Justin Bieber is one of the biggest pop stars in the world. He’s a Grammy Award winner and has won dozens of other music awards. He’s also an activist for animal rights. He supports PETA and speaks out against animal cruelty. Bieber also helps young artists–he’s the solid person for them that he wishes he had as an artist himself. There’s a moment in a recent documentary about Billie Eilish where she’s completely overwhelmed at a performance by Bieber, and he just stands there, radiating warmth and patience and understanding, until she can continue.
Bieber was born on March 1, 1994 in London, Ontario and raised by his mother in Stratford, Ontario. His interest in music began early, and he learned to play the drums, piano, and guitar by himself. He took second place in a local talent competition at the age of 12. He became known after his mom started recording YouTube videos of him singing and playing, and posted them online. In 2008, Scooter Braun, a talent manager, discovered him on YouTube and offered him a record deal.
As he grew into his teenage years, Bieber’s celebrity overshadowed his musical ambitions. He made a series of unwise romantic decisions with other musicians, and his occasional skirmishes with the law attracted tabloid attention. In 2013, he was criticized for visiting a museum in Amsterdam that paid tribute to Anne Frank and for holding up a picture of former President Barack Obama with the words “F— Bill Clinton.” The following year, he was caught urinating in a janitor’s bucket in a Toronto hotel room. He also caused controversy by remarking that Holocaust victim Anne Frank would have been a Belieber.
In the midst of all this, he was also struggling with depression and anxiety. Then he found two things that brought him back: his marriage and his faith.
He’s been able to keep his music career alive through the use of various social media platforms and a relentless touring schedule. In 2021, he released his fifth studio album, Changes.
On the new record, he stakes a claim with a vocal approach that’s soothing and tender although maybe slightly tentative, a middle ground between comfort and reluctance. The album’s first single, “Yummy,” is a lithe sensual incantation that’s flirty but never pushes the boundaries of his range.
Bieber is the youngest artist to have seven albums reach number one on the Billboard 200, surpassing Elvis Presley’s record of six. He shares the copyright to his songs with his publisher and his record label, which owns a portion of the recordings themselves, which are called master recordings or neighbouring rights. He also sells his share of these rights to investment company Hipgnosis Songs Capital, which manages them to generate income for the singer.