Justin Bieber’s new video for “First Place” is more than a visual companion to a track—it’s a travelogue, a meditation, and a glimpse into the creative headspace behind his latest album, Swag. Shot during his May trip to Iceland, the black-and-white short film drops viewers into Justin Bieber ’s time at Flóki Studios, capturing not only the music-making but the moments between: drifting through quiet landscapes, lighting up, plunging into icy waters, hopping on a helicopter to snowboard, and cycling along winding roads.
There’s an unfiltered intimacy to the footage, a sense that the camera isn’t intruding but simply following the rhythm of his days. The result feels like a mood piece—equal parts solitude and adrenaline—that mirrors the dual nature of Iceland itself.
Flóki Studios Director Wade Koeman, who has seen artists from around the world record there, understands the pull of the place. “I think some people, some artists, really excel and get into this place of creativity when all the distractions are gone,” he told. “You’re just in this whole new environment and it’s beautiful and peaceful, yet it can be blizzarding and chaotic. It’s nature.” That contrast—serene one minute, unpredictable the next—runs through “First Place,” both visually and emotionally.
With Swag already marking a new chapter in his career, “First Place” stands out as one of its most personal and cinematic statements—a document of an artist finding clarity in a landscape that refuses to stay still.
