Justin Bieber performed in boxers at the 2026 Grammys mainly as a deliberate style and branding move, not because of a documented on‑stage “meltdown” or emergency.

What actually happened

  • At the 2026 Grammys, Bieber performed his song “Yukon” wearing only silk/lavender boxers (or shiny shorts), socks, and a guitar, with no big stage setup or dancers.
  • The whole vibe was stripped‑down and intimate: slow, close‑up style performance, arms crossed at times, then he simply walked off stage when he finished, leaving the audience stunned.
  • It was framed as a big comeback: his first Grammys performance since 2022, tied to his newer R&B‑leaning album “Swag,” which had multiple nominations.

So… why the boxers?

There’s no official statement from Bieber spelling out “this is exactly why I wore boxers,” but several clear reasons are suggested or implied in coverage:

  1. Fashion/brand promotion
    • GQ and other outlets note that Bieber has been building a new clothing line, including underwear, and the Grammys look functioned as a very high‑visibility preview/promo for that part of the brand.
 * In other words, the boxers weren’t random: they doubled as a walking ad in front of tens of millions of viewers.
  1. Artistic “stripped‑down” symbolism
    • The performance itself was minimal: just Bieber, a guitar, and hardly any staging, which matched the almost‑naked outfit.
 * Fashion writers describe it as a “less is more” statement, aligning with the more soulful, R&B‑infused direction of his album “Swag” and presenting him as emotionally and visually “bare.”
  1. Comeback shock factor & viral moment
    • This was his first big Grammys performance after canceling his 2022 “Justice” tour for health reasons and laying low for a few years.
 * Entertainment/YouTube commentary describes it as one of the most talked‑about and “bizarre” moments of the night, clearly engineered to get social media buzzing and re‑center him in the pop‑culture conversation.

How fans and media reacted

  • Many fans online were confused or jokingly concerned, asking things like “Why is he almost naked on stage?” and debating whether it was a genius move or just plain weird.
  • Style and culture outlets (Vogue, GQ, NYT, etc.) mostly treated it as calculated: a fashion stunt, a symbol of his new era, and a clever tie‑in to his clothing/underwear efforts.
  • Cameras also showed Hailey Bieber smiling and vibing along, which undercut any narrative that this was some chaotic, out‑of‑control moment.

Putting it together

So if you’re asking “why did Justin Bieber perform in boxers at the Grammys?” the best supported answer is:

  • To create a stripped‑down, intimate visual that matched his new R&B sound and “comeback” narrative.
  • To spotlight and promote his emerging fashion/underwear branding in the loudest, most meme‑able way possible.
  • To generate a viral, conversation‑dominating Grammys moment after a relatively quiet few years.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.