber’s longtime friends believes the singer is in a cult as his inner circle continues to shrink, according to Page Six.
Ryan Good, the co-founder and creative director of Bieber’s fashion brand, Drew House, has not spoken to the pop star in more than a year over concerns about his pastor, Judah Smith, sources told TMZ.
The pair reportedly stopped talking after Good, 41, left the Grammy winner’s place of worship, Churchome, in Beverly Hills. Smith has publicly denied the claims, but concerns continue to mount amid Bieber’s increasingly erratic behaviour.
