Why was Justin Bieber crying after his performance at the VMAs? Beliebers want to know.

The 21-year-old Canadian pop star broke down after performing his new single, “What Do You Mean,” which dropped Friday. Before the tears, Bieber got deep:

“Life is a journey. Sometimes a battle,” he said. “Full of the unexpected. Sometimes we focus on the destination and forget to focus on that journey. But when you fall it allows you to get up stronger. It allows you not to lean on your own understanding, give in to fate, believe in something bigger than yourself and find your purpose.”

He then finished his performance by catapulting into the air. So were the tears because the harness was too tight?

Could they have been because he was regretting his new ‘do?

Photo by Broadimage/REX Shutterstock (5016735a) Justin Bieber, 2015 MTV Video Music Awards – Red Carpet.

Did he suddenly realize he wants Selena Gomez back? (Twitter quickly blew up with photos of her supposedly on her phone ignoring her ex’s performance, but according to Entertainment Tonight, Gomez had left the venue before he took the stage.)

Photo by Chelsea Lauren/REX Shutterstock  Justin Bieber, MTV Video Music Awards Show, Los Angeles – 30 Aug 2015.

Perhaps Bieber was just genuinely overcome with emotion. Or maybe he simply shed crocodile tears in a bid to win us over.

He has, after all, been on an attempted path of redemption this year, desperately trying to convince us he’s not the bad boy he once was.

“I turned a lot of people off over the past few years, but I know I can still turn out good music and turn everything all around,” Bieber said at his celebrity roast in March. Just a month later, he was reportedly put in a chokehold and kicked out of Coachella.

His other offstage antics have included assault, reckless driving, public urination and throwing eggs at a neighbour’s home.

We’ll let you decide whether Bieber’s “moment” is proof that he’s a changed man.

In other Bieber news, Variety reported that Bieber would be a musical guest for a full week of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, beginning Sept. 7. And his new album is set for release on Nov. 13.