It’s been years since Justin Bieber has been in the limelight — what’s notable is how much of that distance was voluntary, and how much of it was necessary. After his pop peak in the early to mid-2010s, Bieber was struggling with substance abuse, and also burnout from persistent public exposure. Receding was the only viable option.

Now he has returned, addressing his past struggles in two fashions. On a new YouTube documentary series, he speaks candidly about his low points. And on “Changes,” his new album, he rethinks his approach to music — instead of making big-tent pop without heart, he makes R&B that’s more modest, and also more to his taste.

Even though Bieber’s album doesn’t have much in common with the rest of contemporary pop music, it does find some unanticipated kinship — with Harry Styles’s recent album, which also turns its head away from prevailing pop trends, and with Selena Gomez’s latest, which also explores themes of wellness and love.

On this week’s Popcast, a conversation about Bieber’s return, whether it’s manageable enough to avoid the roadblocks of the past, and whether it’s significant enough to maintain his level of fame.