Justin Bieber
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"Bieber" redirects here. For other uses, see Bieber (disambiguation).
Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber in Rosemont, Illinois (2015).jpg
Bieber in 2015
Born Justin Drew Bieber
March 1, 1994 (age 23)
London, Ontario, Canada
Occupation
Singer songwriter
Years active 2007–present
Home town Stratford, Ontario, Canada
Parent(s) Patricia Mallette
Jeremy Jack Bieber
Musical career
Genres
Pop R&B
Instruments
Vocals drums guitar[1]
Labels
Island Teen Island RBMG School Boy Def Jam
Associated acts
Carly Rae Jepsen Big Sean Diplo Lil Twist Skrillex Travis Scott Usher
Website justinbiebermusic.com
Justin Drew Bieber (/ˈbiːbər/; born March 1, 1994)[2][3] is a Canadian singer and songwriter. After a talent manager discovered him through his YouTube videos covering songs in 2008 and signed to RBMG, Bieber released his debut EP, My World, in late 2009. It was certified platinum in the U.S.[4] He became the first artist to have seven songs from a debut record chart on the Billboard Hot 100.[5] Bieber released his first full-length studio album, My World 2.0, in 2010. It debuted at or near number one in several countries, was certified triple platinum in the U.S.,[4] and contained his single "Baby".
Following his debut album, he had his first headlining tour, the My World Tour, released the remix albums My Worlds Acoustic and Never Say Never – The Remixes—and the 3D biopic-concert film Justin Bieber: Never Say Never. He released his second studio album, Under the Mistletoe, in November 2011, when it debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. Bieber released his third studio album, Believe, in 2012. Its single "Boyfriend" reached number one in Canada. His fourth studio album Purpose was released in November 2015, spawning three number one singles: "What Do You Mean?", "Sorry", and "Love Yourself". Following the release of Purpose, Bieber was featured on several successful collaborations, including "Cold Water", "Let Me Love You", "Despacito (Remix)", and "I'm the One". His U.S. album and singles sales total 44.7 million.[4][6] He has sold an estimated 140 million records, making him one of the world’s best-selling music artists.[7] He also became the second person to reach 100 million followers on Twitter in late August 2017 (Katy Perry was the first).
Bieber has won numerous awards throughout his career, including the American Music Award for Artist of the Year in 2010 and 2012, a Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording for the song "Where Are Ü Now" at the 2016 ceremony, and a Latin Grammy Award for Best Urban Fusion/Performance for the remix of Despacito at the 2017 ceremony.[8] He has been listed four times by Forbes magazine among the top ten most powerful celebrities in the world, in 2011, 2012, and 2013.[9] In 2016, Bieber became the first artist to surpass 10 billion total video views on Vevo.[10]
Contents [hide]
1 Early life
2 Career
2.1 2008–2010: Career beginnings and My World
2.2 2010–2011: My World 2.0 and Never Say Never
2.3 2011–2015: Believe, Journals, and other appearances
2.4 2015–present: Purpose and collaborations
3 Artistry
3.1 Musical style
3.2 Influences
3.3 Voice
4 Business ventures and endorsements
5 Public image
5.1 General
5.2 YouTube and Twitter
6 Personal life
6.1 Beliefs and relationships
6.2 Philanthropy
6.3 Legal issues and controversies
7 Achievements
8 Discography
9 Filmography
10 Tours
11 See also
12 References
13 Further reading
14 External links
Early life
Bieber was born on March 1, 1994, in London, Ontario, at St Joseph's Hospital,[11] and was raised in Stratford, Ontario.[12] He is the only child of Jeremy Jack Bieber and Patricia "Pattie" Mallette. Bieber's parents were never married.[13] Pattie, who was underaged at the time of giving birth, raised her son with the help of her mother, Diane, and stepfather, Bruce.[14] His mother is of French-Canadian descent; his paternal great-grandfather was of German ancestry, and his other roots are English, Scottish and Irish.[15][16][17] He has also claimed that he has some undetermined Aboriginal Canadian ancestry.[18]
Through Jeremy, Bieber has two younger half-siblings, Jazmyn (born 2009) and Jaxon (born 2010).[19] Pattie worked a series of low-paying office jobs, raising Bieber as a single mother in low-income housing. Bieber has maintained contact with his father.[20]
Bieber attended a French-language immersion elementary school in Stratford, the Jeanne Sauvé Catholic School.[14] Growing up, he learned to play the piano, drums, guitar, and trumpet.[12][21] He graduated from high school in Stratford, Ontario, the St. Michael Catholic Secondary School in 2012[22] with a 4.0 GPA.[23] In early 2007, aged 12, Bieber sang Ne-Yo's "So Sick" for a local singing competition in Stratford and was placed second.[21][24] Mallette posted a video of the performance on YouTube for their family and friends to see. She continued to upload videos of Bieber singing covers of various R&B songs, and Bieber's popularity on the site grew.[25]
Career
2008–2010: Career beginnings and My World
Main article: My World
When searching for videos of a different singer, Scooter Braun, a former marketing executive of So So Def Recordings, clicked on one of Bieber's 2007 videos by accident.[20] Impressed, Braun tracked down the theatre that Bieber was performing in, located Bieber's school, and finally contacted Mallette, who was reluctant because of Braun's Judaism. She remembered praying, "God, I gave him to you. You could send me a Christian man, a Christian label!", and, "God, you don't want this Jewish kid to be Justin's man, do you?" However, church elders convinced her to let Bieber go with Braun. At 13, Bieber went to Atlanta, Georgia, with Braun to record demo tapes.[20] Bieber began singing for Usher one week later.[26]
Bieber in 2010, displaying his earlier haircut.
Bieber was soon signed to Raymond Braun Media Group (RBMG), a joint venture between Braun and Usher.[27] Justin Timberlake was also reportedly in the running to sign Bieber but lost the bidding war to Usher.[27][28] Usher then sought assistance in finding a label home for the artist from then manager Chris Hicks, who helped engineer an audition with his contact L.A. Reid of The Island Def Jam Music Group.[29] Reid signed Bieber to Island Records in October 2008 (resulting in a joint venture between RBMG and Island Records) and appointed Hicks as executive Vice-President of Def Jam, where he could manage Bieber's career at the label.[1][25][27][29] Bieber then moved to Atlanta with his mother to pursue further work with Braun and Usher.[27] Braun became Bieber's manager in 2008.[25]
Bieber's first single, "One Time", was released to radio while Bieber was still recording his debut album.[30] The song reached number 12 on the Canadian Hot 100 during its first week of release in July 2009[25] and later peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100. During fall 2009, it had success in international markets.[31] The song was certified platinum in Canada and the US and gold in Australia and New Zealand.[32][33][34] His first release, an extended play entitled My World, was released on November 17, 2009. The album's second single, "One Less Lonely Girl", and two promo singles, "Love Me" and "Favorite Girl", were released exclusively on the iTunes Store and charted within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100.[31]
"One Less Lonely Girl" was later also released to radio and peaked within the top 20 in Canada and the US, and was certified gold in the latter.[31] My World was eventually certified platinum in the US and double platinum in both Canada and the United Kingdom.[35][36] To promote the album, Bieber performed on several live shows such as mtvU's VMA 09 Tour, European program The Dome, YTV's The Next Star, The Today Show,[37][38] The Wendy Williams Show, Lopez Tonight, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, It's On with Alexa Chung, Good Morning America, Chelsea Lately, and BET's 106 & Park. Bieber also guest starred in an episode of True Jackson, VP in late 2009.[39]
Bieber performed Ron Miller and Bryan Wells's "Someday at Christmas" for US President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama at the White House for Christmas in Washington, which aired on December 20, 2009, on US television broadcaster TNT.[40] Bieber was also one of the performers for Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest, on December 31, 2009.[41] Bieber was a presenter at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards on January 31, 2010. He was invited to be a vocalist for the remake of "We Are the World" (a song written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie) for its 25th anniversary to benefit Haiti after the earthquake. Bieber sings the opening line, which was sung by Lionel Richie in the original version.[42]
On March 12, 2010, a version of K'naan's "Wavin' Flag", recorded by a collective of Canadian musicians known as Young Artists for Haiti, was released. Bieber is featured in the song, performing the closing lines.[43]
2010–2011: My World 2.0 and Never Say Never
Main articles: My World 2.0 and Never Say Never
In January 2010, "Baby", was released from his debut album, My World 2.0. The song featured Ludacris, and became an international hit. It charted at number five on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaked at number three on the Canadian Hot 100[44] and reached the top ten in several international markets.[31] Two promo singles "Never Let You Go", and "U Smile" were top thirty hits on the US Hot 100, and top twenty hits in Canada.[31] According to review aggregator Metacritic, the album has received generally favourable reviews.[45] It debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, making Bieber the youngest solo male act to top the chart since Stevie Wonder in 1963.[46] My World 2.0 also debuted at number one on the Canadian Albums Chart, Irish Albums Chart, Australian Albums Chart, and the New Zealand Albums Chart[31] and reached the top ten of fifteen other countries.[47][48]
To promote the album, Bieber appeared on several live programs including The View, the 2010 Kids' Choice Awards, Nightline, Late Show with David Letterman, The Dome and 106 & Park.[49] Sean Kingston appeared on the album's next single, "Eenie Meenie". The song reached the top ten in the United Kingdom and Australia, and the top-twenty of most other markets. On April 10, 2010, Bieber was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live.[50] On July 4, 2010, Bieber performed at the Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular in New York City.[51] The following single from My World 2.0, "Somebody to Love", was released in April 2010, and a remix was released featuring Bieber's mentor Usher. On June 23, 2010, Bieber went on his first official headlining tour, the My World Tour, starting in Hartford, Connecticut, to promote My World and My World 2.0. In July 2010, it was reported that Bieber was the most searched for celebrity on the Internet.[52] That same month his music video for "Baby", surpassed Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" to become the most viewed, and also the most disliked YouTube video ever.[53][54] However, Taylor Swift's Blank Space surpassed its number of views in 2015.[55] In September 2010, it was reported that Bieber accounted for three per cent of all traffic on Twitter, according to an employee of the social-networking site.[56]
Bieber performing in Jakarta during his My World Tour
In Bieber's second album, because of puberty, his voice was deeper than it was in his first album.[57] In April 2010, the singer discussing his vocals remarked, "It cracks. Like every teenage boy, I'm dealing with it and I have the best vocal coach in the world. [...] Some of the notes I hit on "Baby" I can't hit any more. We have to lower the key when I sing live."[58] Bieber guest-starred in the season premiere of the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, which aired on September 23, 2010. He played a "troubled teen who is faced with a difficult decision regarding his only brother", who is also a serial bomber. Bieber was also in a subsequent episode which aired on February 17, 2011, in which his character is killed.[59] Bieber performed a medley of "U Smile", "Baby", and "Somebody to Love" and briefly played the drums at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards on September 12, 2010.[60] Bieber announced in October 2010 that he would be releasing an acoustic album, called My Worlds Acoustic.[61] It was released on November 26, 2010 in the United States and featured acoustic versions of songs from his previous albums, and accompanied the release of a new song titled "Pray".[62] In 2012, he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.
A 3-D part-biopic, part-concert film starring Bieber entitled Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, was released on February 11, 2011, directed by Step Up 3D director Jon Chu. It topped the box office with an estimated gross of $12.4 million on its opening day from 3,105 theatres.[63] It grossed $30.3 million for the weekend and was narrowly beaten by the romantic comedy Just Go with It, which grossed $31 million.[64] Never Say Never reportedly exceeded industry expectations, nearly matching the $31.1 million grossed by Miley Cyrus's 2008 3-D concert film, Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert, which holds the record for the top debut for a music-documentary.[65] Never Say Never grossed a total of $98,441,954 worldwide.[66] The film is accompanied by his second remix album, Never Say Never – The Remixes, released February 14, 2011, and features remixes of songs from his debut album, with guest appearances from Miley Cyrus, Chris Brown, and Kanye West, among others.[67] In June 2011, Bieber was ranked No. 2 on the Forbes list of Best-Paid Celebrities under 30. He is the youngest star, and 1 of 7 musicians on the list, having raked in $53 million in a 12-month period.[68] On November 1, 2011, Bieber released the Christmas-themed Under the Mistletoe, his second studio album. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, selling 210,000 copies in its first week of release.[69]
2011–2015: Believe, Journals, and other appearances
Main articles: Believe and Journals
In late 2011, Bieber began recording his third studio album, entitled Believe. The following week, Bieber appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show to announce that the first single would be called "Boyfriend" and would be released on March 26, 2012.[70] The song debuted at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, selling a total of 521,000 digital units, the second-highest-ever debut digital sales week.[71] Bill Werde of Billboard noted that it failed to debut at number one because the digital download of the track was available only through iTunes Store, "restricting the buying option for those that do not frequent the Apple retail store".[72] "Boyfriend" became Bieber's first single ever to reach the top position on the Canadian Hot 100 by debuting at number one and staying on for one week.[71]
Bieber performing during his Believe Tour in October 2012.
His third studio album, Believe was released on June 19, 2012, by Island Records. The album marks a musical departure from the teen pop sound of his previous releases, and incorporates elements of dance-pop and R&B genres.[73] Intent on developing a more "mature" sound, Bieber collaborated with a wide range of urban producers for the release as well as some long-time collaborators, including Darkchild, Hit-Boy, Diplo, and Max Martin. Entertainment Weekly praised Bieber's musical shift, calling the album both a "reinvention and a reintroduction".[74] Rolling Stone noted the deeper voice and more "intense" beats found on the album, although it lampooned one of his euphemisms for newfound sexual maturity ("If you spread your wings, you can fly away with me").[75] Believe debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming his fourth number-one album.[76][77][78] The album sold 57,000 copies in its first week in Canada, debuting atop the Canadian Albums Chart.[79]
The Believe Tour, which further promoted the album, began in September 2012 in Glendale, Arizona.[80] On December 14, 2012, Bieber appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, where he announced plans to release an acoustic album titled Believe Acoustic, which was released on January 29, 2013.[81]
Bieber returned to Saturday Night Live as the host and musical guest on the February 9, 2013 episode. His appearance was panned by critics[82][83] and cast members, including Kate McKinnon, who stated that Bieber was not comfortable with his hosting duties, and Bill Hader, who stated that he did not enjoy the presence of Bieber or his entourage. Hader added that in his eight years on the program, Bieber was the only host who lived up to his reputation.[84][85]
On March 7, 2013, Bieber fainted backstage at London's O2 Arena after complaining of breathing problems throughout his performance and was taken to the hospital.[86] Bieber cancelled his second Lisbon, Portugal concert at the Pavilhão Atlântico, which was to be held on March 12, because of low ticket sales. The concert on March 11 went on.[87] In mid-August 2013, a remixed duet version of Michael Jackson's previously unreleased song "Slave To The Rhythm", featuring Justin Bieber leaked online.[88] In response to criticism over this remix, the MJ Estate had not authorized release of this recording, and has since made attempts to remove the song from as many sites and YouTube channels as possible.[89] Later, a song titled "Twerk" by rapper Lil Twist, featuring Bieber as well as Miley Cyrus, also leaked.[90]
On October 3, 2013, Bieber announced that he would release a new song every Monday for 10 weeks as a lead-up to the film Justin Bieber's Believe, which entered production in May 2012 and was released on December 25, 2013. The film is a follow-up to Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, and Jon M. Chu returned to direct.[91][92][93] The first song of Music Mondays, "Heartbreaker", was released on October 7. The second song, "All That Matters", was released on October 14, followed by "Hold Tight" on October 21, "Recovery" on October 28, "Bad Day" on November 4, and "All Bad" on November 11. The seventh song, "PYD" featuring R. Kelly, was released on November 18; it was followed by "Roller Coaster" on November 25, and "Change Me" on December 2. The final song, "Confident" featuring Chance the Rapper, was released on December 9, 2013. That same day, it was announced that all 10 tracks will be featured on an upcoming collection called Journals. It reportedly featured five additional unreleased songs, a music video for "All That Matters", and a trailer for Believe. Journals was only available for purchase via iTunes for a limited time only: from December 23, 2013, to January 9, 2014. The titles of the five new additional songs are: "One Life", "Backpack" featuring Lil Wayne, "What's Hatinin" featuring Future, "Swap It Out", and "Memphis" featuring Big Sean and Diplo.[94] Bieber released a song titled "Home to Mama" featuring Australian singer Cody Simpson in November 2014.[95]
Because of the disbanding of Universal Music's division, The Island Def Jam Music Group, in April 2014, Bieber and a number of artists were subsequently transferred to a UMG related division Def Jam Recordings, causing Bieber and the other artists to no longer be signed to Island Records.[96][97]
In February 2015, Bieber released a song "Where Are Ü Now", with Jack Ü.[98] In March 2015, Bieber made an appearance in the music video for Carly Rae Jepsen's single "I Really Like You".[99]
In March 2015 Bieber was the featured roastee in Comedy Central's annual roast special.[100] Bieber filmed an episode for the Fox TV reality series Knock Knock Live, and aired before the show was cancelled after two episodes.
2015–present: Purpose and collaborations
Main article: Purpose
On August 28, 2015, Bieber released a new single titled "What Do You Mean?" as the lead single from his fourth studio album Purpose. The song is a blend of teen pop, electronic dance music and acoustic R&B and became Bieber's first number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100.[101] He became the youngest male artist to debut at the top of that chart, earning him a Guinness World Record. On October 23, 2015, Bieber released the album's second single titled "Sorry" as an instant download, with the pre-order of the album on iTunes. The song debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100.[102] After eight non-consecutive weeks at number two, on the week charting January 23, 2016, "Sorry" climbed to the top spot of the chart and became Bieber's second number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100. The third single from Purpose, "Love Yourself" also peaked at number one in the US, making Bieber the first male artist in almost a decade to have three number-ones from an album since Justin Timberlake last did it with his album FutureSex/LoveSounds in 2006/2007. "Company" was announced as the fourth single on March 8, 2016. On February 12, 2016, Bieber's first four albums were released on vinyl for the first time.[103]
Purpose was released on November 13, 2015, and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming Bieber's sixth album to debut at the top of that chart.[104][105] It was the fourth best-selling album of 2015 with worldwide sales of 3.1 million copies.[106] As of June 2016, it had sold 4.5 million copies globally.[107] On November 11, 2015, Bieber announced he will embark on the Purpose Tour. The tour started in Seattle, Washington on March 9, 2016.[108] On July 24, 2017, Bieber canceled the remaining dates of his Purpose Tour "due to unforeseen circumstances."[109][110]
On July 22, 2016, Bieber released a new single with Major Lazer and MØ titled "Cold Water". It debuted at number two, on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Bieber's third number-two debut on the chart, passing Mariah Carey's record to become the artist with the most number-two debuts; he also leads with the most top-two debuts at five.[111] In August 2016, French DJ DJ Snake and Bieber released their collaborative song "Let Me Love You".[112] He appears in the documentary Bodyguards: Secret Lives from the Watchtower.[113]
On April 16, 2017, Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee released a remix for their song "Despacito" featuring Justin Bieber. The song was Justin's first release in 2017 and the first in which he sings in Spanish.[114] The remix boosted the original song to the Hot 100's Top 10, being the first mostly Spanish language top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 since Macarena in 1996.[115] The remix is currently the most viewed song of all time on the popular crowdsourced media knowledge base Genius, with 21.1 million views.[116]
He, along with Quavo, Chance the Rapper, and Lil Wayne provided vocals on DJ Khaled's single "I'm the One", released on April 28, 2017. The song reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.[117] One week later, Despacito topped the charts in the U.S., making the single the first mostly Spanish-language Hot 100 No. 1 in more than 20 years, becoming his fifth number one single and it made Bieber the first artist ever to notch new No. 1s in back-to-back weeks.[118] On June 9, 2017, French DJ David Guetta's single "2U", in which Bieber was featured, was released. The music video to "2U" is Victoria's Secret models lip synching to the song.[119][120][121]
On August 17, 2017, Bieber released the single "Friends" with American record producer and songwriter BloodPop. Songwriters Julia Michaels and Justin Tranter reunited with Bieber to construct the song, just as they helped create his single "Sorry" in 2015 on his studio album Purpose.[122] It is his first single credited as lead artist since "Company", which was released in March 2016.
Artistry
Musical style
Bieber's music is mainly pop, while he also incorporates elements of R&B. Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone asserted that the content of his music was "offering a gentle introduction to the mysteries and heartaches of adolescence: songs flushed with romance but notably free of sex itself."[123] After his hit in 2015 on Jack Ü's track Where R Ü Now, Bieber released the EDM-fueled album Purpose a collaboration with Diplo, DJ Snake and Major Lazer.[124]
Influences
Bieber has cited The Beatles, Boyz II Men, Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake, and Usher as his musical inspirations.[125][126][127] Bieber stated My World 2.0 was influenced by Timberlake.[128]
Voice
Bieber initially began singing with his adolescent voice, before later experiencing pubertal changes, as was evidenced during a performance of "Pray" at the 2011 American Music Awards. Bieber started to receive vocal conditioning from coach Jan Smith. Sean Michaels of The Guardian described it as "the biggest threat to his career" at the time.[129] Jody Rosen commented that Bieber sings with "swing and rhythmic dexterity" on his debut, noting his tone to be "nasal".[123]
In a review of his Purpose album, Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph complimented his "soft, supple and seductive singing".[130] Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian also praised Bieber’s "affectedly breathy voice", but insisted in the same sentence that "the voice soon palls" after listening to the whole album.[131]
Business ventures and endorsements
Bieber endorsed Adidas, beside Derrick Rose and Venus Williams, in 2012.[132] He became the new "face" and "body" of Calvin Klein in early 2015.[133] In June 2015, Bieber teamed up with StarShop, a new shopping app launched by Kevin Harrington.[134] Bieber endorses Beats By Dre, Elizabeth Arden and Best Buy.[135][136]
He has bandwagoned four fragrances as of 2014.[137] He launched his debut fragrance, Someday, in 2011;[137] it grossed more than three million US dollars in sales, at Macy's, in just under three weeks, which industry experts regard as a successful celebrity-led launch.[138] On the heels of that 2011 best-seller, he launched his second fragrance, Girlfriend, in June 2012.[139] His third fragrance, The Key, was launched in July 2013,[140] and his latest fragrance, Justin Bieber Collector's Edition, launched in 2014.
Public image
General
Bieber performing in Zürich, 2011
Usher commented that while he and Bieber were both signed at the same age, "I had the chance to ramp up my success, where this has happened to Bieber abruptly". As a result, Usher, Braun, Bieber's bodyguard, and other adults surrounding Bieber constantly coach him on handling fame and his public image.[20] After signing Bieber, Usher appointed one of his former assistants, Ryan Good, to be Bieber's road manager and stylist. Good, once nicknamed Bieber's "swagger coach", created a "streetwise look" for the singer which consisted of baseball caps, hoodies, dog chains, and flashy sneakers. Amy Kaufman of The Los Angeles Times comments, "Though a product of a middle-class suburban upbringing in Stratford, Ontario, Bieber's manner of dress and speech ('Wassup man, how you doin'?' or 'It's like, you know, whateva' ') suggest he's mimicking his favourite rappers."[141] In 2013, Bieber said that he was "very influenced by black culture", but he neither thought "of it as black or white" nor tried to "act or pose in a certain way". To him, it was "a lifestyle—like a suaveness or a swag".[142] Wax statues of him with his hairstyle from that of his earlier career are on display at the Madame Tussauds wax museums in Amsterdam, London, and New York City.[143]
"He's the only person in humanity who's grown up the way he has -- with smartphones and cameras on him 24/7 ... Another kid can go out and have a good night on the town, and no one gives a crap, but Justin is the most Googled person on the planet -- for four years straight!"
Scooter Braun, Bieber's manager, in 2013[142]
Bieber was often featured in teen magazines, such as Tiger Beat,[20] and has been labelled as a "teen heartthrob".[144] In 2010, he was frequently criticized for looking and sounding younger than his age,[145] and the following year for an androgynous appearance, which had been commonly noted in the media, including his appearance on the cover of LOVE magazine's androgyny issue in 2011.[146] His teen-pop music, image (especially as a heartthrob to young teenage girls), and the media attention he receives have additionally been criticized.[145] He has been a target of Internet bloggers and message board posters, especially users of the Internet message board 4chan and of YouTube.[147] Nick Collins of The Daily Telegraph said that "Bieber's character appears to strike a particularly sour note with his Internet critics" who have questioned his manner of speech, among other things.[145]
YouTube and Twitter
Bieber's early fanbase developed on YouTube and predated the release of his debut album My World.[148] According to Jan Hoffman of The New York Times, part of Bieber's appeal stems from his YouTube channel. Chicago Tribune noted that Bieber's fanbase, "Beliebers", was among the top words of 2010.[149] Long before the November 2009 release of My World, his YouTube videos attracted millions of views.[20] Braun recognized the appeal. Before flying him to Atlanta, Braun wanted to "build him up more on YouTube first" and had Bieber record more home videos for the channel. "I said: 'Justin, sing like there’s no one in the room. But let's not use expensive cameras.' We'll give it to kids, let them do the work, so that they feel like it's theirs", recalled Braun.[20] Bieber continues to upload videos to the same channel and has opened a Twitter account, from which he interacts with fans regularly;[25] his account was reported in November 2010 to have more than six million followers.[150] Bieber surpassed Lady Gaga for having the most followed person on Twitter in January 2013. In early November 2013, Katy Perry surpassed him for having the most followers.[151] As of 2017, Bieber remains the second most followed user of Twitter, while his VEVO channel made him the third most subscribed user of YouTube until by 2018 where it became the second most subscribed user of YouTube. The music video for Bieber's song "Baby" is the most disliked on YouTube, receiving over 7.8 million dislikes since its upload in 2010, as of 2017.[152] Guinness Book of World Records listed "Baby" as the most disliked video on YouTube and on the Internet as of 2013[153] and six of Bieber's music videos (more than any other artist) listed in the top 40 most disliked videos on YouTube.[154] Bieber was frequently a trending topic on Twitter when the feature first launched[155] because his fans frequently discussed him on the network,[156] and he was named the top trending star on Twitter in 2010;[157] Klout gave his account a score of 100.[158][159] In April 2013, the social media analysis company Socialbakers concluded that 16.7 million of Bieber's 37 million Twitter followers are not genuine.[160][161]
Personal life
Beliefs and relationships
Bieber has described himself as a faithful adherent of Christianity, said he communicates with God via prayer, and that "he's the reason I'm here".[162] He reflected his faith in a music video with Brandon Burke, titled "#iPledge", in which he talks about God's forgiveness.[163] He was baptized by Pentecostal Pastor Carl Lentz of Hillsong Church New York, who is a close friend, on January 9, 2014, after a born again experience.[164][165] Many of Bieber's tattoos have religious significance including the medium-sized cross on his chest and a tiny cross under his eye. Bieber also covered up the "Son of God" text tattooed on his abdomen with a large design that features two angels, gothic arches, a skeleton and a serpent.[166][167]
Regarding sexual abstinence, he told music magazine Rolling Stone, "I don't think you should have sex with anyone unless you love them." He added that he does not "believe in abortion", and that it is "like killing a baby." When asked about the case of abortion with regard to rape, however, he said, "I guess I haven't been in that position, so I wouldn't be able to judge that."[168][169] His view on sexual orientation is quoted as "everyone's own decision",[170] and he has contributed to the It Gets Better Project,[171] a non-profit group aiming to prevent suicide among LGBT youth.[172]
As Bieber resides in the United States, he is reported to possess an O-1 visa for temporary resident status, based on "extraordinary ability or achievement" in a field.[173] Bieber has stated that he is not interested in obtaining US citizenship because of his view on America's market-oriented health care system. He has praised Canada as being "the best country in the world" citing its government-run health care system as a model example.[168]
Bieber's father, Jeremy Bieber, is a former carpenter and pro-am mixed martial artist. In March 2014, Rolling Stone characterized Jeremy as having "split with Justin's mom when Justin was a toddler, and wasn't always around afterward. But he has, as of late, accepted a place of honor in his superstar son's entourage".[174]
In December 2010, Bieber began dating Selena Gomez. After separated in November 2012, they reconciled a few weeks later before split up again in January 2013.[175][176][177][178][179] They reconciled for a few months in 2013, in 2014, and in 2015.[180][181]
Philanthropy
Bieber supports Pencils of Promise,[182] a charity founded by Adam Braun, the younger brother of Bieber's manager. The organization builds schools in developing countries, and Bieber became manager for the organization's campaign in Guatemala. He serves as a celebrity spokesman for the organization[183] by running ads for the charity and its campaign "Schools4All".[184][185] He promises to visit schools that donate the most funds to the organization.[186] He takes part in the charity's fund-raising galas and donates parts of the proceeds from his concerts and Someday line of fragrances,[187] and various merchandising to the charity. He also appears in an animal welfare PSA for PETA encouraging people to volunteer at and adopt from animal shelters instead of buying pets from breeders or pet stores.[188] In 2013, Bieber launched his online #GiveBackPhilippines campaign for helping the victims of Typhoon Haiyan and traveled to Philippines after raising $3 million.[189] His work for The Philippines earned him a star on the Walk of Fame Philippines.[190] He also supports Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and Alzheimer's Association.[191][192]
Legal issues and controversies
Bieber after his 2014 arrest in Miami, Florida
Bieber had several run-ins with the law around the world before his first arrest in 2014,[193] including when he was accused of reckless driving in his neighbourhood in 2012, and charged in Brazil with vandalism in 2013.[193][194] One of his neighbours in Calabasas, California, accused Bieber of throwing eggs at his home on January 9, 2014, and causing thousands of dollars of damage.[193][195][196] On January 23, 2014, Bieber was arrested in Miami Beach, Florida, together with singer Khalil on suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI), driving with an over six month expired license, and resisting arrest without violence.[194][197][198] Police said that Bieber told authorities he had consumed alcohol, smoked marijuana, and taken prescription drugs.[193] He has been released from these charges on a $2,500 bond, and lack of evidence beyond reasonable doubt as dictated in the United States court of law.[199] A toxicology report revealed that Bieber had THC (a principal constituent of cannabis) and the anti-anxiety medication Xanax in his system at the time of his arrest.[200][201]
Following Bieber's arrest on the DUI charge, more than 270,000 persons petitioned the White House seeking to have him deported from the United States. Although the number of signatures received was sufficient to require a response under published White House guidelines, the Obama Administration declined substantive comment on the petition.[202] Immigration Law expert Harlan York noted that the likeliness of Bieber being deported was extremely slim. York stated, "About a decade ago, the Supreme Court ruled that driving under the influence, typically, is not a basis to deport someone."[203]
On July 9, 2014, Bieber was charged with one misdemeanour count of vandalism in California for throwing eggs at his Calabasas neighbour's home in January.[196][204][205] Police earlier claimed that they had video footage of him high-fiving friends after the eggs were thrown.[196][206] With him pleading no contest to the charge, the Los Angeles County Superior Court sentenced him on July 9 to pay US$80,900 in restitution, serve two years' probation, complete twelve weeks of anger management, and five days of community service in what the district attorney termed a negotiated settlement. Since then, he has permanently moved to Beverly Hills, California after the incident.[196][204][205]
On August 13, 2014, the January DUI case was settled with a plea bargain pleading guilty to resisting an officer without violence, and a lesser charge of driving without due care and attention. He has been fined with US$500 and sentenced to attend both a 12-hour anger management course, and a program that teaches about the impact of drunken driving on victims. As part of the plea bargain, he has made a US$50,000 contribution to Our Kids, a local children's charity.[207][208]
"I didn't want to come off arrogant or conceited, or basically how I've been acting the past year, year and a half ... although what's happened in the past has happened, I just want to ... be kind and loving and gentle and soft."
Bieber reflects in a video posted in January 2015[209]
On September 1, 2014, Bieber was arrested and charged with assault and dangerous driving near his hometown of Stratford, Ontario after a collision between a minivan and Bieber's all-terrain vehicle on August 29. Ontario police said that he then "engaged in a physical altercation" with an occupant of the minivan. He was released shortly and his lawyer blamed the incident on "the unwelcome presence of paparazzi".[210][211] On September 8, Toronto dropped an assault charge against him originally brought up on January 29 for an incident with a limousine driver in December 2013.[212][213] In November 2014, he was ordered to appear in Argentina within 60 days by a Buenos Aires court to give testimony on an alleged assault on a photographer on November 9, 2013.[214] When he failed to do so, an arrest warrant was issued and two of his bodyguards were released in Argentina in April 2015.[215]
In June 2014, a video emerged of a 15-year-old Bieber telling a joke about black people, which used the word "nigger" multiple times.[216] In the same month, a second video showed a 15-year-old Bieber giggling as he croons his song "One Less Lonely Girl", but parodying the main lyric as "One less lonely nigger", and stating that if he were to kill one, he would be "part of the KKK".[217][218] He apologized the day the latter was released: "Facing my mistakes from years ago has been one of the hardest things I've ever dealt with."[219]
In July 2017, the Chinese government banned Justin Bieber from performing in China. A Chinese Bieber fan reached out to the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture requesting the reason for the ban. The Bureau released a statement, explaining "Justin Bieber is a gifted singer, but he is also a controversial young foreign singer", and "In order to maintain order in the Chinese market and purify the Chinese performance environment, it is not suitable to bring in badly behaved entertainers."[220][221]
Achievements
Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Justin Bieber
Throughout his career, Bieber has sold an estimated 100 million records, making him the best-selling male Canadian artist and one of the world’s best-selling music artists.[222][223] On November 23, 2012, Bieber was presented with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal by the Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper. He was one of 60,000 Canadians to receive the Diamond Jubilee medal that year.[224] In 2013, Bieber received a Diamond award from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) to recognize his single "Baby" as the highest-certified digital song of all time.[225][226] Bieber has earned ten Grammy nominations (including one win),[227][228][229] two Brit awards,[230][231] four NRJ Music Award nominations (including three wins),[232][233][234] thirteen Billboard Music Awards,[235] and numerous fan voted accolades which include eight American Music Awards and[236] twenty Teen Choice Awards.[237] He also has won eighteen MTV Europe Music Awards, which is the most awards received by a single artist to date.[238]
On November 13, 2015, the release of Purpose marked his sixth album to debut at number one. He also became the first artist, since Elvis Presley in 2005, to replace his own song as number one on the UK Singles Chart.[239] As of 2016, Bieber has received fourteen titles in the Guinness World Records, which include eight that were achieved from the success of his album Purpose and was featured in the 2017 Edition. These records included the most streamed track on Spotify in one week, the most streamed album on Spotify in one week, the most simultaneous tracks and most simultaneous new entries on the US Billboard Hot 100 by a solo artist, the first act to occupy all top three positions simultaneously on the UK Singles Chart, the most followers on Twitter by a male, the most viewed music channel on YouTube by an individual, and the most subscribers on YouTube for a musician by a male.[240]