A global icon, Justin Bieber has sold more than 150 million records worldwide and holds the record for most number-one singles by a solo male in the Billboard Hot 100. He also has chart-toppers on multiple other charts, including the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs, Hot Latin Songs, and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
Bieber is known for his genre-melding artistry and global influence on modern-day popular music. He has amassed several Guinness World Records, earning a reputation for being one of the most successful contemporary pop artists.
Born and raised in Canada, he began his musical journey at a young age, influenced by artists such as Usher, Michael Jackson, and Ne-Yo. Bieber’s mother, Pattie Mallette, encouraged his talent and enrolled him in music classes at the local community centre. In 2007, at the age of 12, he competed in a local singing competition in his hometown of Stratford, Ontario, and placed second. His performance caught the attention of Scooter Braun, a talent manager who had just been introduced to Bieber by a mutual friend. Braun quickly made arrangements for Bieber to sign a recording contract with RBMG.
Following his debut extended play, My World (2009), Bieber’s popularity exploded, and he was soon a fixture on the international music scene. The success of his first two studio albums, My World and Purpose — the latter of which earned a Grammy Award for Best Pop Album at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards in 2021 — solidified his status as an emerging superstar.
In addition to his career achievements, he has made numerous charitable donations throughout the course of his life. In March 2011, he donated his hair to Ellen DeGeneres and auctioned it for charity; the proceeds were split between The Ellen DeGeneres Show Foundation and the animal rescue shelter, The Gentle Barn. Bieber was also a founding partner of Charity: Water, a nonprofit that brings clean drinking water to developing countries, and continues to support the organization.
He has also supported various philanthropic causes, including disaster relief efforts in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake and Japan after the 2011 tsunami and earthquake. He has donated tens of thousands of dollars to Whitney Elementary School in Las Vegas, and launched an ongoing campaign on Twitter to encourage students from low-income families to donate.
On the personal side, he is an accomplished motorcycle racer and owns a luxury boutique, Drew House. He has also endorsed a line of perfumes and has a clothing brand, JustBieber. He is a good-looking, charismatic young man with a long list of celebrity friends and has received numerous accolades over the years.
The most recent of these is a partnership with Italian scooter manufacturer Vespa, where he has helped to create a limited edition model of the classic Vespa Sprint named the JustBieber Vespa. The collaboration was announced in 2022, and the collection features a variety of colors, patterns, and accessories. Bieber is an advocate for anti-bullying campaigns, and has been credited with helping to raise awareness of the issue. He has been a spokesperson for the It Gets Better Project and is a UN Ambassador for Kids Helping Kids.