Bieber season is not just approaching, it’s here — #1 hit or not. Thursday night at LA’s Village Studios, Justin Bieber hosted a listening party for his new album with a guestlist including journalists, Def Jam employees, and other music industry people. Rolling Stone’s report has some fascinating details.

For one thing, it sounds like the listening session was an extremely emotional affair. Bieber reportedly wept repeatedly throughout the event. The RS report includes references to “crying profusely” and “heaving sobs” during his opening remarks, during which Bieber thanked manager Scooter Braun for his support and said the new album represents his “growth from a boy to a man.” He reportedly continued to cry into wife Hailey Bieber’s neck as the album rolled on. At one point he mocked himself for crying so much. “I’ve gotta get it together… I’m gonna go shoot myself.” (He clarified he was joking, reports Variety.)

Shawn Mendes, of “Who’s Shawn Mendes?” fame, was there as part of Bieber’s entourage for some unexplained reason. Bieber had a hockey stick and a beat-up baseball with him and at one point started a game of catch with his friends. As for the music, lead single “Yummy” is reportedly representative of the whole project, both for its so-called “R&Bieber” vibe and its thematic focus on marital sex.

Speaking of which, once the album ended, Bieber expressed his interest in moving on to some nonmusical activities with his wife. Winking, he reportedly told the crowd, “You know what that means. Things are about to get pretty freaky.”