Justin Bieber Drops Black and White Music Video for ‘First Place’ Shot in Iceland

On a cold August morning in 2025, Justin Bieber unveiled his stark black and white music video for "First Place." Shot at the remote Flóki Studios in Iceland's snow-capped Trollaskagi Peninsula, the film captures raw moments of his creative process for Swag, his seventh studio album.

Behind the lens, director Rory Kramer caught Bieber in his element — from studio takes to wild adventures. The star braved icy waters in just boxer briefs, later quipping in his caption on YouTube, "FORGIVE MY CHICKEN LEGS," as reported by Billboard.

The "Beauty and a Beat" hitmaker spent time at Flóki Studios, using the secluded and peaceful Arctic setting to record songs for his latest record, Swag. 

Wade Koeman, who runs Flóki Studios, shared with Uproxx: "I think some people, some artists really excel and get into this place of creativity when all the distractions are gone. And that's the idea of Flóki — you're in the middle of nowhere in a place where, most of the time, you've never been."

"You're just in this whole new environment and it's beautiful and peaceful, yet it can be blizzarding and chaotic. It's nature," Koeman stated.

"First Place" springs from Bieber's surprise July release, Swag. The 21-track collection, packed with guest spots from Gunna, Sexyy Red, and Dijon, debuted at second place on the Billboard 200 chart.

The track made its mark at No. 59 on the Hot 100, marking Bieber's 116th chart entry. A team of skilled minds — Eddie Benjamin, Carter Lang, Knox Fortune, and Sir Dylan — crafted the sound, while Tobias Jesso Jr., Jackson Morgan, and Kevin Rhomberg helped write the lyrics alongside Bieber.

Iceland's stark beauty has drawn Bieber before. His 2015 "I'll Show You" left such a mark that fans dubbed one filming spot "Bieber's Canyon." The video's locations, including an abandoned plane where he skateboarded on the beach, still pull in crowds of devoted followers.

This latest music video release follows "Yukon," another monochrome piece showing quiet moments with wife Hailey and baby Jack Blues. Swag marks a shift for Bieber — his first album without long-time manager Scooter Braun, who shaped his previous six records.

You can watch the fresh music video for "First Place" now on YouTube.