Justin Bieber: A Look at the Life and Career of a Pop Music Phenomenon

 Introduction:

Justin Bieber is a renowned Canadian singer, known for his unique blend of music genres and massive impact on modern pop culture. He was discovered by Scooter Braun, an American record executive, and signed with RBMG Records in 2008. Bieber's debut EP, "My World" (2009), propelled him to fame and established him as a teen heartthrob. His global influence in popular music has earned him widespread recognition.

Justin Bieber has achieved immense commercial success with his music career. His debut studio album, "My World 2.0" (2010), debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, and his single "Baby" featuring Ludacris became one of the best-selling singles of all time in the US. Bieber continued to explore different music genres and produced multiple chart-topping hits, including three US number-one singles from his fourth studio album, "Purpose" (2015).

Despite experiencing controversies and legal issues in 2013-2014, Bieber bounced back and collaborated with other artists to produce hits like "I'm the One" and "Despacito". In 2020, he released his fifth studio album, "Changes", followed by his sixth studio album, "Justice" (2021), which debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200. Bieber is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with numerous accolades and awards, including two Grammy Awards and 33 Guinness World Records.

Early life of Justin Beiber

Justin Drew Bieber, a Canadian singer, was born on March 1, 1994, at St. Joseph's Hospital in London, Ontario. He grew up in Stratford with his single mother, Pattie Mallette, who worked in low-paying office jobs to support him. Bieber's parents split up shortly after his birth, and he was raised by his mother with the help of his grandmother and step-grandfather.

Bieber has French-Canadian, Irish, English, Scottish, and German ancestry. He also has three younger half-siblings, Jazmyn and Jaxon, from his father Jeremy Bieber and ex-girlfriend Erin Wagner, and Bay, from Jeremy's current wife, Chelsey.

Bieber attended a French-language immersion elementary school in Stratford before graduating with a 4.0 GPA from St. Michael Catholic Secondary School in 2012. He learned to play various musical instruments like piano, drums, guitar, and trumpet. At the age of 12, he participated in a local singing competition and sang Ne-Yo's "So Sick" where he placed second. Mallette posted a video of his performance on YouTube, which gained popularity, and she continued to upload videos of Bieber singing R&B covers.

In 2007, Bieber started busking in front of the Avon Theatre steps with a rented guitar during tourism season. This marked the beginning of his musical journey, and he went on to become one of the most successful pop stars in the world.

2008–2009: Career beginnings and My World

Justin Bieber's career began when Scooter Braun, a former marketing executive of So So Def Recordings, stumbled upon one of Bieber's 2007 YouTube videos by accident. Impressed, Braun tracked down Bieber's school, located the theatre he was performing at, and eventually contacted his mother, who was initially reluctant because of Braun's Judaism. However, church elders convinced her to let Bieber go with Braun, and at age 13, Bieber went to Atlanta with Braun to record demo tapes.

Bieber was soon signed to Raymond Braun Media Group (RBMG), a joint venture between Braun and Usher, and then to Island Records in October 2008. Bieber's first single, "One Time", was released to radio while he was still recording his debut album. The song reached number 12 on the Canadian Hot 100 during its first week of release in July 2009 and peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. Bieber's debut extended play titled My World was released on November 17, 2009, and featured the successful single "One Less Lonely Girl". To promote the album, Bieber performed on several live shows and guest starred in an episode of True Jackson, VP in late 2009.

Bieber also performed at the White House for Christmas in Washington and was one of the performers for Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest in December 2009. Bieber's career took off quickly, and he became the first solo artist to have four singles chart in the top 40 of the Hot 100 before the release of a debut album. My World was eventually certified platinum in the US and double platinum in both Canada and the United Kingdom.

2010–2011: My World 2.0, Never Say Never, and Under the Mistletoe

Justin Bieber made several high-profile appearances in 2010, including as a presenter at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards and as a vocalist for the charity single "We Are the World" to benefit Haiti. His hit song "Baby" featuring Ludacris became an international sensation, charting in the top 10 in multiple countries. Bieber's debut album My World 2.0 received generally favorable reviews and debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, as well as the charts in Canada, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. To promote the album, Bieber appeared on various live programs and went on his first official headlining tour, the My World Tour. He also collaborated with Sean Kingston on the single "Eenie Meenie" and with Usher on a remix of "Somebody to Love". In addition, Bieber was the most searched-for celebrity on the internet and his music video for "Baby" became the most viewed and most disliked YouTube video at the time. By September 2010, he accounted for 3% of all traffic on Twitter, according to an employee of the social networking site.

Justin Bieber's second studio album, My World 2.0, showcased his deeper voice due to puberty, and he had to lower the key of some songs when performing live. He guest-starred on the American crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and performed at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards. In November 2010, he released an acoustic album called My Worlds Acoustic featuring new song "Pray." In 2011, his 3-D concert film Justin Bieber: Never Say Never was released and became the highest-grossing concert or performance film globally. He also released his second remix album, Never Say Never – The Remixes, and won his first award in country music for Collaborative Video of the Year. Bieber released a Christmas-themed album called Under the Mistletoe in November 2011, which became the first Christmas album by a male artist to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The album featured his single "Mistletoe," which peaked at number one on the US Billboard Holiday 100 and Holiday Digital Songs charts, and a re-recorded version of Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" with Carey providing vocals on the track.

2012–2014: Believe, Journals, and other appearances

In 2011, Justin Bieber started recording his third studio album, "Believe". The first single from the album, "Boyfriend", was announced by Bieber on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and released on March 26, 2012. Although it debuted at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, it sold a record-breaking 521,000 digital units in its first week. However, it failed to reach number one as it was only available for digital download through the iTunes Store. "Boyfriend" did, however, become Bieber's first single to debut at number one on the Canadian Hot 100.

In addition to "Boyfriend", Bieber was also featured on Far East Movement's "Live My Life", which was released in February 2012 and peaked within the top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100. The first promotional single from "Believe", "Die in Your Arms", was released on May 29, 2012, and the second promotional single, "All Around the World" (featuring Ludacris), followed the next week. The second official single from the album, "As Long as You Love Me" (featuring Big Sean), was released on June 11, 2012, and peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100.

"Believe" marked a departure from Bieber's previous teen pop sound and incorporated elements of dance-pop and R&B genres. The album was praised by Entertainment Weekly as a "reinvention and a reintroduction" and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 57,000 copies in its first week in Canada. Bieber collaborated with a variety of urban producers on the album, including Darkchild, Hit-Boy, Diplo, and Max Martin.

In September 2012, Bieber was featured on Carly Rae Jepsen's "Beautiful", and in October 2012, the third single from "Believe", "Beauty and a Beat" (featuring Nicki Minaj), was released. The music video for "Beauty and a Beat" set a record for the most video views in 24 hours, with 10.6 million views.

In September 2012, Justin Bieber began his Believe Tour to promote his album of the same name. He announced on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in December 2012 that he would release an acoustic album titled Believe Acoustic, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 in January 2013, making Bieber the first artist to have five number-one albums in the US before turning 19. Bieber's appearance on Saturday Night Live in February 2013 as both the host and musical guest was criticized by critics and cast members. In March 2013, he fainted backstage at London's O2 Arena and canceled his Lisbon concert due to low ticket sales. Throughout 2013, Bieber was featured in various songs and music videos, including Maejor Ali's "Lolly" and Madison Beer's "Melodies". In October 2013, he announced that he would release a new song every Monday for 10 weeks as a lead-up to the film Justin Bieber's Believe. The songs were later included in an album called Journals, which was available for purchase via iTunes for a limited time in December 2013 and January 2014. In November 2014, Bieber released a song called "Home to Mama" featuring Cody Simpson, and he was named the top earner under 30 by Forbes magazine that same month. In April 2014, due to the disbanding of Universal Music's division, The Island Def Jam Music Group, Bieber was transferred to Def Jam Recordings, and he was no longer signed to Island Records.

2015–2017: Purpose

In February 2015, Justin Bieber collaborated with Jack Ü for the release of "Where Are Ü Now", which peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned him his first Grammy Award. In March 2015, he appeared in Carly Rae Jepsen's music video for "I Really Like You", was roasted on Comedy Central, and appeared on Lip Sync Battle and Knock Knock Live. Bieber released "What Do You Mean?" as the lead single from his fourth studio album, Purpose, in August 2015. The song debuted at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, making Bieber the youngest solo male artist to achieve this feat and set a Guinness World Record. "Sorry" and "Love Yourself" also became number-one hits in the US, making Bieber the first male artist in almost a decade to have three number-ones from an album since Justin Timberlake. He also became the first solo artist to chart three solo songs in the top five of the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously since the Beatles in 1964. "Love Yourself" topped Billboard's Year-End Hot 100 chart in 2016, followed by "Sorry" at number two. Bieber's first four albums were released on vinyl for the first time on February 12, 2016. On March 8, 2016, "Company" was announced as the fourth single from Purpose.

Justin Bieber's fourth studio album, Purpose, was released on November 13, 2015, and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. The album was the fourth best-selling album of 2015 and had sold 4.5 million copies globally as of June 2016. Bieber announced the Purpose World Tour on November 11, 2015, which started in March 2016. In January 2016, Bieber made history in the UK by becoming the first artist to occupy the entire top three of the UK Singles Chart. Bieber released several successful singles, including "Cold Water," a collaboration with EDM trio Major Lazer and Danish singer MØ, which debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and "Let Me Love You," a collaboration with French DJ DJ Snake that peaked at number four on the same chart. Bieber was also featured on American rapper Post Malone's single "Deja Vu." At the 59th Annual Grammy Awards, Purpose and "Love Yourself" received multiple nominations. Bieber headlined the 2016 iHeartRadio Jingle Ball and gave a closing performance.

2017–2019: Collaborations

Justin Bieber's career continued to flourish in 2017 with his participation in the NHL Celebrity All-Star Game and the release of the record-breaking remix of "Despacito" with Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee. Bieber also collaborated with DJ Khaled, Quavo, Chance the Rapper, and Lil Wayne on the hit single "I'm the One," which debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. He also canceled the remaining dates of his Purpose World Tour due to unforeseen circumstances.

In 2018, Bieber released the single "Friends" with BloodPop and made an appearance at the NBA Celebrity All-Star Game. He continued to collaborate with DJ Khaled, Chance the Rapper, and Quavo on "No Brainer," which peaked in the top five of the Hot 100. In 2019, Bieber made a surprise appearance at the Coachella music festival and teased a return to music with a new album. He also collaborated with Ed Sheeran on "I Don't Care," which became a worldwide hit.

Bieber's collaborations continued with a remix of Billie Eilish's "Bad Guy" and a collaboration with country music duo Dan + Shay on "10,000 Hours," which earned him his second Grammy Award. He also became the youngest solo male artist to spend 200 cumulative weeks in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. Throughout his career, Bieber has achieved a record-breaking number of number-one singles and multi-metric charts, solidifying his status as a pop superstar.

2020–present: Changes, Justice, and Freedom

Justin Bieber has been busy with new releases and collaborations in 2020. He announced his fifth studio album and fourth concert tour, releasing the album's first single "Yummy" on January 3, 2020. He also released a YouTube Originals docu-series called Justin Bieber: Seasons, which broke the record for the most-viewed premiere in its first week. His album Changes was released on February 14 and debuted at number one on the UK and US Billboard 200 charts. In May, he teamed up with Ariana Grande to release the single "Stuck with U" to raise funds for COVID-19 first responders. He also collaborated with Jaden and DJ Khaled and released a single with Chance the Rapper called "Holy". "Lonely", a collaboration with Benny Blanco, was released in October, and he was featured on a remix of 24kGoldn's single "Mood". Bieber and Shawn Mendes also released "Monster" in November.

In 2021, Justin Bieber made several successful releases, including his sixth studio album titled "Justice," which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. The album's lead single, "Peaches," also debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making Bieber the youngest solo artist to have eight number-one albums in the US. He also set records as the first male artist to debut a song and an album simultaneously at number one in the US, and the first male act to have his first six studio albums debut at number one on the Billboard 200 chart.

Bieber also surprised fans with a gospel-inspired EP titled "Freedom," and collaborated with various artists, including DJ Khaled, Migos, and the Kid Laroi. His collaboration with the Kid Laroi, "Stay," became his eighth number-one single in the US, and his 100th career entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Bieber headlined several events and festivals, including the "Freedom Experience" show at SoFi Stadium, the Made in America Festival, the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, and the 2021 Jingle Bell Ball. He also released a remix of Nigerian singer Wizkid's song "Essence" and a cover of Brenda Lee's holiday classic "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree." In addition, he announced the international legs of his upcoming Justice World Tour, which is set to begin in San Diego, California in February 2022.

Bieber's successful year was capped off with 8 nominations at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards for his album "Justice."

In 2022, Justin Bieber made headlines for his achievements in the music industry. He set a record for the most monthly listeners in Spotify history, headlined the "Homecoming Weekend" bash ahead of the Super Bowl, and released several successful singles and collaborations with other artists. In April 2022, he gave a surprise performance at Coachella music festival and released a new single titled "Honest" featuring Don Toliver. Later in 2022, he released an exclusive single for the battle royale game Garena Free Fire.

In January 2023, Bieber sold his music publishing rights and recording catalogue shares to the Blackstone-backed Hipgnosis Songs Fund for over $200 million. Despite being reportedly offered a headlining performance at Coachella 2023, he declined to focus on his upcoming seventh studio album. In February 2023, he was featured on Don Toliver's single "Private Landing" and surprised fans with a performance at Rolling Loud festival.

Public Image

Usher and Justin Bieber were signed at the same age, but Usher had the opportunity to gradually build his success, while Bieber's fame skyrocketed suddenly. To help Bieber navigate his newfound celebrity status, Usher, Braun, Bieber's bodyguard, and other adults provided guidance on managing fame and public image. Usher appointed Ryan Good, one of his former assistants, as Bieber's road manager and stylist. Good created a "streetwise look" for Bieber with baseball caps, hoodies, dog chains, and flashy sneakers. Although Bieber was from a middle-class suburban background, his dress and speech mimicked his favorite rappers. He has been labeled a "teen heartthrob" and often appeared in teen magazines. However, he received criticism for looking and sounding younger than his age and for his androgynous appearance. Additionally, his teen-pop music, image, and media attention have been criticized, and he has been a target of Internet trolls. Nick Collins of The Daily Telegraph noted that Bieber's character strikes a sour note with his Internet critics, who have questioned his manner of speech and other aspects of his persona.

From 2013 to 2014, Justin Bieber's clean-cut image and teen heart-throb status were tainted by various controversial incidents, such as leaving his pet monkey in Germany, urinating in a bucket on video, wearing a gas mask in public, and allegedly assaulting his bodyguard and limo driver. Rolling Stone even labeled him a "Bad Boy" in March 2014. However, after the release of his album Purpose, Bieber's image changed positively, donning bleached blond hair, grunge-inspired clothing, and even kilts. Following his marriage in 2018, his persona continued to evolve, becoming more mature and soft-spoken. Bieber's wax statues with his earlier hairstyle are on display at Madame Tussauds in New York City, London, and Amsterdam. An exhibit on his early career, "Steps to Stardom," opened in his hometown of Stratford, Ontario, in 2018. In 2011, at age 17, Bieber was named one of Time 100's most influential people and ranked number 2 on Forbes' Highest-Paid Celebrities Under 30 list, making it onto the list five more times.

Personal life

Justin Bieber holds an O-1 visa for temporary resident status based on his "extraordinary ability or achievement" in the entertainment industry. Although he resides in the US, Bieber has expressed his admiration for Canada, calling it the "best country in the world" and praising its government-funded healthcare system. However, in 2018, he reportedly began the process of becoming an American citizen after marrying Hailey Baldwin. The pop star owns a $25.8 million home in Beverly Hills and a lakeside property in Ontario.

Legacy

Justin Bieber has been a prominent figure in pop music for over a decade, earning him titles such as "Prince of Pop" and "King of Teen Pop." He has won numerous awards, including the MTV Award for Best New Artist in 2010 and the MTV Award for Artist of the Year in 2021. Bieber is considered a pop icon and an important figure in bridging music and social media. He has been described as "one of the most prominent" cultural icons of our time and "one of the world's most successful artists of all time." According to Rolling Stone India, Bieber is "one of the most captivating artists of the century."

According to an article by The Guardian, social media has revolutionized the music industry and changed the career path for aspiring artists. Platforms such as MySpace and YouTube have made it easier for musicians to reach a wider audience and promote themselves. Justin Bieber's success as an artist, producer, and promoter through social media is cited as an example of how independent artists can achieve success in the industry.

At the age of 15, Justin Bieber gained immediate popularity after the release of his 2009 singles "One Time" and "One Less Lonely Girl". He appeared on popular TV shows like The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Wendy Williams Show, and Good Morning America. He soon amassed a global fandom known as "beliebers", and his popularity was labeled "Bieber Fever", with fan frenzies taking place in various countries. His intense fandom was compared to "Beatlemania" and likened to the adoration that Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley received in their respective eras. Billie Eilish's mother revealed in 2020 that her daughter was almost sent to therapy due to her "obsession" with Bieber. At the time, Bieber's signature wings hairstyle drew comparisons to the Beatles' mop top hairstyle.

Despite his transition from a teenage pop star to a young adult, Justin Bieber has maintained his global popularity and received increased artistic recognition. Bieber is considered an "Internet icon" and one of the most successful pop singers of recent years. His album "Purpose" is compared to Madonna's "Ray of Light", Alanis Morissette's "Jagged Little Pill", and Justin Timberlake's "FutureSex/LoveSounds", proving Bieber's status as a serious creative artist. Bieber's success in various genres, including R&B, electronic dance, hip hop, and Latin, has earned him the label of an "unstoppable force in music". Bieber's work has also influenced many recording artists, including Shawn Mendes, Why Don't We, Johnny Orlando, and Niall Horan. Singers Dua Lipa and Charlie Puth have cited Bieber's discovery on YouTube as an inspiration for their own music careers.

Achievements

He was discovered on YouTube in 2008 by talent manager Scooter Braun and signed to RBMG Records in 2009. Bieber has since become one of the best-selling music artists of all time, selling an estimated 150 million records worldwide.

Some of his achievements include receiving a star in front of Avon Theater in Stratford, Ontario, Canada, where he used to busk when he was younger; being presented with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012; receiving numerous awards, including two Grammy Awards out of 23 nominations, one Latin Grammy Award, eight Juno Awards, two Brit Awards, 26 Billboard Music Awards, 20 ASCAP Awards, and numerous fan-voted accolades; and setting multiple Guinness World Records, including the most streamed track on Spotify in one week and the most simultaneous tracks on the US Billboard Hot 100 by a solo artist, among others.

Bieber has also attained notable success on numerous Billboard charts, including the US Billboard Hot 100, where eight of his singles have topped the chart. He has set several records on this chart, including being the first artist in history to chart new number-one singles in consecutive weeks and the youngest male soloist to debut at number one in the US. His hit single "Despacito" has spent the most weeks at number one (56) on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs Chart and is ranked as the greatest Latin song of all time by Billboard.

Top 5 albums of Justin Beiber 

"Purpose" (2015) - This album received critical acclaim and includes hit singles like "Sorry" and "Love Yourself".

"My World 2.0" (2010) - Bieber's second studio album, which features popular songs like "Baby" and "Somebody to Love".

"Believe" (2012) - This album features collaborations with artists like Nicki Minaj and Drake, and includes hit songs like "Beauty and a Beat" and "As Long as You Love Me".

"Changes" (2020) - Bieber's fifth studio album, which explores themes of love and marriage, and includes hit songs like "Yummy" and "Intentions".

"Journals" (2013) - This album was released as a digital-only collection of songs and includes collaborations with artists like Chance the Rapper and Lil Wayne. It features popular songs like "Heartbreaker" and "All That Matters".