Will I Am Justin Bieber That Power [SIMPLE • Series]

“You know I've got that power / The power of the beat in my hand.”

If you were anywhere near a radio, a gym, or a summer pool party in 2013, you remember the drop. The synth stabs. The robotic vocals. The sheer, unstoppable energy.

Then, will.i.am takes over with his signature quirky bridge, and finally... The heavy, filtered electro-house beat that sounds like a robot learning to feel joy. The Cultural Impact: The Hashtag Era Let’s talk about the title: #thatPOWER . will i am justin bieber that power

This wasn't "Baby" Bieber anymore. This was Believe era Bieber. He was growing up, experimenting with R&B and dance music, and trying to shed his teenybopper image. Pairing him with will.i.am was a masterstroke. Lyrically, “#thatPOWER” isn't deep—and that’s the point. It’s a mantra for the dressing room before a big game or the shot of adrenaline before a night out.

We are, of course, talking about

Next time you need a boost on a Monday morning, put on “#thatPOWER.” Close your eyes. And for three minutes, believe you have the power of the beat in your hand.

Enter Justin Bieber.

Ten years later, it’s easy to lump this track into the "vintage EDM-pop" folder. But stepping back into the collaboration between and a teenage Justin Bieber reveals a song that was a perfect time capsule of the early 2010s—and a major turning point for both artists. The Context: Peak #willpower By 2013, will.i.am was fully committed to his solo electronic career. Coming off the massive success of “Scream & Shout” with Britney Spears, he was leaning hard into stadium-filling, four-on-the-floor beats. His album #willpower was designed to dominate the charts, and he needed a young, untouchable co-pilot.

For will.i.am, it was the last roar of the "superstar DJ" era before the tropical house and deep house wave washed over pop radio. “You know I've got that power / The

This song arrived at the exact moment when hashtags were migrating from Twitter to real life. will.i.am famously renamed the track to include the symbol. It felt silly then, and it feels nostalgic now. It captured the "hustle culture" of the early 2010s—manifesting success, posting about it, and owning your moment.

Is it high art? No. Is it a shot of pure, unapologetic energy? Absolutely. The sheer, unstoppable energy