--- description: Justin Bieber made his triumphant return to the stage at Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards, but it was his emotional breakdown at the end of... title: Bieber Explains to Fallon Why He Cried During the VMAs image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb6d21680a3638413/6988619ea988ca30dc6b4215/justin-bieber-crying.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Entertainment](/section/entertainment/) ## Entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [celebrities](/tag/celebrities/) ## celebrities Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Justin Bieber Explains to Jimmy Fallon Why He Cried During the VMAs by [K.C. Blumm / People](/author/people/) ## K.C. Blumm / People Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Sep 3, 2015 8:13 AM CUT  Justin Bieber performs onstage during the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Aug. 30, 2015. Justin Bieber performs onstage during the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Aug. 30, 2015.John Shearer—Getty Images by [K.C. Blumm / People](/author/people/) ## K.C. Blumm / People Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Sep 3, 2015 8:13 AM CUT [Justin Bieber](http://www.people.com/people/justin%5Fbieber "undefined") made his triumphant return to the stage at Sunday’s MTV Video Music Awards, but it was his [emotional breakdown](http://www.people.com/people/package/article/0,,20946992%5F20949073,00.html "undefined") at the end of his performance that had people talking. The singer explained the reasons for his tears during an interview with [Jimmy Fallon](http://www.people.com/people/news/category/0,,personsTax:JimmyFallon,00.html "undefined") on Wednesday. “It was just so overwhelming for me, everything, just the performance – I missed some cues so I was a little disappointed at that – and just everyone, just the support,” the 21-year-old said. “Honestly, I just wasn’t expecting them to support me in the way they did … Last time I was at an award show I was booed.” “I’ve worked so hard on this album, I’ve worked so hard at becoming the man I want to become,” he continued. “Stepping into situations, you just can’t help but feel judged, so I was just feeling judged and just wanting to win so badly and wanting to do what I love so badly that I just put everything on the line. What was just so special about the emotional moment at the end; it was just authentic, it was real.” The multi-platinum singer whose [latest single](http://www.people.com/article/justin-bieber-what-do-you-mean-video-single "undefined"), “What Do You Mean,” was released on Friday, revealed that his new album – his first in three years – will be out Nov. 13. Fallon also touched on Bieber’s [troubling behavior](http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20778929,00.html "undefined") last year that saw him repeatedly get into trouble with the law. “I had a bunch of knuckleheads around me, that was pretty much it,” he explained. “I just went through a place of trying to figure it out … You have to figure out what you’re okay with and you’re not okay with, but you have to test the waters. I just happened to be in the spotlight, in front of cameras all the time, and they caught all those moments.” _This_[ _article_](http://www.people.com/article/justin-bieber-jimmy-fallon-tonight-show-explains-crying-vmas-new-album "undefined") _originally appeared on_ [_People.com_](http://www.people.com "undefined") _Read next:_ [_Watch Kanye West’s VMAs Speech Recut as a Stand-Up Comedy Act_](http://time.com/4019969/kanye-west-vmas-speech-laugh-track/?iid=time%5Freadnext "undefined") [_Listen to the most important stories of the day_](http://time.com/newsletter/the-brief/autoplay/?xid=spl-fullbrief-article "undefined") ### See Celebrities on the Red Carpet at MTV's 2015 VMAs  Host Miley Cyrus arrives at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. Jason Merritt—;Getty Images  Demi Lovato arrives at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. Jason MerrittGetty Images  Nicki Minaj arrives at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. Steve Granitz—WireImage/Getty Images  From left: Models Gigi Hadid, Martha Hunt, actress Hailee Steinfeld, model Cara Delevingne, Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift, model Serayah, Mariska Hargitay, models Lily Aldridge and Karlie Kloss attend the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. Jason Merritt—Getty Images  Rita Ora arrives at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. Jason Merritt—Getty Images  From left: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West arrive at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. Frazer Harrison—Getty Images  Kylie Jenner arrives at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. John Shearer—Getty Images  Justin Bieber arrives at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. Frazer Harrison—Getty Images  Britney Spears arrives at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. Frazer Harrison—Getty Images  Tyga arrives at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. Frazer Harrison—Getty Images  Nick Jonas arrives at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. Frazer Harrison—Getty Images  FKA twigs arrives at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. Jason Merritt—Getty Images  Vanessa Hudgens arrives at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. Steve Granitz—WireImage/Getty Images  Austin Butler attends the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015, in Los Angeles. Frazer Harrison—Getty Images  From left: Chrissy Teigen and John Legend arrives at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. Frazer Harrison—Getty Images  From left: Model Helen Lasichanh and Pharrell Williams arrive at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. Frazer Harrison—Getty Images  Kourtney Kardashian arrives at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. Steve Granitz—WireImage/Getty Images  Kris Jenner arrives at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. Jason Merritt—Getty Images  Bella Thorne arrives at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. Jeff Kravitz—FilmMagic/Getty Images  Holland Roden arrives at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. Frazer Harrison—Getty Images  Rebel Wilson arrives at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. Frazer Harrison—Getty Images  Emily Ratajkowski arrives at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. Frazer Harrison—Getty Images  Kelly Osbourne arrives at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. Jordan Strauss—Invision/AP  Melissa Rivers arrives at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. Steve Granitz—WireImage/Getty Images  Brooklyn Beckham arrives at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. Frazer Harrison—Getty Images  Actress Brandi Cyrus, sister of host Miley Cyrus, attends the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. Steve Granitz—WireImage/Getty Images  Singer Tori Kelly arrives at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. John Shearer—Getty Images  Maria Menounos arrives at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. Steve Granitz—WireImage/Getty Images  Designer Jeremy Scott arrives at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. Steve Granitz—WireImage/Getty Images  Miguel attends the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on August 30, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) Frazer Harrison—Getty Images  From left: Blac Chyna and Amber Rose arrive at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. Larry Busacca—Getty Images  Internet personality Baddie Winkle arrives at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. Jason Merritt—Getty Images  From left: Patrick Stump and Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy arrive at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. Frazer Harrison—Getty Images  Kat Graham attends the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. John Shearer—Getty Images  Vance Joy attends the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Aug. 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. John Shearer—Getty Images ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4021122/bieber-fallon-vmas-interview-cry-mtv-music/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4021122/bieber-fallon-vmas-interview-cry-mtv-music/"},"headline":"Justin Bieber Explains to Jimmy Fallon Why He Cried During the VMAs","datePublished":"2015-09-03T08:13:56.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T05:01:48.171Z","description":"Justin Bieber made his triumphant return to the stage at Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards, but it was his emotional breakdown at the end of...","url":"https://time.com/4021122/bieber-fallon-vmas-interview-cry-mtv-music/","keywords":["celebrities"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb6d21680a3638413/6988619ea988ca30dc6b4215/justin-bieber-crying.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"K.C. Blumm / People"}],"articleSection":"Entertainment","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb6d21680a3638413/6988619ea988ca30dc6b4215/justin-bieber-crying.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"2015 MTV Video LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 30: Singer Justin Bieber performs onstage during the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on August 30, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images)Music Awards - Roaming Show","caption":"LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 30: Singer Justin Bieber performs onstage during the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on August 30, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images)","creditText":"John Shearer—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/entertainment/","name":"Entertainment"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/celebrities/","name":"celebrities"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4021122/bieber-fallon-vmas-interview-cry-mtv-music/","name":"Justin Bieber Explains to Jimmy Fallon Why He Cried During the VMAs"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"InStyle 2015 VMA Red Carpet","description":"InStyle 2015 VMA Red Carpet","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/hdA2D44i/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2015-08-31T14:34:42.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/hdA2D44i.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/4021122/bieber-fallon-vmas-interview-cry-mtv-music/","duration":"PT1M11S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/4021122/bieber-fallon-vmas-interview-cry-mtv-music/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```