Justin Bieber has almost finished recording his new album with Kanye West and Rick Rubin. The pop-star curiously noted to USA Today, "I don't want to say 'it's different', because that's what everyone says. But it is different."

Justin BieberJustin Bieber is recording an album with rock producer Rick Rubin

Bieber said his well-publicized period of notoriety - he's has numerous problems with the law - has been reflected in his music.

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"My whole direction has changed. What you are thinking about all the time is what you write, and now that I'm thinking about more positive things, it completely changes my music," he said.

"I had to re-do my whole album," he said. "It was done but it didn't match up to where I am now and where my head's at. I want to tell my story, but I also want to give people hope. I lost hope for a while, I was in a dark place, but it's about getting out of that rut. It's about knowing there's sunshine on the other side."

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Though collaborating with Kanye is not usual - the pair are known to be friends - the addition of Rick Rubin as producer has certainly raised eyebrows. The legendary producer has worked on albums by the Beastie Boys, Johnny Cash, Slayer and Jay-Z though has recently turned his attention to pop, producing Jake Bugg's Shangri La, Lady Gaga's Artpop, Ed Sheeran's X and Damien Rice's My Favourite Faded Fantasy.

In January, Bieber's manager Scooter Braun posted a photo of Rubin and his man on Instagram with the caption: "working on some history!"

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