Justin Bieber Won't Return to Music Anytime Soon, He's in a 'Season of Self-Discovery': Source

Justin Bieber is taking time off from his music while he figures out what he wants to do next.

The singer has dialed back his work commitments to spend more time with his new wife Hailey Baldwin, a source close to the singer tells PEOPLE.

“He’s happy and content,” says the source. “He is in love with Hailey. She encourages him to do whatever he wants to do, and is encouraging him in this season of self-discovery.”

Bieber, 24, and 21-year-old Baldwin, who wed in a secret ceremony in September, haven’t been shy about their affection for one another since their romance ramped up earlier this year. Photographers have repeatedly snapped them holding hands and swapping smooches in public.

But this year hasn’t been absent of sad moments for Bieber. He has been photographed visibly upset on multiple occasions, and a source close to the singer previously told PEOPLE that the pop star feels empty sometimes, even though his life is full with plenty to be grateful for.

One thing that isn’t on Bieber’s radar: returning to music anytime soon.

“It actually bugs him when people ask when he’s going back to the studio or on tour,” the insider says. “He has worked for years, and the first time he takes a significant break, everyone’s all, ‘When’s he coming back?’ To Justin, those aren’t just questions — those are demands. For years, everyone has tried to take a piece of him. Just let him be.”

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The insider adds that, “Justin is searching for his purpose right now.”

“He’s thinking, ‘Hey, maybe it’s not music. Maybe there are other things I should be doing.’ So while he’s figuring it out, the last thing he needs is people asking him when he’s going back into the studio,” says the source.

Beyond himself, the musician is hoping to make a positive mark on humanity.

“He truly wants to make the world a better place, and he’s self-aware enough to know that some of his previous choices may not have accomplished that,” the source says. “So he’s working through it, which really should be applauded. It’s a very mature thing to do.”