Justin Bieber is one of the most popular pop singers in the world. His music has sold millions of albums and he is a global phenomenon who sells out arenas on his tours. He is also a charitable activist and has worked on projects for children in need. But there was a time when Bieber was not as well-loved or understood.
It’s easy to forget that not too long ago, the world was a different place for this small town Canadian boy. In a very short amount of time, Bieber went from living with his mother and grandmother in a small Ontario town to being the biggest pop star on the planet. It’s a crazy ride that would be hard to endure for most people, but for someone who struggled with fame and infamy as a young teenager, it was devastating.
When Justin Bieber was 12 years old, he came second in a local singing competition in his hometown of Stratford, Ontario. He started posting videos of himself singing on YouTube, and by the time he was 14, he had a huge following. His mother, Pattie, encouraged her son to pursue his dream of becoming a pop star.
He moved to the US and was scouted by manager Scooter Braun, who took him on a string of high-profile gigs including performing for President Obama at the White House for Christmas in 2010. The album My World 2.0 followed soon after, and reached number one in Canada, the US, UK and Australia. It also spawned multiple hit singles such as “Baby,” “One Less Lonely Girl” and “What Do You Mean?”
But the success was short-lived. The squeaky clean image that made Bieber such a beloved idol quickly tarnished. During this time, he was involved in several controversies and was criticized for everything from fighting with his neighbor to going into a museum dedicated to Anne Frank and yelling “F— Bill Clinton,” all while wearing a shirt bearing the former president’s face.
Bieber reemerged in 2015 with Purpose, an album that was as notable for the way it found his silky croon nestled inside the spare, giddy beats of tropical house as it was for the spiritual searching outlined in its lyrics. After taking some time to, as he put it in a 2013 email to USA Today, “find my sound as an adult,” it seemed like Bieber was on a mission not just to find himself but also to define his place in the world.
Since then, he has released a host of hits and collaborations. He has earned Grammy awards both as a solo artist and in collaboration with artists such as Big Sean, Nicki Minaj, Skrillex, Diplo, Daniel Caesar, Dan + Shay, Ariana Grande and Halsey. He’s even tried his hand at country music, with the result being a chart-topping song with Rascal Flatts called “10,000 Hours.” And he continues to perform live, attracting crowds that are almost as large as his social media following.