Justin Bieber has sold over 150 million albums and has received numerous awards and accolades. The singer has won two Grammy Awards and was nominated for 22 others. He was ranked as one of the most influential people in the world by Time magazine and has received several Guinness World Records.
He is a multi-platinum-selling artist with many chart-topping singles, a world tour, and numerous charity efforts. His music has been heard on more than a billion Spotify streams, and he is one of the most followed celebrities on social media with over 200 million followers.
The Canadian singer is also a global ambassador for UNICEF and has supported the fight against AIDS in Africa. He has donated millions of dollars to charity through his Believe Foundation, which he created to help children in need.
Bieber was born in London, Ontario, and raised in Stratford, Canada. He took up the drums, guitar, and piano as a child, showing natural musical talent. His mother Pattie Mallette started recording videos of him singing and posted them on YouTube, and his popularity grew online. In 2007, at age 12, Bieber sang Ne-Yo’s “So Sick” for a local singing competition and was placed second. He later busked shows on the steps of Stratford’s Avon Theatre with a rented guitar during tourist season.
By the end of his teen years, Bieber had found international fame with the release of his debut album My World in 2009. The record spawned four Top 40 hits and made him the youngest solo artist to have four songs enter the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time. He has since released three additional studio albums and earned numerous awards and accolades.
In late 2021, Bieber teamed up with producer Jon Bellion to write the song Ghost, which reached number four on the US Billboard Hot 100. The single featured a mix of traditional and electronic production, with a chorus that evoked nostalgia for Bieber’s early days as an online sensation. The song’s in-depth metaphors and references to love and loss were well received by critics, but he faced backlash from haters who felt that the lyrics were inappropriate.
In March 2021, Bieber visited California State Prison in Los Angeles County with his wife Hailey and pastor Judah Smith to meet with inmates who were unable to see their families because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The visit was organized by Scott Budnick, founder of The Urban Ministry Institute, and the pop star pledged to provide buses for families to attend upcoming visits. He also vowed to help inmates reintegrate into society by working on education and promoting anti-recidivism initiatives.