Justin Bieber was in boxers because his nearly-naked Grammys performance was a deliberate fashion and marketing move, not a wardrobe accident or stunt gone wrong.

What actually happened

At the 2026 Grammy Awards, Bieber performed his song “Yukon” onstage wearing only satin/lavender or grey-style boxer shorts and socks, with no shirt, minimal staging, and no backup dancers. The look immediately confused viewers and went viral as people asked why he was “almost naked” on live TV.

Main reason: promoting his brand Skylrk

The boxers weren’t random — they were from his own clothing line, Skylrk (often styled SKYLRK).

  • Reports note the Skylrk logo was clearly visible on the waistband and even picked out in crystals on the shorts.
  • Skylrk is Bieber’s fashion label, selling streetwear and basics like jeans, slides, sunglasses and, crucially here, boxer briefs.
  • The Grammys performance came shortly after the line expanded into underwear, so the boxers doubled as a high-visibility preview of the new products.
  • Some coverage says the specific boxers he wore sold out within minutes after the show due to the attention.

In other words, the boxers worked as a huge, global ad slot for his own label during one of the most-watched music events of the year.

Extra layer: artistic and personal symbolism

Beyond marketing, fans and commentators have suggested some symbolic or artistic reasons too.

  • Performing in just boxers and socks fit the stripped-back staging — no big visuals, no elaborate costumes, just him, the song, and simple lighting.
  • Some fans on social platforms argued he was making a point about vulnerability, saying he was returning to the industry “as himself,” without the old machinery or image around him.
  • Others read it as a flex of confidence: even if people question his image, he can still command the stage with very little “glam” or styling.

These are interpretations rather than confirmed motives, but they’re widely discussed in fan and entertainment commentary.

Context: a big comeback moment

The performance was also framed as a comeback.

  • It was his first Grammys performance in about four years and tied to his 2025 album Swag , which received multiple nominations.
  • He had recently been focusing heavily on launching and building Skylrk before returning to full-scale live shows and festival appearances.

So the choice of outfit worked on two levels at once: relaunching his music era and boosting his fashion business.

Fan and media reaction

Reactions were mixed but loud, which is exactly what a stunt like this is designed to generate.

  • Many viewers were confused or shocked, asking why he was “naked” or “in his boxers” at the Grammys.
  • Others thought it was clever marketing and very on-brand for modern pop-star fashion theatrics.
  • Among fans, posts praised the boldness and read it as a reclaiming of his image and talent-focused performance.

In short: Justin Bieber was in boxers because he was turning his Grammys stage time into a massive ad for his Skylrk underwear and using the stripped-down look to signal a raw, confident comeback.

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