Justin Bieber Goes on a Hugging Spree in Australia

Well, this is something you don’t see every day: Justin Bieber hugging his fans.

While last year, the “Sorry” singer, 23, told Beliebers he would no longer pose with them for photos (he felt “like a zoo animal,” he said), he’s embracing a whole new way of life on the Australian leg of his “Purpose” tour. On Thursday, he posted a series of photos to Instagram of him hugging his fans.

There’s this.

And this.

This too.

Don’t forget this.

And finally…

The caption on the first four photos was the same (“Let’s hug each other more”), but he changed it up for the final pic, which he captioned: “Everyone needs to just hug more.”

With the state that the world is in, it’s a lovely sentiment. The fact that it is coming from Bieber?

Well, it kind of blows us away.

Maybe it’s the Vegemite? The Tim Tams? Either way, Australia has done something to the cranky pop star. Just days ago, the man who also swore off all meet and greets (they made him feel “drained” and “unhappy”) chatted up fans at the gate of his hotel. And he didn’t punch anyone!

We can only hope that this kinder, gentler side of the Biebs carries with him to Latin America later this month as the “Purpose” tour rolls on. Instead of tagging public property there (remember the vandalism charges he incurred in Brazil?), he can keep spreading love. Now, that’s something we could cheer for — just not too loudly. You know how he feels about that.

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