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Music

God Intervened to Make Sure Justin Bieber Worked with Skrillex and Diplo

Bieber also says he learned a lot about himself while high.

Photo courtesy of Alasdair McLellan / i-D

Justin Bieber is on the cover of the latest issue of i-D. In the story, he opens up about a range of issues ranging from drugs and monkeys to Jesus. The man who can't seem to miss is on a mission to change the way people see him, as well as to make his "first adult pop record" a success. He talks all about his hometown, his tumultuous past few years, and the women in his life in the full interview, which you can read here. Highlights include Bieber talking about how much the Comedy Central roast was hard to sit through:

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"As soon as someone said something I was like, 'Oh, fuck.' It was also a cool way for people to understand that I'm over it and that it's in my past and let's laugh about it and not think about it anymore."

Bieber also says he was touched by a higher power after hearing what Diplo and Skrillex did with his song.

"I completely see that as being God. I couldn't have asked for a better start to all this stuff, and then the direction that it went in? That was definitely God. Because you never know when you have a hit."

Photo courtesy of Alasdair McLellan / i-D

In addition to working with Rick Rubin, Bieber also spent a lot of time praying and meditating with the legendary producer, explaining the appeal of what Rubin proivides for artists.

"He makes people feel valued when they're in his presence, which is really a special quality. I'm working on that right now. When I'm in any situation, I want to make the person feel valued. Really engage with them. It's been hard because there are so many people that always want something. But I'm getting better at it."

Kanye West exectuive produced the record along with Rubin, and Bieber says West's contributions helps clinch the record.

"Kanye's the best. He just talks. For so long. And it's so dope. Even when it sounds crazy, I know that I'm listening to how he feels because he always puts things into such a different perspective."

And for everyone wondering what Bieber was thinking with his pet monkey, he addresses that too.

"Once I had the monkey I just wanted to bring it everywhere. I was like, I'm not going anywhere without the monkey. I went to Germany and they were like, you don't have the right papers. I had brought all the papers that I thought I needed but apparently I didn't have the right ones so they took my monkey. Really, I can see why Michael would like monkeys. I don't see anything wrong with having a monkey. I might get another one." Where is the monkey now? "The monkey is in a zoo in Germany, so it's being cared for. And it's with other monkeys, so it's happy."

Read the full interview on i-D

Slava Pastuk is the Editor of Noisey Canada and a Day 1 Belieber. Follow him on Twitter.