Justin Bieber At XL Center

Justin Bieber got the last laugh. He was a punchline for so long: his hair, his tattoos, his run-ins with the law, his bloated sense of himself. Some of his not-great music.

But even the non-Beliebers had to acknowledge that last year’s “Sorry” was a near-perfect song. (It’s been streamed more than 688 million times on Spotify.) And his album, “Purpose,” from which it came, also had a lot to like about it. A few of the songs sounded like lab-engineered concoctions designed for maximum earworm potential.

It helps that Bieber works with artists like Skrillex and Diplo, who know their way around a radio or dancefloor hit. Despite having been driven into our heads past the point of being able to hear it for what it is, “Where Are U Now” still sounds entirely futuristic, with Bieber’s voice warped and morphed to sound like the chirping song of a dolphin.

The Bieb remains a strange star, slightly petulant and distant even when singing songs of resilience. All past missteps are hereby forgotten. We forgive you if you forgive us.

Justin Bieber performs at the XL Center, 1 Civic Center Plaza, Hartford, Sunday, July 10, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $50.50 to $116. 860-249-6333 or xlcenter.org.