The pop music world is ephemeral at best, and tricky for even the most successful artists to navigate. It becomes even more treacherous for a young singer with a teen fan base to maintain when those fans grow up and move on. Justin Bieber has spent the better part of his career navigating this minefield, and while he’s certainly had his share of controversies—from a paternity suit in November 2011 to an attempted kidnapping in February 2013—the excessive media focus on his questionable behaviour distracts from his evolution as a serious creative artist.
Bieber’s musical style has flirted with straight-ahead R&B since he started his career as a preteen squealing out covers on YouTube. But on his first major label album, Changes, he finally stakes his claim, honing a vocal approach that’s soothing and tender although maybe slightly tentative, a middle ground between comfort and reluctance.
As a result, the album’s songs come across as confident and assured without feeling like a calculated bid to please. It’s a sophisticated, mature record that is also deeply felt, and it proves that Bieber hasn’t lost his ability to connect with an audience.
Throughout his career, Bieber has highlighted social injustice around the world (like the human toll of war and in earthquake-torn Haiti and post-Katrina New Orleans) as well as visited hospitalized children and soldiers in active duty. He has also been a strong supporter of women’s rights, including abortion—he posted in 2022 that “for what it’s worth, I think women should have the choice to do whatever they want with their bodies”—and immigration, calling for Trump to “also let those kids out of cages” in 2019.
Bieber married Hailey Baldwin in September 2019 and the couple welcomed their first child, Jack, in June 2020. He has since shared photos and footage of their wedding as well as the birth of their son on social media.
He has also appeared on a number of popular TV shows such as The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Saturday Night Live, and the Ellen DeGeneres Show. He has also performed for President Obama at the White House Christmas special.
Bieber was born in London, Ontario, to Pattie Mallette and Jeremy Bieber. He has French-Canadian, Irish, German, and English ancestry. He has three younger half-siblings through his father. He grew up in low-income housing in Stratford, Ontario, with his mother, who worked a series of office jobs. At an early age, he showed a facility for music and taught himself to play drums, piano, and guitar. He has also been an amateur actor and dancer. Bieber has been a spokesperson for various charities and causes, raising money for cancer research and working with children’s literacy programs. In 2012, he became a Global Ambassador for UNICEF. He has also participated in charity work in Africa, the US, and his native Canada. He is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He is an advocate for anti-bullying campaigns, as well as LGBT rights and mental health issues.