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While celebrities were busy serving couture chaos and theme-dedicated drama on the Met Gala 2025 red carpet, one familiar face was notably absent: Justin Bieber. Once again, the pop icon opted out of the fashion world's biggest night, despite his wife, Hailey Bieber, gliding solo into the event.
Justin wasn't lost in the crowds of New York City, but chilling at home, couch-side, where he posted a photo of mid-red-carpet madness.
Justin's Red Carpet Ghosting Is Nothing New
Justin Bieber's Met Gala attendance history is short and sweet. He last attended the event in 2021 with Hailey, and before that, you have to scroll all the way back to 2015. The man has attended twice in a decade.
It's not a protest, a breakup sign, or a secret scandal. It's just who he is. Bieber has long been vocal about his complicated relationship with fame. He doesn't exactly thrive under flashbulbs and screaming headlines. And while Hailey is often front and center at Hollywood events (like her solo appearance at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party this year), Justin seems content creating music, focusing on family, and not walking red carpets.
© Getty ImagesMarriage Rumors Swirling
The rumor mill goes into overdrive whenever one Bieber skips a high-profile event. Are they breaking up? Is Justin spiraling? Is Selena Gomez hiding in a Met Gala gown?
But back in March, a source gave People a reality check: "Things are fine. Hailey's working, and Justin's creating music. They're just doing their thing... They have a great marriage too."
© Getty Images for The Met Museum/In February, Justin's rep told TMZ that he's in "one of the best places in his life," spending time with his wife and their son Jack and staying focused on health, healing, and music. According to the rep, 2024 was a transformative year, full of tough goodbyes to friendships and business ties that no longer fit his life.
Still, even with all the "we're doing great" statements, fans are feeling uneasy, as Justin has posted a video of himself rapping about getting high: "I fly high like a magpie, I go high like I'm that guy."
© XNY/Star MaxComments rolled in, calling the post "sad" and "desperate," and speculation about his mental state exploded.
To be fair, Justin's been open about his mental health challenges in the past. And as someone who grew up under a microscope, it's no surprise he's still navigating that very public pressure cooker.
© Kevin MazurThe Paparazzi War
If skipping the Met Gala wasn't enough of a clue that Justin's not here for the spotlight, his latest social media posts say it all. After two intense paparazzi run-ins, Justin vented on Instagram.
"Everyone telling me to move from LA… U think I'm gonna get bullied to leave where my influence is most needed?" he wrote, alongside a chaotic video of camera flashes. "This has to stop."
But What About Selena (and Benny Blanco)?
Ah yes, the ghost of girlfriends past. Selena Gomez, now happily engaged to producer Benny Blanco, is still somehow part of the narrative. And, it turns out, that stings a bit more than fans expected.
© Getty Images for dcpA source told In Touch Weekly that Justin felt "betrayed" when Benny cut him off and started dating Selena. "[Justin has] tried so many times to make peace with them and get past the BS," the insider shared. "But they just won't let it go."
Friends Worry Hailey Might Walk
While Hailey's still very much wearing her wedding ring (and showing up at events alone like a boss), insiders say not everything is rosy behind the scenes. "Hailey loves him madly, but he's a loose cannon," a source told In Touch. "Some of her friends have advised her to go it alone and leave him."
© Getty ImagesThere has been no official word from Hailey herself, and Justin Bieber's absence from the Met Gala doesn't confirm drama, but it does paint a picture of a man caught between fame and peace, chaos and calm, healing and hurt.
Will he ever return to the Met Gala? Maybe. But in 2025, he chose comfort over couture.
