Justin Drew Bieber is a pop icon. He’s sold over 150 million records worldwide, starred in several popular documentaries, starred and co-starred in a series of blockbuster movies, has an extensive clothing line, and has won numerous awards. He’s also a talented singer who has influenced a wide range of musical genres. He started his career through online discovery, and now he’s one of the world’s most famous entertainers.
He’s been a fixture on the music scene for years, but lately he’s become more than just another teen idol. Unlike teen idols of the past, who faded quietly and were remembered only by a few hardcore fans, Bieber is now at a point where he can’t vanish gracefully. He’s a household name with 30 million followers on Twitter, a multiplatinum album, a massive tour schedule and the highest-paid actor in Hollywood.
Until recently, Bieber lived in the small Canadian town of Stratford, Ontario (population 30,000), and played hockey and soccer. He taught himself piano, guitar and trumpet, took drum lessons and yowled pop tunes as he brushed his teeth. His mother, Pattie Mallette, prayed that God would use her son as a modern Prophet Samuel for his generation and envisioned him leading a youth choir or singing on a Christian label. So when Atlanta-based hip-hop manager Scooter Braun called nearly two years ago, Mallette was confused.
Braun was impressed by the 13-year-old’s YouTube videos, which featured him covering Usher and Chris Brown songs. He helped Bieber secure a deal with Island Records, and the young singer quickly exploded onto the international stage.
His 2009 debut album, My World, debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200. Bieber’s head-bobbing, R & B-tinged music sparked a global fan frenzy that has only accelerated as he’s grown into a man.
In the years since, he’s become the first male solo artist to have seven number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 and the youngest person ever to reach the milestone. He’s branched out on several collaborations, including a remix of Luis Fonsi’s “Despacito,” which spent 16 weeks at the top of the chart and was named the greatest Latin song of all time by Billboard.
Last month, Bieber was promoting his new song, “Umbrella,” with a radio interview at a Providence, Rhode Island, radio station and a meet-and-greet session for 50 girls in a small hall at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel, the venue for that night’s concert. Pale with fatigue, the adolescent tried to affect a streetwise jauntiness as he chatted with the disc jockey and praised the wonders of Madison Square Garden. But when the interview turned to a question about whether he preferred arenas to smaller venues, he stumbled on his answer.