Back in 2018, Justin Bieber made headlines for tearing up while addressing then-18-year-old Billie Eilish’s rise to fame and how he wanted to protect her in the industry. Although fans weren’t previously bothered by Bieber’s concerns for Eilish—in recent times, following the heartbreaking revelations resurfacing about the Baby singer—netizens believe there is a good reason why he got emotional while discussing Eilish’s career.

In light of Diddy’s legal troubles, as old videos resurface surrounding the industry’s mistreatment of Justin Bieber during his teenage years and rise to stardom, a particular interview has caught people’s attention. A little over a decade ago, when Bieber appeared on The Talk for an interview, the host’s peculiarly s*xual questions thrown at the singer sparked concerns among fans.

Amid the ongoing drama surrounding Diddy, which threw the spotlight on Justin Bieber highlighting the atrocities he faced as a young star, an old interview of the singer resurfaced, making rounds on the internet. Considering how Bieber was often s*xualized in the industry, his particular interview on The Talk shared the very glimpse of such mistreatment.

In the video, Leah Remini, an ex-Scientologist and host of The Talk asked Justin Bieber some pretty strange questions. Considering how the singer was 17 and underage during the interview, the questions thrown at him seemed even more awkward, given their s*xual context. Well, apparently, after asking about marriage and kids, Remini asked Bieber about performing naked.

Justin Bieber | image: Instagram/@justinbieber

Would you rather have to be naked on stage during one full song or drink a cup of blended worms? Answer Justin Bieber! Remini demanded.

I have, like, little girl fans! I can’t. Bieber responded with sheer discomfort.

Okay, imagine there’s no laws, imagine it wasn’t, like, weird like that. Remini pressured.

I wouldn’t do either. Bieber asserted.

But sadly, despite Justin Bieber trying his best to avoid the weird questions, the interview didn’t stop there. Leah Remini and her co-hosts continued throwing bizarre situations at the singer, for him to respond accordingly. Thereafter, Bieber was asked whom among The Talk hosts would he date. While the singer tried to think through the awkward question, Remini once again tried crossing the limit by attempting to squeeze Bieber’s cheeks, as her way of persuasion.

Years later as this interview resurfaced, it sparked outrage among fans who felt that such topics were inappropriate for someone so young. Considering how the inquiry was jarring, given Justin Bieber’s age at the time, fans sympathized with the singer as he appeared visibly uncomfortable. Meanwhile, this particular video highlighted the troubling trend in the industry where young artists are often subjected to invasive and s*xualized questions.

Now that Justin Bieber’s old interview videos are resurfacing where he was pushed to the brink of discomfort, fans are starting to realize why the singer broke down while addressing Billie Eilish’s rise to stardom in 2018. According to a snippet of the interview shared by the Lovely singer on her Instagram, Bieber can be seen getting emotional while discussing Eilish’s meteoric rise.

Considering the atrocities he faced during his rise to fame, Justin Bieber expressed a strong desire to protect Billie Eilish from similar challenges in the industry. In an intimate moment, Bieber extended a hand of support for Eilish, if needed. Thereafter, his heartfelt comments about the Grammy winner reignited conversations about the pressures young artists face in the spotlight.

Billie Eilish in the video for No Time to Die | image: YouTube

While Justin Bieber’s journey illustrated the complexities of growing up in the public eye, his protective instinct for Billie Eilish seems to reflect a broader awareness among artists of the pressures their peers face.