Hubbry Logo
search
logo
74

Justin Bieber

logo
Community Hub0 Subscribers
Read side by side
from Wikipedia

Justin Drew Bieber (/ˈbbər/ BEE-bər; born March 1, 1994)[1][2] is a Canadian singer. Regarded as an influential figure in popular music, he is known for his multi-genre musical performances.[3][4] His debut extended play, My World (2009), was met with international recognition and established him as a teen idol.

Key Information

Bieber rose to mainstream fame with his debut album, My World 2.0 (2010), which topped the US Billboard 200 — making him the youngest solo male to do so in 47 years.[5] Its lead single, "Baby" (featuring Ludacris), became one of the best selling singles in the U.S.[6] His second album, Under the Mistletoe (2011), became the first Christmas album by a male artist to debut atop chart.[7] Bieber explored dance-pop on his third album, Believe (2012); its acoustic re-release made him the first artist in Billboard history to have five US number-one albums by the age of 18.[8]

Bieber explored EDM with his 2015 single "Where Are Ü Now", which won the Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Recording.[9][10] This influenced his fourth album, Purpose (2015), which yielded the singles "Love Yourself", "Sorry", and "What Do You Mean?" — all three peaked the Billboard Hot 100, and simultaneously entered the top three spots on the UK singles chart — making him the first musical act to do so in the chart's history. Two of his 2017 guest appearances — on DJ Khaled's "I'm the One" and Luis Fonsi's "Despacito" — peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100, with the latter winning him a Latin Grammy Award.

His fifth and sixth albums, Changes (2020) and Justice (2021), both topped the Billboard 200; the latter included his seventh US-number one single "Peaches" and made him break Elvis Presley's 1965 record for the youngest solo act to have eight US number-one albums. Also in 2021, he released his eighth US number-one single, "Stay" (with the Kid Laroi). Bieber's seventh and eight album, Swag and Swag II, were released in 2025.

Bieber is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with over 150 million units sold worldwide and five diamond certifications from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[11] His accolades include two Grammy Awards, one Latin Grammy Award, eight Juno Awards, two Brit Awards, 26 Billboard Music Awards, 18 American Music Awards, and 22 MTV Europe Music Awards (the most wins for any artist). Time named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2011, and Forbes' listed him among the top ten most powerful celebrities from 2011 to 2013.[12] Billboard ranked him the eighth-greatest pop star of the 21st century.

Early life

[edit]

Justin Drew Bieber was born on March 1, 1994, at St. Joseph's Hospital in London, Ontario,[13] and was raised in Stratford.[14] His parents Jeremy Jack Bieber and Pattie Mallette were both 18 when Bieber was born and split up not long after his birth.[15] Pattie worked a series of low-paying office jobs, raising Bieber as a single mother in low-income housing. Mallette's mother Diane and stepfather Bruce helped her raise Bieber.[16] Bieber has maintained contact with his father.[17] Bieber's ancestry includes French, Irish, English, Scottish and German.[18][19][20]

Bieber has three younger half-siblings; the four have the same father, Jeremy Bieber. Jeremy Bieber and his ex-girlfriend, Erin Wagner,[21] who broke up in 2014 after seven years together, have two children, daughter Jazmyn and son Jaxon.[22] Jeremy married his girlfriend Chelsey in February 2018, and they have a daughter named Bay.[23][24] Bieber also has a stepsister named Allie, the daughter of his stepmother.[25] Bieber attended two French-language immersion elementary schools in Stratford, Jeanne Sauvé Catholic School[16] and Bedford Public School. In grades 7 and 8, he attended Stratford Northwestern. Former teacher, Kim Booker often recalled fond memories of Bieber as her student, and is featured in several interviews. He attended Stratford's St. Michael Catholic Secondary School, and graduated in 2012[26] with a 4.0 GPA.[27]

Growing up, he learned to play the piano, drums, guitar, and trumpet.[14][28] In early 2007, aged 12, Bieber performed Ne-Yo's "So Sick" for a local singing competition in Stratford, in which he placed second.[28][29] Mallette posted a video of the performance on YouTube for their family and friends to see. She continued to upload videos of Bieber singing covers of various R&B songs, and Bieber's popularity on the site grew.[30] In the same year, Bieber busked shows in front of the Avon Theatre steps with a rented guitar during tourism season.[31]

Career

[edit]

2007–2009: Career beginnings and My World

[edit]
Bieber at a signing event in 2009

While searching for videos of a different singer, Scooter Braun, a former marketing executive of So So Def Recordings, clicked on one of Bieber's 2007 YouTube videos by accident, where he was covering Ne-Yo's "So Sick".[17][32] Impressed, Braun tracked down Bieber's school, the theatre Bieber was performing at, and finally contacted his mother Mallette, who was initially reluctant because of Braun's Judaism. She remembered praying, "God, I gave him to you. You could send me a Christian man, a Christian label!", and, "God, you don't want this Jewish kid to be Justin's man, do you?" However, church elders convinced her to let Bieber go with Braun. At age 13, Bieber went to Atlanta, Georgia, with Braun to record demo tapes.[17] Bieber began singing for Usher one week later.[33] Bieber soon signed with Raymond Braun Media Group (RBMG), a joint venture between Braun and Usher.[34] Justin Timberlake was reportedly also in the running to sign Bieber but lost the bidding war to Usher, partly due to the idea that two associated singers of the same name would confuse the market.[34][35]

Usher then sought assistance in finding a label home for the artist from then manager Chris Hicks, who helped engineer an audition with his contact L.A. Reid of the Island Def Jam Music Group.[36] Reid signed Bieber to Island Records in October 2008 (resulting in a joint venture between RBMG and Island Records) and appointed Hicks as executive vice-president of Def Jam, where he could manage Bieber's career at the label.[37][30][34][36] Bieber then moved to Atlanta with his mother to pursue further work with Braun and Usher.[34] Braun became Bieber's manager in 2008.[30]

Bieber's first single, "One Time", was released to radio while Bieber was still recording his debut album.[38] The song reached number 12 on the Canadian Hot 100 during its first week of release in July 2009,[30] and peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. During fall 2009, it had success in international markets.[39] The song was certified platinum in Canada and the US and gold in Australia and New Zealand.[40][41][42] His first release, an extended play titled My World, was released on November 17, 2009. The album's second single, "One Less Lonely Girl", and two promotional singles, "Love Me" and "Favorite Girl", were released exclusively on the iTunes Store and charted within the top 40 of the US Billboard Hot 100.[39] As a result, he became the first solo artist to have four singles chart in the top 40 of the Hot 100 before the release of a debut album.[43]

"One Less Lonely Girl" was later also released to radio and peaked within the top 20 in Canada and the US, and was certified gold in the latter.[39] Following the release of My World, Bieber became the first artist to have seven songs from a debut album chart on the Billboard Hot 100.[44] My World was eventually certified platinum in the US and double platinum in both Canada and the United Kingdom.[45][46][47] To promote the album, Bieber performed on several live shows such as mtvU's VMA 09 Tour, European program The Dome, YTV's The Next Star, The Today Show,[48][49] The Wendy Williams Show, Lopez Tonight, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, It's On with Alexa Chung, Good Morning America, Chelsea Lately, and BET's 106 & Park. Bieber also guest starred in an episode of True Jackson, VP in late 2009.[50] Bieber performed Ron Miller and Bryan Wells's "Someday at Christmas" for US president Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House for Christmas in Washington, which aired on December 20, 2009, on US television broadcaster TNT.[51]

2010–2011: My World 2.0, Never Say Never, and Under the Mistletoe

[edit]
Bieber performing at the 2010 White House Easter Egg Roll

Bieber was a presenter at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards on January 31, 2010. He was invited to be a vocalist for the remake of the charity single "We Are the World" for its 25th anniversary to benefit Haiti after the earthquake. Bieber sings the opening line, which was sung by Lionel Richie in the original version.[52] On March 12, 2010, a version of K'naan's "Wavin' Flag", recorded by a collective of Canadian musicians known as Young Artists for Haiti, was released. Bieber is featured in the song, performing the closing lines.[53]

In January 2010, "Baby" was released from his debut album, My World 2.0. The song featured Ludacris, and became an international hit. It charted at number five on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaked at number three on the Canadian Hot 100[54] and reached the top ten in several international markets.[39] Promo singles, "Never Let You Go" and "U Smile", were top 30 hits on the US Hot 100, and top 20 hits in Canada.[39] The album has received generally favourable reviews.[55] It debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, making Bieber the youngest solo male act to top the chart since Stevie Wonder in 1963.[5] My World 2.0 also debuted at number one on the Canadian Albums Chart, Irish Albums Chart, Australian Albums Chart, and the New Zealand Albums Chart[39] and reached the top 10 of fifteen other countries.[56][57]

To promote the album, Bieber appeared on live programs including The View, the 2010 Kids' Choice Awards, Nightline, Late Show with David Letterman, The Dome and 106 & Park.[58] Sean Kingston appeared on the album's next single, "Eenie Meenie". The song reached the top ten in the UK and Australia, and the top 20 of most other markets. The following single from My World 2.0, "Somebody to Love", was released in April 2010, and a remix was released featuring Bieber's mentor Usher. On June 23, Bieber went on his first official headlining tour, the My World Tour, to promote My World and My World 2.0. In May 2010, Bieber featured in rapper Soulja Boy's song "Rich Girl".[59] In July, it was reported that Bieber was the most searched-for celebrity on the Internet.[60] That same month, his video for "Baby" surpassed Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" (2009) as the most viewed, and most disliked, YouTube video at the time.[61][62] In September, it was reported that Bieber accounted for 3% of traffic on Twitter, according to an employee of the social-networking site.[63]

Bieber performing in Indonesia during his My World Tour in 2011

On My World 2.0, Bieber's voice was noted to be deeper than it was in his debut EP, due to puberty.[64] In April 2010, the singer remarked regarding his vocals: "It cracks. Like every teenage boy, I'm dealing with it and I have the best vocal coach in the world ... Some of the notes I hit on "Baby" I can't hit any more. We have to lower the key when I sing live."[65] Bieber guest-starred in the season premiere of the CBS American crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, which aired on September 23, 2010. He played a "troubled teen who is faced with a difficult decision regarding his only brother", who is also a serial bomber. Bieber was also in a subsequent episode of the series, which aired on February 17, 2011, in which his character is killed.[66] Bieber performed a medley of his singles "U Smile", "Baby", and "Somebody to Love", and briefly played the drums, at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards on September 12, 2010.[67] Bieber announced in October 2010 that he would be releasing an acoustic album, called My Worlds Acoustic.[68] It was released on November 26, 2010, in the United States and featured acoustic versions of songs from his previous albums, and accompanied the release of a new song titled "Pray".[69] In October 2010, Bieber released his first book, Justin Bieber: First Step 2 Forever: My Story, an autobiography with text from Bieber and photographs from Robert Caplin.[70]

A 3-D part-biopic, part-concert film starring Bieber entitled Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, was released on February 11, 2011, directed by Step Up 3D director Jon M. Chu. It topped the box office with an estimated gross of $12.4 million on its opening day from 3,105 theatres.[71] It grossed $30.3 million for the weekend and was narrowly beaten by the romantic comedy Just Go with It, which grossed $31 million.[72] Never Say Never reportedly exceeded industry expectations, nearly matching the $31.1 million grossed by Miley Cyrus's 2008 3-D concert film, Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert, which holds the record for the top debut for a music-documentary.[73] Never Say Never grossed a total of $99,034,125 worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing concert or performance film at the global box office.[74][75] The film is accompanied by his second remix album, Never Say Never – The Remixes, released February 14, 2011, and features remixes of songs from his debut album, with guest appearances from Miley Cyrus, Chris Brown, and Kanye West, among others.[76] Bieber was a participating player in the 2011 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, held on February 18, 2011, and was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP), scoring eight points (3–11 FG) with two rebounds and four assists.[77] In June 2011, an album track from Never Say Never titled "That Should Be Me" (featuring Rascal Flatts), won him his first award in country music for Collaborative Video of the Year at the CMT Music Awards. Time magazine named Bieber one of the 100 most influential people in the world on their annual list.[78] In June 2011, Bieber was ranked No. 2 on the Forbes list of Best-Paid Celebrities under 30. He is the youngest star, and 1 of 7 musicians on the list, having raked in $53 million in a 12-month period.[79] The same month, his collaborative single "Next to You" with American singer Chris Brown was released. The unfinished video for that song was leaked online on June 6, and the official video was released on June 17.

On November 1, 2011, Bieber released the Christmas-themed Under the Mistletoe, his second studio album.[80] It became the first Christmas album by a male artist to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and sold 210,000 copies in its first week of release.[7] On November 19, 2021, the album was listed among the Greatest of All Time Top Holiday Albums chart by Billboard.[81] The first single from the album, "Mistletoe", peaked at number one on the US Billboard Holiday 100 and Holiday Digital Songs charts.[82] Bieber released "All I Want for Christmas Is You (SuperFestive!)" as the second single from the album, which is a re-recorded version of Mariah Carey's original single, "All I Want for Christmas Is You", with Carey providing vocals on the track.[83] Billboard listed the album and its singles, among the greatest Holiday albums and songs of all time, respectively.[84]

2012–2014: Believe, Journals, and other appearances

[edit]
Bieber at the 2012 NRJ Music Awards in Cannes, France

In late 2011, Bieber began recording his third studio album, titled Believe.[85] The following week, Bieber appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show to announce that the first single would be called "Boyfriend", and was released on March 26, 2012.[86] The song debuted at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, selling a total of 521,000 digital units, the second-highest-ever debut digital sales week.[87] Bill Werde of Billboard noted that it failed to debut at number one because the digital download of the track was available only through the iTunes Store, "restricting the buying option for those [who] do not frequent the Apple retail store".[88] "Boyfriend" became Bieber's first single ever to reach the top position on the Canadian Hot 100 by debuting at number one and staying on for one week.[87] Bieber was featured on American hip-hop group Far East Movement's song "Live My Life", from their fourth studio album, Dirty Bass, in February 2012. The song emerged online five days before its scheduled release date and peaked within the top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100.[89] The first promotional single from the album, "Die in Your Arms", was released on May 29, 2012, and the second promotional single, "All Around the World" (featuring American rapper Ludacris), followed the next week.[90][91] The second single from Believe, "As Long as You Love Me" (featuring Big Sean), was released on June 11, 2012. It peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100.[92]

His third studio album, Believe, was released on June 19, 2012, by Island Records. The album marked a musical departure from the teen pop sound of his previous releases, and incorporated elements of dance-pop and R&B genres.[93] Intent on developing a more "mature" sound, Bieber collaborated with a wide range of urban producers for the release as well as some long-time collaborators, including Darkchild, Hit-Boy, Diplo, and Max Martin. Entertainment Weekly praised Bieber's musical shift, calling the album both a "reinvention and a reintroduction".[94] Rolling Stone noted the deeper voice and more "intense" beats found on the album, although it lampooned one of his euphemisms for newfound sexual maturity ("If you spread your wings, you can fly away with me").[95] Believe debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming his fourth number-one album.[96][97][98] The album sold 57,000 copies in its first week in Canada, debuting atop the Canadian Albums Chart.[99] In September 2012, Bieber was featured on "Beautiful", a song from Carly Rae Jepsen's second studio album, Kiss.[100] In October 2012, the third single from Believe, "Beauty and a Beat" (featuring Nicki Minaj), was released. The music video held the record for the most video views in 24 hours when it was released, with 10.6 million views.[101]

Bieber performing during his Believe Tour in October 2012

The Believe Tour, which further promoted the album, began in September 2012 in Glendale, Arizona.[102] On December 14, 2012, Bieber appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, where he announced plans to release an acoustic album titled Believe Acoustic, which was released on January 29, 2013.[103] The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, making Bieber the first artist in history to have five number-one albums in the US before turning 19.[8]

Bieber returned to Saturday Night Live as the host and musical guest on the February 9, 2013, episode. His appearance was panned by critics[104][105] and cast members, including Kate McKinnon, who said Bieber was not comfortable with his hosting duties, and Bill Hader, who said he did not enjoy the presence of Bieber or his entourage. Hader added that in his eight years on the television program, Bieber was the only host who lived up to his reputation.[106][107]

On March 7, 2013, Bieber fainted backstage at London's O2 Arena after complaining of breathing problems throughout his concert performance and was taken to the hospital.[108] Bieber cancelled his second Lisbon, Portugal concert at the Pavilhão Atlântico, which was to be held on March 12, because of low ticket sales. The concert held in the same venue on March 11 did go on as scheduled.[109] In mid-August 2013, a remixed duet version of Michael Jackson's previously unreleased song "Slave to the Rhythm", featuring Bieber, leaked online.[110] In response to criticism over this remix, the Michael Jackson Estate stated that it had not authorized the release of this recording, and has since made attempts to remove the song from as many web sites and YouTube channels as possible.[111] Later, a song titled "Twerk" by rapper Lil Twist, featuring Bieber as well as Miley Cyrus, also leaked.[112] In September, Bieber was featured in Maejor Ali's song "Lolly" with rapper Juicy J.[113] A music video for "Melodies", the debut single of American singer Madison Beer, was released in the same month featuring Bieber in a cameo appearance.[114]

On October 3, 2013, Bieber announced that he would release a new song every Monday for 10 weeks as a lead-up to the film Justin Bieber's Believe, which entered production in May 2012 and was released on December 25, 2013. The film is a follow-up to Bieber's first theatrical film Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, with Jon M. Chu returning as director.[115][116][117] The first song of Music Mondays, "Heartbreaker", was released on October 7. The second song, "All That Matters", was released on October 14, followed by "Hold Tight" on October 21, "Recovery" on October 28, "Bad Day" on November 4, and "All Bad" on November 11. The seventh song, "PYD" (featuring R. Kelly), was released on November 18; it was followed by "Roller Coaster" on November 25, and "Change Me" on December 2. The final song, "Confident" (featuring Chance the Rapper), was released on December 9, 2013. That same day, it was announced that all 10 tracks would be featured on the compilation album Journals, which would also feature five additional unreleased songs, a music video for "All That Matters", and a trailer for Believe. Journals was only available for purchase via iTunes for a limited time: from December 23, 2013, to January 9, 2014. The titles of the five new additional songs are: "One Life", "Backpack" (featuring Lil Wayne), "What's Hatnin'" (featuring Future), "Swap It Out", and "Memphis" (featuring Big Sean and Diplo).[118] Bieber released a song titled "Home to Mama" (featuring Cody Simpson) in November 2014.[119] The same month, Bieber topped Forbes magazine's Forbes 30 Under 30 annual ranking, which lists the highest-earning celebrities under 30 for that year.[120]

Because of the disbanding of Universal Music's division, The Island Def Jam Music Group, in April 2014, Bieber and a number of artists were subsequently transferred to another Universal Music-related division, Def Jam Recordings, causing Bieber to no longer be signed to Island Records.[121][122]

2015–2017: Purpose

[edit]
Bieber and his manager Scooter Braun in Rosemont, Illinois, in 2015

In February 2015, Bieber released "Where Are Ü Now", a collaboration with Jack Ü.[123] The song peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached number one on Billboard's Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart.[124] It earned Bieber his career-first Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Recording at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards.[125] In March 2015, Bieber made an appearance in the music video for Carly Rae Jepsen's single "I Really Like You".[126] In March 2015, Bieber was the featured roastee in Comedy Central's annual roast special, and was a contestant on the reality competition series Lip Sync Battle.[127] Bieber filmed an episode for the Fox TV reality series Knock Knock Live, and aired before the show was cancelled after two episodes.[128]

On August 28, 2015, Bieber released a new single titled "What Do You Mean?" as the lead single from his fourth studio album, Purpose. The song is a blend of teen pop, electronic dance music and acoustic R&B.[129] It debuted at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and became Bieber's first number-one single in the country.[130] He set a Guinness World Record by becoming the youngest solo male artist to debut at the top of the Hot 100.[131] It also broke the record for the fastest song to reach number one on US iTunes, reaching the top spot in under 5 minutes.[132] On September 4, 2015, Bieber was co-featured alongside Young Thug on the album track "Maria I'm Drunk", from Travis Scott's debut studio album, Rodeo. On October 23, 2015, Bieber released the album's second single, titled "Sorry", which debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. After eight non-consecutive weeks at number two, on the week charting January 23, 2016, "Sorry" climbed to the top of the chart and became Bieber's second number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100.[133]

The third single from Purpose, "Love Yourself" also peaked at number one in the US, making Bieber the first male artist in almost a decade to have three number-ones from an album since Justin Timberlake, who did it previously with his second studio album, FutureSex/LoveSounds, in 2006–07.[134] He also became the first solo artist to chart three solo songs in the top five of the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously, and the first as a lead act since the Beatles in 1964.[135] "Love Yourself" topped Billboard's Year-End Hot 100 chart in 2016, followed by "Sorry" at number two, and made Bieber only the third artist in history to hold the top-two positions of the Billboard Year-End Hot 100, after the Beatles in 1964 and Usher in 2004.[136] An album track on Purpose, "Company", was announced as the fourth single on March 8, 2016.[137] On February 12, 2016, Bieber's first four albums were released on vinyl for the first time.[138]

Bieber performing in Kraków, Poland, during the Purpose World Tour in 2016

Purpose was released on November 13, 2015, and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming Bieber's sixth album to debut at the top of that chart.[139][140] It was the fourth best-selling album of 2015 with worldwide sales of 3.1 million copies.[141] As of June 2016, it had sold 4.5 million copies globally.[142] On November 11, 2015, Bieber announced that he would embark on the Purpose World Tour. The worldwide concert tour started in Seattle, Washington, on March 9, 2016.[143]

On January 8, 2016, Bieber made UK chart history by becoming the first artist to occupy the entire top three of the UK Singles Chart. He achieved this feat as "Love Yourself", "Sorry" and "What Do You Mean?" charted at positions 1, 2 and 3 simultaneously.[144] On May 13, 2016, he was co-featured alongside Towkio on the album track "Juke Jam", from Chance the Rapper's third mixtape Coloring Book. On July 22, 2016, Bieber released a new single with EDM trio Major Lazer and Danish singer titled "Cold Water". It debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Bieber's third number-two debut on the ranking, passing Mariah Carey's record to become the artist with the most number-two debuts in the US at the time.[145] In August 2016, Bieber was featured on French DJ DJ Snake's single "Let Me Love You". The song peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100.[146] Bieber was also featured on American rapper Post Malone's single "Deja Vu", which later appeared as the fourth single from the latter's debut studio album, Stoney, in September 2016.[147] Bieber then appeared in the documentary Bodyguards: Secret Lives from the Watchtower (2016).[148] At the 59th Annual Grammy Awards, Purpose was nominated for Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album, whereas "Love Yourself" received nominations for Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance respectively.

2017–2019: Collaborations

[edit]

On January 28, 2017, Bieber starred in the 2017 NHL Celebrity All-Star Game as a participating player, coached by Wayne Gretzky.[149] On April 17, 2017, Puerto Rican singers Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee released a remix for their song "Despacito" featuring Bieber. It was the first song by Bieber in which he sings in Spanish.[150] The remix became a worldwide success and broke major chart records around the world. The song reached number one in the US and joined "Macarena" (1996) as the only English/Spanish songs to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100.[151] It tied the then-record for the most weeks at number one in Billboard Hot 100 history. The song spent a record 56 weeks at number one on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart and broke the then-record for most weeks at number one on the Digital Songs Sales chart. The remix is the most viewed song of all time on the crowdsourced media knowledge base Genius, with 23.3 million views.[152] The song earned Bieber his first career Latin Grammy.[153] As of September 2021, "Despacito" holds the number-one position on the Greatest of All Time Hot Latin Songs chart and number-five on the Greatest of All Time Songs of the Summer chart by Billboard.[154][155]

Bieber, along with rappers Quavo, Chance the Rapper, and Lil Wayne, provided vocals on DJ Khaled's single "I'm the One", released on April 28, 2017. The song debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Bieber's second number-one debut and his fourth song to top the chart.[156] One week later, "Despacito" topped the charts in the US, which became his fifth number-one single and made Bieber the first artist in history to notch new No. 1s in back-to-back weeks.[157] "I'm the One" also reached number one on Billboard's Hot Rap Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts.[158] On June 9, 2017, French DJ David Guetta released "2U", in which Bieber was featured. The first music video for "2U" features Victoria's Secret models lip synching to the song.[159][160][161] On July 24, 2017, Bieber cancelled the remaining dates of the Purpose World Tour due to "unforeseen circumstances".[162][163] According to Pollstar, the tour had a total gross of $257 million and 2.8 million in attendance in 162 shows, becoming one of the highest-grossing concert tours of both 2016 and 2017.[164][165]

On August 17, 2017, Bieber released the single "Friends" with American record producer and songwriter BloodPop. Julia Michaels and Justin Tranter contributed as songwriters, having previously worked with him on "Sorry" in 2015.[166] At the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, "Despacito" received three nominations for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance respectively.[167] Bieber did not attend the show to perform the nominated song, claiming that he would not make any award show appearances until his next album was finished.[168] Bieber was a participating player in the 2018 NBA Celebrity All-Star Game, marking his second appearance at the event.[169] In July 2018, Bieber reunited with DJ Khaled in "No Brainer", co-featuring again with Chance the Rapper and Quavo. The single peaked in the top five of the Hot 100 and reached number one on Billboard's Hot R&B Songs chart.[170] He was also featured in the accompanying music video.[171]

On April 21, 2019, Bieber delivered a surprise performance at the 2019 Coachella music festival, marking his first live performance in two years, and teased his return to music with a new album.[172] On May 10, 2019, British singer Ed Sheeran and Bieber released the single "I Don't Care", from Sheeran's album No.6 Collaborations Project. The pair had previously collaborated, with Sheeran co-writing Bieber's 2015 song "Love Yourself", and 2016 song "Cold Water" with Major Lazer. "I Don't Care" became a worldwide hit, reaching number-one in 26 countries, while peaking at number two in the United States.[173] Bieber later featured on a remix of Billie Eilish's breakthrough single "Bad Guy", which was released on July 11.[174] On October 4, 2019, Bieber and country music duo Dan + Shay released the song "10,000 Hours", which peaked at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100.[175][176] It became the highest-charting non-holiday country song in the history of the Billboard Streaming Songs chart and spent 21 weeks at number one on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart. As a result, Bieber became the first act in history to reach number one on seven multi-metric charts: Hot 100, Hot Country Songs, Hot Dance/Electronic Songs, Hot Latin Songs, Hot R&B Songs, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and Hot Rap Songs.[177] It earned Bieber his second Grammy Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.[178] On October 14, 2019, Bieber became the youngest solo male artist to spend 200 cumulative weeks in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100.[179]

2020–2022: Changes and Justice

[edit]

On December 24, 2019, Bieber announced he would be releasing his fifth studio album and embarking on his fourth concert tour in 2020.[180] The album's first single, "Yummy", was released on January 3, 2020. It debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100.[181] On December 31, 2019, Bieber released a trailer announcing his 10-part YouTube Originals docu-series Justin Bieber: Seasons, which focused on an array of themes: his life post-hiatus from music, marriage, preparation for new music, and battle against Lyme disease.[182] The docu-series amassed 32.6 million views within its first week, breaking the record for the most-viewed premiere in its first week of all YouTube Originals.[183] Appearing on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on January 28, 2020, Bieber confirmed the release date of his fifth studio album, Changes, to be February 14.[184] He released a promotional single for the album, "Get Me" featuring Kehlani.[185] On February 7, 2020, Bieber released "Intentions", as the second single from the album. The song peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100.[186] Changes was released on February 14, debuting at number one on the UK and US Billboard 200 charts, making Bieber the youngest solo artist to have seven number-one albums in the US.[187] On May 8, 2020, American singer Ariana Grande and Bieber released the single "Stuck with U", to help raise funds for the first responders of the COVID-19 pandemic. The song debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100, becoming his sixth number-one single in the US.[188] On September 4, 2020, Bieber played a starring role in the music video for DJ Khaled's single "Popstar".[189]

On September 18, 2020, Bieber released "Holy" featuring Chance the Rapper as the first single from his upcoming sixth studio album;[190] it peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100. On October 15, 2020, he released the album's second single "Lonely" in collaboration with Benny Blanco, which peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100.[191] On November 6, 2020, Bieber and J Balvin were featured on a remix of 24kGoldn's single "Mood".[192] On November 20, 2020, Shawn Mendes and Bieber released "Monster";[193] it peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100. On January 1, 2021, Bieber released the third single "Anyone", which peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100.[194] On February 14, 2021, Bieber performed "Journals Live" in collaboration with TikTok, which marked the first live performance of his 2013 album Journals; it was the first long-form concert event on the platform and broke the record for the most-viewed single-artist livestream in the platform's history.[195] On February 26, 2021, Bieber announced his sixth studio album would be titled Justice.[196] On March 5, 2021, he released the album's fourth single, "Hold On", which peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100.[197] On March 19, 2021, Bieber released Justice and its fifth single, "Peaches".[198][199] The album was met with generally positive reviews and received 8 nominations at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards.[200] It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming Bieber's eighth number-one project, while "Peaches" debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100, becoming his seventh number-one single, respectively.[201] As a result, Bieber became the youngest solo artist to attain eight US number-one albums, breaking a 56-year-old record held by Elvis Presley, and the first solo male artist to simultaneously debut a song and an album at number one in the US.[202] He also became the first male act to have his first six studio albums debut at number one on the Billboard 200.[203]

On Easter 2021, Bieber surprise-released Freedom, a gospel-inspired EP consisting of six songs.[204] On May 10, 2021, Bieber was featured on the single "Let It Go" by DJ Khaled and starred in the accompanying music video.[205] On July 9, 2021, Bieber released a collaboration with the Kid Laroi titled "Stay". The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in its fourth week, becoming his eighth number-one single in the US.[206] "Stay" also became his 100th career entry on the chart, making him the then-youngest solo artist to chart 100 songs on the Billboard Hot 100.[207] "Stay" was the most-streamed song globally on Apple Music in 2022.[208] On July 24, 2021, Bieber headlined the "Freedom Experience" show at the SoFi Stadium.[209] On August 13, 2021, Bieber released a remix to Nigerian singer Wizkid's song "Essence", which peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100.[210][211] A week later, he released a collaboration with Skrillex and Don Toliver titled "Don't Go".[212] On September 4, 2021, Bieber headlined the 2021 Made in America Festival at the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. On October 8, 2021, Bieber released the documentary film Justin Bieber: Our World, showcasing his preparation for his 2020 "New Year's Eve Live".[213] On October 29, 2021, he released "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree", a cover of Brenda Lee's holiday classic.[214] On November 15, 2021, Bieber announced the international dates of his upcoming fourth concert tour, the Justice World Tour.[215] On December 5, 2021, Bieber was the headlining performer at the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.[216]

On January 1, 2022, Bieber set the then-record for the most monthly listeners on Spotify, with a peak of 94.7 million listeners, later surpassed by The Weeknd.[217] On March 28, 2022, the sixth single from Justice, "Ghost", peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100, marking his 20th career top-five hit on the chart.[218] The single reached number one on Billboard's Pop Songs chart, making Bieber the first solo male artist to attain 10 number-one singles in the chart's history.[219] On March 30, 2022, Bieber was featured on the single "Up at Night" by Kehlani.[220] On April 15, 2022, Bieber delivered a surprise performance with Daniel Caesar at the 2022 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.[221] On April 29, 2022, Bieber released "Honest" featuring Don Toliver and an accompanying music video directed by Cole Bennett.[222] On August 27, 2022, Bieber released "Beautiful Love" as an exclusive single for the battle royale game Garena Free Fire.[223]

2023–present: Hiatus, Swag and Swag II

[edit]

In January 2023, Bieber sold his music publishing rights and recording catalogue shares, up to the end of 2021, to Hipgnosis Songs Fund—a sale valued at over $200 million.[224] Bieber was reportedly offered to be a headlining performer at Coachella 2023, but declined to focus on his seventh studio album.[225] On February 24, 2023, Don Toliver released the single "Private Landing" with Bieber co-featured alongside Future.[226] He joined Toliver on stage at the 2023 Rolling Loud festival to deliver a surprise performance of the song.[227] On September 15, 2023, Bieber released an acoustic version of the single "Snooze" by SZA and starred in its music video as the latter's love interest.[228]

In April 2025, NetEase Cloud Music named Bieber as the most streamed European/American artist in the platform's 12-year history with more than 11.9 billion streams.[229] On July 10, 2025, Bieber released his seventh studio album titled Swag shortly after teasing an upcoming project through billboards in Iceland, earlier that same day.[230] It debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with 163,000 equivalent album units earned in the US in its opening week.[231] The album's lead single "Daisies" debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and became his 27th top ten single in the US, tying Janet Jackson for the tenth-most in history.[231] On September 4, Bieber announced his album Swag II would be released the next day.[232]

Artistry

[edit]

Influences

[edit]
Bieber cites Michael Jackson, Chris Brown, and Justin Timberlake as some of his main musical inspirations.

Bieber has cited Chris Brown, Craig David, Michael Jackson, the Beatles, Boyz II Men, Justin Timberlake, Stevie Wonder, Tupac, Usher and Kanye West as his musical inspirations.[233][234][235][236][237][238] In 2012, Bieber said, "music is music, and I'm definitely influenced by Michael Jackson and Boyz II Men and people who were black artists—that's what I like."[239] Believe was influenced by Timberlake, for which Bieber was trying to "create a new sound that people aren't really used to hearing ... like when Timberlake did FutureSex/LoveSounds: It was a new sound... acoustic guitar over hard drums."[240] In 2019, Bieber called Chris Brown the "best entertainer of all time".[241][242]

Musical style

[edit]

Bieber incorporates a variety of genres in his music, focusing mainly on pop,[243][244] R&B,[244][245] and occasionally dance-pop or EDM.[243] In 2010, Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone asserted that the content of his music was "offering a gentle introduction to the mysteries and heartaches of adolescence: songs flushed with romance but notably free of sex itself".[246] During the initial years of his career, his musical style was noted for being aimed to a more teen pop and "bubblegum-ish" direction.[247]

In January 2012, Bieber told V magazine: "I want to do it at my own pace. I don't want to start singing about things like sex, drugs and swearing. I'm into love, and maybe I'll get more into making love when I'm older. But I want to be someone who is respected by everybody."[248] But since then, Bieber gradually altered his artistry, with Peter Gicas of E! Online describing "PYD" as "sexed-up", while In Touch Weekly magazine said that his song with Maejor Ali and Juicy J "Lolly" might make his fans a bit uncomfortable because of its lyrics that refer to oral sex.[249][113] In 2015 Bieber released the EDM-fuelled album Purpose, where he collaborated with Skrillex,[250] and explored serious themes such as "life experiences", through "feel-good music".[251]

Voice

[edit]

Bieber initially sang with a boy soprano voice,[252] before his voice broke, as was evidenced during the debut performance of "Pray" at the 2010 American Music Awards. Sean Michaels of The Guardian described puberty as "the biggest threat to his career" at the time.[253] Jody Rosen commented that Bieber sings with "swing and rhythmic dexterity" on his debut album, noting his tone to be "nasal".[246] Bieber started to receive voice coaching from Jan Smith in 2008.[254]

As an adult singer, Bieber's voice type is tenor, with a vocal range spanning from the baritone A2 to the high tenor F5.[255][256] In a review of his Purpose album, Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph complimented his "soft, supple and seductive singing".[257] Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian also praised Bieber's "affectedly breathy voice", noting that "the voice soon palls, but the songs are often interesting."[258] Reviewing his 2021 album, Justice, Pitchfork commented: "Bieber is not a powerhouse vocalist, but he is a compelling one, casually dropping in a stray yodel here, a Mariah Carey–indebted set of runs there. His voice has a palatable smoothness; he's mastered push-and-pull dynamics, and he swings effortlessly from a placid chest voice to a zephyr of a falsetto."[259]

Achievements

[edit]

Throughout his career, Bieber has sold an estimated 150 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time.[260][261]

In 2011, Bieber was honoured with a star in front of Avon Theater in Stratford, Ontario, Canada, where he used to busk when he was younger. On November 23, 2012, Bieber was presented with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal by the former Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper. He was one of 60,000 Canadians to receive the Diamond Jubilee medal that year.[262] In 2013, Bieber received a Diamond award from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for his single "Baby", which at the time became the highest-certified digital single of all time.[263][264] Bieber is credited with five Diamond certifications from the RIAA.[11] Bieber has won two Grammy Awards out of 23 nominations,[265] one Latin Grammy Award,[266] eight Juno Awards,[267] two Brit Awards,[268][269] 26 Billboard Music Awards,[270] 18 American Music Awards,[271] 22 MTV Europe Music Awards (the most wins for any artist),[272] 23 Teen Choice Awards (the most wins for a male individual),[273] eight iHeartRadio Music Awards, and six MTV Video Music Awards. At age 19, Bieber received the Milestone Award at the 2013 Billboard Music Awards in recognition for breaking boundaries with his creativity and contribution to the musical landscape.[274][275] As of 2024, all of Bieber's studio projects are certified Platinum or higher by the RIAA and have received numerous accolades.[276]

Following the release of his fourth studio album, Purpose, Bieber set major milestones globally. He became the first artist, since Elvis Presley in 2005, to replace his own song as number one on the UK Singles Chart.[277] He is the first artist in history to occupy the entire top three of the UK Singles Chart. He achieved this feat as "Love Yourself", "Sorry" and "What Do You Mean?" charted at positions 1, 2 and 3 simultaneously.[144] The singles also peaked at number one in the US, making Bieber the first male artist since Justin Timberlake in 2007 to have three number-ones from an album.[134] He also became the first solo artist to chart three solo songs in the top five of the US Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously, and the first as a lead act since the Beatles in 1964.[135] "Love Yourself" topped Billboard's Year-End Hot 100 Chart in 2016, followed by "Sorry" at number two, and made Bieber only the third artist in history to hold the top-two positions of the Billboard Year-End Hot 100, after the Beatles in 1964 and Usher in 2004.[136] As of 2024, Bieber has set 35 Guinness World Records in his career, including eight that were achieved from the success of his album Purpose. These records included the most streamed track on Spotify in one week, the most streamed album on Spotify in one week, the most simultaneous tracks on the US Billboard Hot 100, and the most simultaneous new entries on the US Billboard Hot 100 by a solo artist, among others.[278]

Bieber has attained success on official charts globally, including the US Billboard charts where he has set numerous records: he is the first artist in history to chart new number-one singles in consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100;[157] he is the youngest (21) male soloist to debut at number one on the Hot 100;[131] he is the youngest (25) male soloist to spend 200 cumulative weeks in the top 10 of the Hot 100;[179] he is the youngest (27) solo artist to have eight number-one albums on the Billboard 200, a record held by Elvis Presley since 1965;[202] he is the first male soloist to simultaneously debut a song and an album at number one in the US;[203] he is the first male soloist to spend 59 consecutive weeks in the top 10 of the Hot 100; he is the first artist to reach number one on seven multi-metric Billboard charts: Hot 100, Hot Country Songs, Hot Dance/Electronic Songs, Hot Latin Songs, Hot R&B Songs, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and Hot Rap Songs;[177] he is the solo artist with the most cumulative weeks at number one (163) on the Billboard Social 50 chart. Additionally, he is the artist with the most number-one debuts (10, tied with Drake), most number-one singles (13, tied with Drake), and the most cumulative weeks at number one (56) on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100. Bieber's hit single "Despacito" has spent the most weeks at number one (56) on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart and is ranked as the magazine's greatest Latin song of all time.[154] He was named the number one artist on Billboard's Social 50 chart for the 2010s and ranked as the magazine's greatest pop star of 2016.[279][280] He was also named Billboard's top male artist for 2016 and ranked seventh on the magazine's Top Artists chart for the 2010s.[281][282] In 2021, Billboard ranked him as the 55th greatest artist of all time and the 38th greatest Hot 100 artist of all time, respectively.[283][284]

Cultural status

[edit]

Legacy

[edit]
Bieber being greeted by the US chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mike Mullen, in 2011. Bieber is one of Canada's most successful musical exports.[285]

Bieber has been credited for reinventing pop stardom for over a decade[286] and has been referred to as the "Prince of Pop"[287] and the "King of Teen Pop"[247] by contemporary journalists. Highlighting his longevity, he was awarded the MTV Award for Best New Artist in 2010[288] and the MTV Award for Artist of the Year in 2021.[289] Rolling Stone India referred to him as the "biggest popstar of our age", "one of the most captivating artists of the century" and "one of the world's most successful artists of all time".[290] Bieber is often described as a pop icon, or simply an icon.[291][292][293][294] In a 2011 article comparing the cultural significance of Bieber to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, Orlando Sentinel said that, "Out of all the cultural icons who influence and inspire today's society, Justin Bieber is without a doubt one of the most prominent."[295] He is generally credited as an important figure in bridging music and social media, which rose to prominence in the late 2000s; Variety dubbed him "a once-in-a-generation superstar who charted a swift and stunning rise from precocious YouTube talent to global phenomenon."[296]

In an article titled "How Justin Bieber revolutionised careers in the music industry" by The Guardian, Tom Fazakerley says:

Social media has transformed the way people, brands and musicians communicate. The likes of Myspace and even more so YouTube, have enabled budding artists to put their music out to a massive audience at the click of a finger. This has taken down the barriers to the music industry and reshaped the career path for budding artists ... Nowadays you can be your own artist, producer and promoter-and if you do this well, like Justin Bieber, you can really make it.[297]

At age 15, following the release of his 2009 singles "One Time" and "One Less Lonely Girl", Bieber's immediate popularity led him to appear on the likes of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Wendy Williams Show and Good Morning America.[298] He had achieved a global fandom who came to be known as Beliebers and his popularity was labelled "Bieber Fever",[298] with fan frenzies taking place in Liverpool,[299] Barcelona[300] and Paris,[301] among other territories. Bieber's intense fandom was considered to be reminiscent of "Beatlemania",[302] and his signature wings hairstyle at the time also drew comparisons to the Beatles' mop top hairstyle.[303] Bieber's adoration from teenage girls was also likened to those of Frank Sinatra in the 1940s and Elvis Presley in the 1950s.[304]

He's the only person in humanity who's grown up the way he has – with smartphones and cameras on him 24/7 ... Another kid can go out and have a good night on the town, and no one gives a crap, but Justin is the most Googled person on the planet – for four years straight!

Scooter Braun, Bieber's manager, in 2013[305]

Bieber maintained his global popularity during his transition to adulthood, achieving increased artistic recognition and credit in the process. In respect to Bieber's success as a teenager to a young adult, Variety said that Bieber is arguably the first mega pop star to come of age entirely in the social media era and also called him an "Internet icon".[296] The Conversation's Jo Adetunji said that Bieber is "one of the most successful pop singers of recent years".[306] Regarding his EDM-driven album Purpose (2015), which reached "beyond the moment and trends" of that period according to Adetunji, the writer argued that Bieber should be considered a serious creative artist. Adetunji compared the album to Madonna's Ray of Light (1998), Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill (1995) and Justin Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveSounds (2006).[306] In an article about Bieber, Hugh McIntyre of Forbes stated, "You may love him, you may hate him, but no matter how you feel about him, nobody can argue that Justin Bieber hasn't conquered the pop world ... The Grammy winner can turn essentially any track into a smash, and nobody can sell a single like he can these days."[307] Also calling Bieber "an unstoppable force in music", McIntyre lauded Bieber for achieving success in various genres, including R&B, electronic dance, hip hop and Latin.[307]

Bieber and his work have influenced various recording artists including Shawn Mendes,[308] Why Don't We,[309] Johnny Orlando,[310] and Niall Horan.[311] Singers Dua Lipa and Charlie Puth have stated that they were influenced by the discovery of Bieber on YouTube which inspired them to achieve the same.[312][313][314]

Public image

[edit]
Bieber performing in Zürich in 2011; he often wore purple clothes at the beginning of his career.

Usher commented that while he and Bieber were both signed at the same age, "I had the chance to ramp up my success, where this has happened to Bieber abruptly". As a result, when he was younger, Usher, Braun, Bieber's bodyguard, and other adults surrounding Bieber constantly coached him on handling fame and his public image.[17] After signing Bieber, Usher appointed one of his former assistants, Ryan Good, to be Bieber's road manager and stylist. Good, once nicknamed Bieber's "swagger coach", created a "streetwise look" for the singer which consisted of baseball caps, hoodies, dog chains, and flashy sneakers. Amy Kaufman of The Los Angeles Times comments, "Though a product of a middle-class suburban upbringing in Stratford, Ontario, Bieber's manner of dress and speech ('Wassup man, how you doin'?' or 'It's like, you know, whateva' ') suggest he's mimicking his favorite rappers."[315] In 2013, Bieber said he was "very influenced by black culture", but he neither thought "of it as black or white" nor tried to "act or pose in a certain way". To him, it was "a lifestyle-like a suaveness or a swag".[305]

Bieber was often featured in teen magazines such as Tiger Beat,[17] and has been labelled a "teen heartthrob".[316] In 2010, he was frequently criticized for looking and sounding younger than his age,[317] and the following year for an androgynous appearance, which had been commonly noted in the media, including his appearance on the cover of LOVE magazine's androgyny issue in 2011.[318] His signature wings hairstyle at the time brought much attention in particular.[303] His teen-pop music, image (especially as a heartthrob to girls), and the media attention he receives have additionally been criticized.[317] He has been a target of Internet bloggers and message board posters, especially users of the Internet message board 4chan and of YouTube.[319] Nick Collins of The Daily Telegraph said that "Bieber's character appears to strike a particularly sour note with his Internet critics" who have questioned his manner of speech, among other things.[317]

Bieber (left) wearing ripped jeans and skate shoes during his Purpose World Tour

In 2013 and 2014, Bieber's teen heart-throb and clean-cut image was drastically affected due to his involvement in several controversial events. During this period, he abandoned his pet monkey in Germany, vomited onstage, was videoed while urinating in a bucket, cursed at a photograph of Bill Clinton, wore a gas mask in public, allegedly spat on fans (although this was later debunked),[320] was involved in an explicit image with a stripper, and allegedly assaulted his bodyguard and a limo driver.[321] Bieber's uncle, Brad Bieber, said that his troublesome behaviour was caused by his break-up with Selena Gomez.[321] In its March 2014 edition, Rolling Stone put Bieber on its cover alongside the title "Bad Boy".[321] The same year, Bieber adopted the pseudonym "Bizzle".[322] During the "Bizzle" phase, Bieber donned a quiff and often wore thick gold chains and baseball caps.[321]

In his early 20s, following the release of Purpose, Bieber's public image changed in a more positive light. He donned bleached blond hair and often wore rock-branded t-shirts—including Marilyn Manson and Kurt Cobain t-shirts[323]flannel shirts, denim jackets, and ripped jeans.[324] He also wore kilts, a trend of 1990s fashion, on several occasions.[323] Vogue remarked that his fashion during this period was reminiscent of grunge fashion during the 1990s.[323] After his marriage in 2018, Bieber's persona continued to change. As his fan base got older and he got married, he transitioned away from the teenage heart-throb image, taking on a more mature personality and a more soft-spoken style of speech.[325][326] In an interview with Vogue in February 2019, Bieber said that he would "laugh at his past self".[327]

Waxwork of Bieber at Madame Tussauds, London

Wax statues of Bieber with the hairstyle from his early career are on display at the Madame Tussauds wax museums in New York City, London, and Amsterdam.[328] In 2018, "Steps to Stardom", an exhibit on Bieber's early career, opened in his hometown of Stratford, Ontario at the Stratford Perth Museum, offering a collection of mementos from his formative years and rise to international stardom.[329] The items on display include a professional drum kit he owned as a younger child, his Grammy Award, microphones, his Stratford Warriors hockey jacket, and personal letters, including one from Michelle Obama.[329] Bieber made a number of visits to the museum.[330][331] "Steps to Stardom" was originally scheduled to close in October 2018 but the board of the museum extended its stay for at least another year after the exhibit broke attendance records set by its Anne Frank House exhibit in 2015.[332]

At age 17, and within just two years of his professional music career, Bieber was named amongst the Time 100 world's most influential people list[333] and was ranked number 2 on the Forbes Highest-Paid Celebrities Under 30 list.[334] He went on to be included on the Forbes annual list five more times; in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017.[334] He was also included on Forbes' list of the top ten most powerful celebrities in 2011, 2012, and 2013.[12]

"Beliebers" gathering around the hotel where Bieber is supposed to be inside in Oslo, Norway in May 2012

Bieber's early fanbase developed on YouTube and predated the release of his debut album My World.[335] According to Jan Hoffman of The New York Times, part of Bieber's appeal stems from his YouTube channel. The Chicago Tribune noted that Bieber's fanbase, "Beliebers", was among the top words of 2010.[336] Long before the release of My World in November 2009, his YouTube videos attracted millions of views.[17] Braun recognized the appeal. Before flying him to Atlanta, Braun wanted to "build him up more on YouTube first" and had Bieber record more home videos for the channel. "I said: 'Justin, sing like there's no one in the room. But let's not use expensive cameras.' We'll give it to kids, let them do the work, so that they feel like it's theirs", recalled Braun.[17] Bieber continues to upload videos to the same channel and has opened a Twitter account, from which he interacts with fans regularly.[30] In January 2013, Bieber surpassed Lady Gaga as the most-followed person on Twitter for the first time and held the record for 11 months.[337]

As of 2024, Bieber is the fourth-most-followed user on Twitter and the most-followed musician on the platform, with over 110.3 million followers. His YouTube channel is currently the most viewed music channel for an individual on the platform, having attracted over 32 billion views. With over 73 million subscribers, he remains the most subscribed solo artist on YouTube and held the overall record for six years. 11 music videos by Bieber have surpassed over 1 billion views on YouTube (second most of all-time),[338] his most recent being "Beauty and a Beat".[339] The music video for Bieber's song "Baby" is among the most liked videos on YouTube, having received over 24 million likes since its upload in 2010.[340] Bieber was frequently a trending topic on Twitter when the feature first launched, as his fans frequently discussed him on the network, and was named the top-trending star on Twitter in 2010.[341][342][343]

Business interests

[edit]

In 2010, Bieber signed a deal with Proactiv.[344] In the same year, Bieber partnered with Nicole by OPI to launch a nail polish line "The One Less Lonely Girl Collection", which sold exclusively in Walmart.[345] Bieber's nail polish line sold one million bottles less than two months after its release.[346] Bieber endorsed Adidas, beside Derrick Rose and Venus Williams, in 2012.[347] He became the new "face" and "body" of Calvin Klein in early 2015.[348] Entertainment Tonight reported that Bieber had used MYO-X, a dietary supplement, in preparation for the photo shoot.[349] In June 2015, Bieber teamed up with StarShop, a new shopping app launched by Kevin Harrington.[350] Bieber has been credited with boosting the careers of other singers such as Carly Rae Jepsen and Madison Beer when he tweeted about them.[351][352]

Bieber has released four fragrances.[353] He launched his debut fragrance, Someday, in 2011;[353] it grossed more than three million US dollars in sales, at Macy's, in just under three weeks, which industry experts regard as a successful celebrity-led launch.[354][355] On the heels of that 2011 best-seller, he launched his second fragrance, Girlfriend, in June 2012.[356] His third fragrance, The Key, was launched in July 2013,[357] and his latest fragrance, Justin Bieber Collector's Edition, launched in 2014.[354]

In January 2019, Bieber launched his own clothing line called "Drew House", consisting of a wide range of products. Most products feature the brand's defining symbol of a simple yellow smiley-face logo with the text "drew" written across the front. Bieber trademarked the name for his company in February 2018.[358] In September 2019, after a year-long collaboration with Schmidt's Naturals CEO, Michael Cammarata, Bieber released his deodorant line, "Here + Now", designed for sensitive skin.[359][360][361] In October 2020, Bieber collaborated with Crocs on a limited edition of the brand's renowned clogs called "Crocs x Justin Bieber". The design draws on Crocs' classic clog range with inputs of purple and yellow, inspired by Bieber's personal clothing brand, Drew House. The limited edition clogs sold at select Crocs and partner e-commerce channels, Drew House's website, and Crocs retail stores in China and South Korea.[362]

In fall 2021, Bieber collaborated with Tim Hortons to launch a specialty version of Timbits known as "timbiebs". CNN credited the promotion's role in contributing to an increase in Tim Hortons' sales by 10.3% in the fourth quarter of 2021.[363] On February 7, 2022, Bieber starred in Balenciaga's first 2022 campaign alongside Kim Kardashian and Isabelle Huppert.[364][365] In April 2022, Italian brand Vespa revealed its collaboration with a new limited edition of its famed scooter curated by Bieber. The "JUSTIN BIEBER X VESPA" is modelled on a Piaggio Sprint base – available in 50, 100 and 100cc guise.[366] In May 2022, Bieber and Tim Hortons partnered once again in a new collaboration called the "Biebs Brew", a French vanilla cold brew, which was available in North American stores beginning June 6, 2022.[367]

In December 2022, Bieber launched a clean water technology company called "Generosity" that aims to provide sustainable drinking water by reducing the usage of single-serve plastic. Alongside Micah Cravalho, he showcased 150 water fountains at the 2022 FIFA World Cup held in Qatar. Generosity fountains dispense refillable alkaline water after connecting to a water source, and are expected to be commercially available at major venues and homes in 2023.[368]

Personal life

[edit]

In 2020, it was reported Bieber owned a $26 million home in Beverly Hills, California, as well as a lakeside home in Ontario.[369][370] As Bieber resides in the United States, he is reported to possess a non-immigrant O-1 visa for working status based on "extraordinary ability or achievement" in an artistic field.[371] Bieber has said he is not interested in obtaining U.S. citizenship, and has praised Canada as being "the best country in the world", citing its mostly government-funded health care system as a model example.[372] However, in September 2018, TMZ reported that Bieber had begun the process of becoming a United States citizen, following his marriage to Hailey Baldwin.[373]

Health

[edit]

Bieber has struggled with mental health issues,[374] particularly depression and anxiety,[375][376] at various points during his career.[377] He has generally been open about these issues.[378][379] In his American YouTube docu-series Seasons (2020), the singer opened up about his struggles with addiction, with frequent consumption of the recreational drug lean, pills such as MDMA, and hallucinogenic mushrooms in the early stages of his career.[380]

In January 2020, Bieber announced on his Instagram that he had been diagnosed with Lyme disease. He also revealed that he had infectious mononucleosis, which affected his neurological and overall health.[381]

In February 2022, it was reported that Bieber had tested positive for COVID-19, two days after embarking on his fourth concert tour, the Justice World Tour.[382] In June of the same year, Bieber announced that he had been diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome type 2 and that half of his face was paralyzed.[383] He cancelled and postponed concerts and appearances due to the condition, but returned to live performances in late July.[384][385] In September, two days after the first concert in Latin America as part of the Rock in Rio festival, it was announced that all remaining dates of the tour would be suspended due to Bieber prioritizing his health. In a statement shared on social media, the singer said that "After getting off stage, the exhaustion overtook me and I realized that I need to make my health the priority right now. So I'm going to take a break from touring for the time being. I'm going to be OK, but I need time to rest and get better."[386]

Relationships

[edit]

Bieber's father, Jeremy, is a former carpenter and pro-am mixed martial artist.[387] In March 2014, Rolling Stone characterized Jeremy as having "split with Justin's mom when Justin was a toddler, and wasn't always around afterward. But he has, as of late, accepted a place of honor in his superstar son's entourage".[388]

From 2008 to 2009, Bieber was in a relationship with Caitlin Beadles; the two remained friends, and Beadles attended Bieber's wedding.[389] From December 2010 to March 2018, Bieber was in an on-again, off-again relationship with singer and actress Selena Gomez.[390][391][392][393] In an interview on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Bieber stated that some of his songs including "Sorry", "Mark My Words", and "What Do You Mean?" are about his relationship with Gomez.[394] From August to December 2016, he was linked to model Sofia Richie.[395][396]

Bieber became engaged to model and longtime friend Hailey Baldwin on July 7, 2018.[397] They had briefly dated from December 2015 to January 2016, before reconciling in June 2018.[398] Bieber and Baldwin reportedly obtained a marriage license in September 2018, leading to reports that they had a civil marriage.[399][400] On September 14, 2018, Baldwin said on Twitter that she and Bieber had not yet married, but deleted the tweet afterward.[400] On November 23, 2018, Bieber stated he was married to Baldwin.[401] Bieber and Baldwin had an official ceremony in Bluffton, South Carolina, on September 30, 2019.[402] On May 9, 2024, Bieber announced through an Instagram post that he and Baldwin were expecting their first child.[403] On August 23, 2024, they welcomed a boy, Jack Blues Bieber.[404][405]

Religious beliefs

[edit]

Bieber has described himself as a faithful Christian, said he communicates with God via prayer, and that "He's the reason I'm here".[406] He reflected his faith in a music video with Brandon Burke, titled "#iPledge", in which he talks about God's forgiveness.[407] Bieber was baptized on January 9, 2014, by Pentecostal pastor Carl Lentz of Hillsong Church, New York, after a born again experience. He has described Lentz as a good friend.[408][409] In 2021, he announced that he had become a member of Churchome, an evangelical church.[410] On July 24, 2021, Bieber led worship with Gospel singers Kari Jobe and Cody Carnes during the "Freedom Experience" at SoFi Stadium.[411] The trio sang "The Blessing".[412]

When asked how he wants to raise his children, Bieber replied, "I'm a Jesus follower. When you accept Jesus, you walk with the Holy Spirit. I just want to be led by the Holy Spirit."[413][414] Many of Bieber's tattoos have religious significance including the medium-sized cross on his chest and a tiny cross under his eye. Bieber also covered up the "Son of God" text tattooed on his abdomen with a large design that features two angels, gothic arches, a skeleton, and a serpent.[415]

Opinions

[edit]

Regarding sexual abstinence, Bieber told music magazine Rolling Stone in 2011, "I don't think you should have sex with anyone unless you love them." He added that he does not "believe in abortion", and that it is "like killing a baby". When asked about the case of abortion with regard to rape, he said, "I guess I haven't been in that position, so I wouldn't be able to judge that."[372][416] In 2022, amidst Roe v. Wade being overturned, both Bieber and his wife expressed disapproval, with Bieber posting on his Instagram story stating "For what it's worth, I think women should have the choice what to do with their own bodies."[417] His view on sexual orientation is quoted as "everyone's own decision",[418] and he has contributed to the It Gets Better Project,[419] a non-profit group aiming to prevent suicide among LGBT youth.[420] Bieber also opposed the Trump administration family separation policy, calling for Donald Trump to "also let those kids out of cages" in 2019.[421]

In 2011, Bieber was among the list of content creators opposing Bill S.978, also known as the Commercial Felony Streaming Act,[422] which would have made unauthorized streaming a felony instead of a misdemeanor.[423] He stated that the bill's sponsor, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, "needs to be locked up, put away in cuffs!"[422] While the bill did not ultimately pass,[424] it was later reintroduced by Senator Thom Tillis as the Protecting Lawful Streaming Act,[425] and was signed into law by then-President Donald Trump in December 2020 as part of the omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021.[426]

Philanthropy

[edit]

Bieber supports Pencils of Promise,[427] a charity founded by Adam Braun, the younger brother of Bieber's manager.[428] The organization builds schools in developing countries, and Bieber became manager for the organization's campaign in Guatemala. He serves as a celebrity spokesman for the organization[429] by running ads for the charity and its campaign "Schools4All".[430][431] He promises to visit schools that donate the most funds to the organization.[432] He takes part in the charity's fund-raising galas and donates parts of the proceeds from his concerts and Someday line of fragrances,[433] and various merchandising to the charity. In 2010, Bieber supported a campaign for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) by urging fans to adopt abandoned pets from shelters.[434] Bieber donated his hair to Ellen DeGeneres during his appearance in her talkshow The Ellen DeGeneres Show in March 2011. His hair sold on eBay for more than $40,000 and the proceeds benefited the animal rescue charity, The Gentle Barn.[435] Following the earthquake and tsunami in Japan in March 2011, Bieber donated proceeds from his concerts in Japan to Japanese Red Cross in May 2011.[436] In December 2011, Bieber donated $100,000 to Whitney Elementary School in Las Vegas to provide students from low income families.[437] Bieber supported Charity: Water which is a nonprofit that brings potable drinking water to people in developing countries. On his birthday in 2011 and 2012, he launched his campaign to urge his followers to donate on Twitter.[438] Bieber was named top charitable celeb of 2011 by American news aggregator and blog HuffPost.

In 2013, Bieber launched his online #GiveBackPhilippines campaign for helping the victims of Typhoon Haiyan and travelled to the Philippines after raising $3 million. His work in the country earned him a star on the Philippine Walk of Fame.[439] He also supports Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and Alzheimer's Association.[440] In September 2017, Bieber donated $25,000 to the American Red Cross to help people in Texas after the severe destruction caused by Hurricane Harvey.[441]

On February 7, 2020, Bieber donated $100,000 to Julie Coker, a 22-year-old fan who works in mental health awareness.[442] Coker revealed that her own past struggles with mental health motivated her to work for mental health. She praised Bieber by saying, "[Bieber] has a big following, so if he has a good message about mental health, hopefully everybody else . . . will want to start thinking about mental health in a different way."[443]

In February 2020, Bieber made a donation to Beijing Chunmiao Children Aid Foundation in China to support COVID-19 relief.[444] Bieber and Ariana Grande collaborated on the single "Stuck With U", released in May 2020 as the first of series of singles coordinated by Scooter Braun, who is also Bieber's manager, to support the COVID-19 pandemic.[445] All net proceeds from the song went to the First Responders Children's Foundation to fund grants and scholarships for children of first responders and health care workers who worked on the front lines during the pandemic.[446] By August 2021, the single had raised over $3,500,000.[447] In September 2020, Bieber and Chance the Rapper announced that they've partnered with Cash App and will donate $250,000 to fans who are struggling during the pandemic.[448]

In March 2021, Bieber visited the California State Prison in Los Angeles County along with his wife Hailey and pastor Judah Smith at the invitation of Scott Budnick.[449] Bieber met with inmates involved in The Urban Ministry Institute and expressed support for Budnick's Anti-Recidivism Coalition. During the visit, Bieber committed to provide buses to transport relatives of the inmates who have been unable to see them due to the COVID-19 pandemic in California.[449] Bieber described his visit to the prison as a "life-changing experience that I will never forget".[450]

[edit]

Bieber had several run-ins with the law around the world before his first arrest in 2014,[451] including when he was accused of reckless driving in his neighbourhood in 2012, charged in Brazil with vandalism in 2013,[451][452] and was ordered to appear in Argentina within 60 days by a Buenos Aires court to give testimony on an alleged assault on a photographer on November 9, 2013.[453] In April 2013, Bieber was criticized for writing a message in the guestbook at the Anne Frank House that read, "Truly inspiring to be able to come here. Anne was a great girl. Hopefully she would have been a belieber."[454] After the message was posted on the museum's Facebook page, Bieber received widespread criticism on social media for perceived insensitivity and narcissism. The Anne Frank House defended Bieber, stating, "He's 19. It's a crazy life he's living, he didn't mean bad ... He was very interested in the story of Anne Frank and stayed for over an hour. We hope that his visit will inspire his fans to learn more about her life and hopefully read the diary."[455][456]

On January 23, 2014, Bieber was arrested in Miami Beach, Florida, together with singer Khalil, on suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI), driving with an over-six-month-expired licence, and resisting arrest without violence.[452][457][458] Police said that Bieber told authorities he had consumed alcohol, smoked marijuana, and taken prescription drugs.[451] He was released from these charges on a $2,500 bond.[459] A toxicology report revealed that Bieber had THC (a principal constituent of cannabis) and the anti-anxiety medication Xanax in his system at the time of his arrest.[460][461] In January 2021, he reflected on this event, describing it as "not [his] finest hour" and encouraging fans to "let the forgiveness of Jesus take over and watch your life blossom into all that God has designed you to be."[462] On August 13, 2014, the January DUI case was settled with a plea bargain; Bieber pleaded guilty to resisting an officer without violence and a lesser charge of driving without due care and attention. He was fined US$500 and sentenced to attend a 12-hour anger management course and a program that teaches the impact of drunken driving on victims. As part of the plea bargain, he made a US$50,000 contribution to Our Kids, a local children's charity.[463][464]

Bieber's mugshots taken on January 23, 2014, after being detained by police in Miami Beach

Following Bieber's arrest on the DUI charge, more than 270,000 people petitioned the White House seeking to have him deported from the United States. Although the number of signatures received was sufficient to require a response under published White House guidelines, the Obama administration declined substantive comment on the petition.[465] Immigration Law expert Harlan York noted that the likelihood of Bieber being deported was extremely slim. York stated, "About a decade ago, the Supreme Court ruled that driving under the influence, typically, is not a basis to deport someone."[466]

In June 2014, a video emerged of a 15-year-old Bieber telling a joke about black people, which used the word "nigger" multiple times.[467] In the same month, a second video showed a 15-year-old Bieber giggling as he sings his song "One Less Lonely Girl", but parodying the main lyric as "One less lonely nigger", and stating that if he were to kill one, he would be "part of the KKK".[468][469] He apologized the day the latter was released: "Facing my mistakes from years ago has been one of the hardest things I've ever dealt with."[470]

One of his neighbours in Calabasas, California, accused Bieber of throwing eggs at his home on January 9, 2014, and causing thousands of dollars of damage.[451][471][472] On July 9, 2014, Bieber was charged with one misdemeanour count of vandalism in California for throwing eggs at his Calabasas neighbour's home in January.[472][473][474] Police earlier claimed that they had video footage of him high-fiving friends after the eggs were thrown.[472][475] He pled no contest to the charge. Since then, he has permanently moved to Beverly Hills, California.[472][473][474] On September 1, 2014, Bieber was arrested and charged with assault and dangerous driving near his hometown of Stratford, Ontario, after a collision between a minivan and Bieber's all-terrain vehicle on August 29. Ontario police said that he then "engaged in a physical altercation" with an occupant of the minivan. He was released shortly and his lawyer blamed the incident on "the unwelcome presence of paparazzi".[476][477]

I didn't want to come off arrogant or conceited, or basically how I've been acting the past year, year and a half ... although what's happened in the past has happened, I just want to ... be kind and loving and gentle and soft.

—Bieber reflects in a video posted in January 2015[478]

In July 2017, the Chinese government banned Bieber from performing in China. A Chinese Bieber fan contacted the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture requesting the reason for the ban. The Bureau released a statement, explaining "Justin Bieber is a gifted singer, but he is also a controversial young foreign singer", and "In order to maintain order in the Chinese market and purify the Chinese performance environment, it is not suitable to bring in badly behaved entertainers."[479][480] In 2021, Chinese streaming sites Youku, iQIYI, and Tencent Video removed Bieber's scenes in Friends: The Reunion donning Ross Geller's "Spudnik" costume.[481] However, his albums Changes (2020) and Justice (2021) have been officially released in China, with Bieber seen promoting both albums on Chinese music platforms.[482][483]

Discography

[edit]
Studio albums

Filmography

[edit]

Tours

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Justin Drew Bieber (born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian singer-songwriter who rose to global prominence as a teenager after talent manager Scooter Braun discovered videos of him performing covers on YouTube in 2008.[1][2] Signed to Island Def Jam Recordings and mentored by Usher, Bieber released his debut EP My World in 2009, followed by the album My World 2.0, which included the breakthrough single "Baby" and has been certified multi-platinum by the RIAA. His subsequent studio albums, including Purpose (2015) and Justice (2021), propelled him to over 124 million equivalent album units sold worldwide, establishing him as one of the best-selling music artists of the digital era.[3] Bieber has received two Grammy Awards out of 23 nominations, notably for Best Dance Recording for "Where Are Ü Now" in 2016, alongside a Latin Grammy for his contribution to "Despacito (Remix)."[4] His rapid ascent brought intense scrutiny, including a 2014 arrest in Miami Beach for driving under the influence, resisting arrest, and driving without a valid license following an incident of street racing.[5] In his personal life, Bieber married model Hailey Bieber (née Baldwin) in a New York City courthouse ceremony on September 13, 2018, with the couple welcoming their son, Jack Blues Bieber, in August 2024.[6][7]

Early life

Upbringing and family influences

Justin Bieber was born on March 1, 1994, at St. Joseph's Hospital in London, Ontario, Canada, to unmarried teenage parents Pattie Mallette and Jeremy Jack Bieber, both aged 18.[8][9] Mallette became pregnant at 17 following a tumultuous on-and-off relationship with Bieber's father that began when she was 15; she later detailed facing pressure from family and others to abort but opted against it after attending a crisis pregnancy center and drawing on her emerging Christian faith.[10][11] The couple separated months after Bieber's birth, leaving Mallette to raise him as a single mother in Stratford, Ontario, where they lived in subsidized low-income housing while she worked various low-paying office jobs.[12][8] Mallette's Christian beliefs profoundly shaped Bieber's early environment; she credited prayer and youth group involvement for her resilience during pregnancy and emphasized faith in her 2012 memoir Nowhere But Up, which recounts overcoming drug issues and relational instability post-high school dropout to prioritize motherhood.[11][13] Bieber has described his mother's sacrifices, including forgoing further education and stable partnerships, as foundational to his work ethic, noting in interviews her role in fostering his musical interests from age four by providing a drum kit and enrolling him in lessons for piano, guitar, and trumpet.[9] This modest, faith-oriented household contrasted with the absenteeism of his father, who maintained sporadic contact during Bieber's childhood amid personal struggles including substance issues and multiple subsequent relationships that produced half-siblings Jaxon (born 2009), Jazmyn (born 2008), and others.[14][15] Jeremy Bieber's limited early involvement—characterized by sources as intermittent and strained—did not provide consistent paternal guidance, though he later reconnected more steadily after Bieber's fame emerged around 2008, co-authoring a 2016 book on fatherhood.[14][16] Mallette's family, including grandparents who assisted with childcare, offered supplementary support, but the core dynamic of a resilient single-parent home amid financial hardship instilled in Bieber an early independence, evidenced by his self-taught skating and hockey participation in Stratford's community programs by age five.[12] This upbringing, marked by evangelical influences and economic constraints rather than privilege, has been cited by Bieber himself as fueling his drive, though it also exposed him to relational instability mirrored in his parents' unresolved co-parenting tensions.[17]

Education

Bieber attended school in Stratford during his early years but transitioned to homeschooling and online studies after being discovered and relocating to pursue his career. He completed his secondary education remotely and graduated in 2012 from St. Michael Catholic Secondary School in Stratford, Ontario.

Initial musical pursuits and YouTube discovery

Bieber exhibited musical talent from a young age, teaching himself to play multiple instruments including the drums, guitar, piano, and trumpet without formal instruction.[18][19] He performed locally in Stratford, Ontario, including at church events and street busking sessions, honing his skills through self-directed practice.[18] In early 2007, at the age of 12, Bieber entered a local singing competition in Stratford, where he performed Ne-Yo's "So Sick" and secured second place.[9] His mother, Pattie Mallette, subsequently uploaded videos of this performance and other cover songs to YouTube in 2007, initially intending them for family and distant relatives to view.[20] These homemade clips featured Bieber singing popular tracks such as Edwin McCain's "I'll Be," Chris Brown's "With You," and Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me a River," often accompanied by his self-taught guitar or piano playing, and quickly amassed views beyond the intended audience.[9] The YouTube videos attracted the attention of American talent manager Scooter Braun in 2008, who discovered Bieber's content while browsing the platform and recognized his vocal and performative potential despite his youth.[21] Braun contacted Mallette directly, leading to an audition opportunity in Atlanta, Georgia, that marked the transition from amateur uploads to professional development.[21] This serendipitous online exposure exemplified the platform's role in democratizing talent scouting at the time, bypassing traditional industry gatekeepers.[22]

Career

2007–2009: Discovery, debut, and My World EP

In 2007, 13-year-old Justin Bieber from Stratford, Ontario, began uploading videos to YouTube featuring covers of songs by artists such as Ne-Yo and Stevie Wonder, initially intended for friends and family but gaining wider attention.[23] Music executive Scooter Braun discovered Bieber's videos while searching for another artist on the platform and contacted Bieber's mother, Pattie Mallette, to arrange an audition in Atlanta.[24] There, Bieber impressed Braun and received mentorship from R&B singer Usher, leading to his signing with Raymond Braun Media Group (RBMG), a joint venture between Braun and Usher, in mid-2008.[25] Following the RBMG deal, Bieber secured a recording contract with Island Def Jam Records in October 2008 through L.A. Reid, forming a joint venture with RBMG that enabled professional production.[26] Bieber relocated temporarily to Atlanta to work with producers including Tricky Stewart and The-Dream, focusing on teen pop material emphasizing young romance and accessibility.[27] Bieber's debut single, "One Time," a pop track about infatuation produced by Tricky Stewart, premiered on mainstream radio on May 18, 2009.[28] The song was released digitally in Canada on July 7, 2009, followed by the U.S. on the same date, marking Bieber's entry into commercial music with its simple, hook-driven structure aimed at adolescent audiences.[29] The My World extended play (EP), Bieber's debut release, came out on November 17, 2009, via Island Records, comprising seven tracks including "One Time," "Favorite Girl," "Down to Earth," "Bigger," and "One Less Lonely Girl," with Bieber co-writing several and drawing from R&B and pop influences.[30] The EP's packaging and promotion positioned Bieber as a fresh teen idol, with its lead single's radio play driving initial sales exceeding 137,000 units in its U.S. debut week.[31]

2010–2011: Global breakthrough with My World 2.0, Never Say Never, and Under the Mistletoe

My World 2.0, Bieber's first full-length studio album, was released on March 19, 2010, serving as the second installment following his debut EP My World.[32] The record debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, moving 283,000 copies in its opening week and marking Bieber, at age 16, as the youngest solo male artist to top the chart since Stevie Wonder in 1963.[31] It achieved platinum certification in the United States within two months and contributed to combined My Worlds sales exceeding 5 million units across 27 countries.[33] Singles such as "Eenie Meenie" featuring Sean Kingston and "Somebody to Love" extended Bieber's chart momentum, with the album's promotion including the My World Tour, which ran from June 2010 to November 2011 and grossed over $53 million worldwide.[34] In February 2011, the concert film Justin Bieber: Never Say Never premiered, documenting Bieber's rise and performances from his My World Tour.[35] Directed by Jon M. Chu, it opened to $29.5 million domestically—the highest-grossing concert film debut at the time—and ultimately earned $73 million in North America on a $13 million budget.[36] The film's success amplified Bieber's global visibility, coinciding with Grammy nominations for Best New Artist and Best Pop Vocal Album for My World 2.0. Bieber closed the period with his holiday album Under the Mistletoe, released November 1, 2011.[37] It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with 210,000 first-week sales, becoming the first Christmas album by a male artist to achieve this milestone.[38] Featuring covers like "Drummer Boy" with Busta Rhymes and originals such as the lead single "Mistletoe," the project sold over 2.7 million copies internationally, solidifying Bieber's commercial dominance amid his teen pop breakthrough.[39]

2012–2014: Believe, Journals, and transitional projects

Bieber released his third studio album, Believe, on June 15, 2012, marking an intentional shift toward a more mature sound incorporating elements of EDM, pop, and R&B to distance from his earlier teen pop image.[40] The album featured collaborations with artists such as Big Sean on "As Long as You Love Me" and Nicki Minaj on "Beauty and a Beat," both of which became prominent singles alongside the lead track "Boyfriend," which debuted at number one on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Songs chart.[3] Believe debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 374,000 copies in its first week, securing Bieber's fourth consecutive chart-topping album in the United States, though this figure represented a decline from the 521,000 first-week sales of his prior holiday album Under the Mistletoe.[41] Globally, the album achieved sales exceeding 4 million copies across 19 countries, topping charts in multiple territories including Canada and Australia.[42] To promote Believe, Bieber embarked on the Believe Tour, commencing on September 29, 2012, at the Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Arizona, and extending through December 8, 2013, encompassing 155 shows across six continents.[43] The tour grossed over $210 million from more than 2.4 million tickets sold, featuring high-energy performances with aerial stunts, pyrotechnics, and guest appearances, though it faced occasional disruptions from Bieber's health issues and logistical challenges.[44] Additional North American dates were added in late 2012, expanding the itinerary to include major venues like Madison Square Garden in New York and the Staples Center in Los Angeles.[45] In December 2013, Bieber released Journals, a digital compilation album on December 23 consisting of 15 previously unreleased tracks presented as acoustic and R&B-leaning recordings, intended as a personal outlet amid label disputes over its classification as a non-traditional album.[46] The project, which included singles like "Heartbreaker" and "Confident," emphasized introspective themes of relationships and growth but received limited physical distribution and promotional support from Island Records, resulting in modest commercial impact without a Billboard 200 debut in the top tier.[47] This release underscored Bieber's transitional phase, experimenting with a more adult-oriented, less polished aesthetic as he navigated creative control tensions and the onset of public personal controversies, including legal issues beginning in 2013 that overshadowed artistic endeavors.[40]

2015–2016: Purpose and mainstream resurgence

Following a period of personal controversies and a creative hiatus, Justin Bieber released his fourth studio album, Purpose, on November 13, 2015.[48] The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 522,000 pure copies and moving 649,000 equivalent album units in its first week, marking Bieber's largest sales week to date.[49] Purpose featured a shift toward mature themes of redemption, love, and self-reflection, incorporating EDM, tropical house, and R&B elements, which contrasted with his earlier teen pop sound.[50] Critically, the album received generally positive reviews, with outlets praising Bieber's vocal growth and production quality from collaborators like Skrillex, Diplo, and Benny Blanco, though some noted its formulaic pop structure.[48][50] The lead single "What Do You Mean?" was released on August 28, 2015, topping the Billboard Hot 100 for two non-consecutive weeks and becoming Bieber's first number-one hit as a lead artist in the U.S.[51] "Sorry," released October 23, 2015, followed suit, reaching number one for three weeks and achieving diamond certification in multiple countries due to its streaming success.[51] "Love Yourself," issued November 5, 2015, also hit number one on the Hot 100 for two weeks, making Bieber the first artist to occupy the top three positions on the UK Singles Chart simultaneously with these tracks in January 2016.[52][53] These singles amassed billions of streams, driving Purpose to over 20 million equivalent album sales globally by emphasizing Bieber's transition to a more introspective and electronically influenced style.[3] In 2016, Bieber launched the Purpose World Tour on May 5, supporting the album with 141 shows across five continents, grossing $257 million and attracting 2.8 million attendees, ranking among the highest-grossing tours of the year. The tour's success, coupled with album sales exceeding 6 million worldwide in its debut year, underscored Bieber's mainstream resurgence, as he swept awards including four American Music Awards in 2016 for Artist of the Year and Favorite Pop/Rock Album.[54][55] This era repositioned Bieber from a tabloid fixture to a commercially dominant pop artist, with Purpose earning his first Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album in 2017.[56]

2017–2019: Collaborations and stylistic shifts

In the period following the Purpose era, Bieber focused on selective collaborations rather than a full-length solo project, allowing for genre experimentation amid personal recovery from exhaustion and health issues. This phase marked a departure from the high-output cycle of albums and tours, with Bieber releasing standalone tracks and features that showcased versatility across pop, hip-hop, EDM, and Latin influences.[57] Early in 2017, Bieber collaborated with producer BloodPop on "Friends," a breakup anthem blending synth-pop and emotional introspection, released on February 16 as a follow-up to their prior work on Purpose. The track peaked at number 14 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and emphasized a more vulnerable lyrical style compared to his earlier upbeat hits. Later that year, on April 28, he featured on DJ Khaled's "I'm the One" alongside Quavo, Chance the Rapper, and Lil Wayne, a hip-hop-infused party track that debuted at number one on the Hot 100, highlighting Bieber's adaptability to rap-heavy ensembles.[58][57] Bieber's contributions extended to EDM with David Guetta's "2U" on June 9, 2017, a motivational dance track that reached number seven on the UK Singles Chart, and the "Despacito" remix with Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee on April 17, which fused reggaeton rhythms with English verses, propelling it to global dominance as the longest-running number-one single in Hot 100 history at 16 non-consecutive weeks. These releases demonstrated a stylistic broadening beyond pure pop, incorporating tropical and electronic elements while maintaining commercial appeal. In June 2017, Bieber independently released the inspirational single "Life Is Worth Living," featuring gospel undertones reflective of his growing faith, signaling an emerging personal thematic shift.[57] By 2018, collaborations continued with "No Brainer" on August 23, another DJ Khaled track with Chance the Rapper and Quavo, which debuted at number five on the Hot 100 and reinforced Bieber's role in hip-hop crossover hits. This output contrasted with a reduced solo presence, as Bieber prioritized personal milestones including his September 2018 marriage to Hailey Bieber, influencing a pivot toward introspective content.[51] Entering 2019, the April 12 release of "I Don't Care" with Ed Sheeran topped charts in 18 countries, blending pop-rock with relational themes that previewed the R&B-leaning sound of his forthcoming Changes album, characterized by trap beats, electro-R&B production, and mature reflections on commitment and vulnerability—a evolution from Purpose's dance-pop dominance to more subdued, relationship-focused introspection. This transitional phase underscored Bieber's genre-hopping proficiency, with features spanning disparate styles like Latin fusion and hip-hop, while laying groundwork for a faith-infused, less frenetic musical identity.[59]

2020–2022: Changes, Justice, and health-induced hiatus

Bieber released his fifth studio album, Changes, on February 14, 2020, marking his return after a period of recovery from health issues including Lyme disease and chronic mononucleosis, which he detailed in the accompanying YouTube documentary Justin Bieber: Seasons released that year.[60][61] The album, dedicated to his wife Hailey Bieber, shifted toward a mature R&B-influenced sound with collaborations including Quavo on the single "Intentions" and dominant male perspectives on relationships.[62] Lead single "Yummy," released January 2020, peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, while Bieber performed tracks on Saturday Night Live on February 8, 2020, his first appearance in seven years.[60] Changes debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with 231,000 album-equivalent units, including 126,000 pure sales, securing Bieber's seventh consecutive chart-topping album; it also reached number one in Canada and the UK.[60][63] In May 2020, Bieber collaborated with Ariana Grande on "Stuck with U," a charity single for the Beatles' All Together Now campaign supporting COVID-19 relief, which debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. His sixth studio album, Justice, followed on March 19, 2021, framed as a means to provide comfort amid global hardships, with thematic elements addressing mental health and justice.[64] Supported by singles including "Anyone" (peaking at number six on the Hot 100 in January 2021), "Holy" featuring Chance the Rapper (number 11), and "Peaches" featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon (number one for one week), the album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with 154,000 equivalent units in its first full week, marking Bieber's eighth chart-topper.[65][64] Additional singles "Hold On" and "Ghost" both reached the Hot 100 top 20, contributing to Justice's commercial success, including multiple weeks at number one.[65] The Justice World Tour commenced on February 18, 2022, in Tucson, Arizona, but Bieber's recurring health struggles intensified.[66] On June 10, 2022, he disclosed a diagnosis of Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a neurological disorder caused by the varicella-zoster virus reactivating and leading to facial nerve inflammation, resulting in partial facial paralysis on the right side.[67] This prompted postponement of tour dates, with Bieber sharing updates via Instagram videos showing recovery progress but emphasizing rest needs.[68] By September 6, 2022, he canceled the remaining North American dates, citing exhaustion and the priority of long-term health over short-term performance, effectively entering a hiatus from touring and major releases.[66][68] These issues built on prior conditions like Lyme disease, diagnosed in 2020 after years of symptoms including fatigue and joint pain, which had previously forced tour cancellations in 2017.[61]

2023–2025: Return with Swag, comeback announcements, and future plans

In 2023, Bieber extended his hiatus from live performances and new music releases following complications from Ramsay Hunt syndrome, which had prompted the cancellation of the remaining dates of his Justice World Tour originally scheduled through March 2023.[69] No original studio material was issued that year, though Bieber shared occasional social media updates on his recovery and family life.[70] The following year, 2024, marked personal milestones for Bieber, including the May announcement of his wife Hailey Bieber's pregnancy and the August birth of their son, Jack Blues Bieber.[71] These events shifted public focus toward his role as a father, with Bieber posting family-oriented content online amid speculation about his career trajectory.[72] No new music emerged, but industry reports later indicated preparations for a return driven partly by financial considerations after a multi-year absence from major projects.[69] Bieber's musical comeback materialized in 2025 with the surprise release of his seventh studio album, Swag (stylized in all caps), on July 11 via Def Jam Recordings and ILH Productions—his first full-length project since Justice in 2021.[73] The 20-track album featured collaborations with artists including Gunna, Sexyy Red, Dijon, Mk.gee, Cash Cobain, and Lil B, embracing an experimental sound described by critics as a "DGAF declaration" blending pop with hip-hop and alternative influences.[74][75] Themes addressed marriage, fatherhood, and personal reflection, with Bieber announcing the project via Instagram just days prior.[76] The release debuted strongly on charts and later re-entered the Billboard top 10 following a deluxe edition.[77] Building momentum, Bieber followed with Swag II on September 5, a 23-track sequel surprise-dropped after the original's viral success, which outlets characterized as elevating the project's coherence and pop accessibility.[78][79] This sequel was positioned as a refined extension, potentially signaling a pivot toward pure pop for upcoming endeavors.[80] Looking ahead, Bieber announced plans to headline Coachella 2026, with the event already sold out, and teased daily vlogs to document preparations, hinting at a broader return to touring.[81] Rumors circulated of a 2026 world tour supporting a new pop album, alongside potential global performances to reconnect with fans post-hiatus.[82] These developments followed reports of ongoing music production, though Bieber emphasized balancing family priorities.[83]

Artistry

Influences and collaborations

Justin Bieber has identified Michael Jackson as his foremost musical influence, expressing a desire to mirror the trajectory of Jackson's career from child prodigy to global icon.[84] In a 2011 interview, Bieber emphasized that musical appreciation disregards racial categories, highlighting admiration for black artists such as Michael Jackson and Boyz II Men.[85] Additional inspirations include R&B and hip-hop elements, with Bieber drawing from artists like 2Pac for confessional lyricism and Boyz II Men for harmonic structures, as curated in thematic playlists reflecting his formative listening.[86] Bieber's early mentorship under Usher further shaped his style, incorporating Usher's R&B sensibilities and performance techniques.[85] This influence manifested in Bieber's vocal delivery and stage presence, blending pop accessibility with rhythmic precision derived from Usher's catalog. Bieber's discography includes over 20 notable collaborations across genres, often bridging pop with hip-hop, R&B, and electronic dance music. Early hits featured rapper Ludacris on "Baby" from My World 2.0 (2010), which peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100, and Usher on the "Somebody to Love (Remix)" (2010).[57] His 2015 resurgence involved producers Skrillex and Diplo on "Where Are Ü Now," earning a Grammy for Best Dance Recording in 2016 and introducing tropical house elements to his sound.[57] Subsequent partnerships expanded globally, including the "Despacito (Remix)" with Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee (2017), which held the Billboard Hot 100 summit for 16 weeks and amassed over eight billion YouTube views.[57] Hip-hop features encompassed DJ Khaled's "I'm the One" with Quavo, Chance the Rapper, and Lil Wayne (2017), and R&B tracks like those with SZA and Nas.[87] Bieber also collaborated with David Guetta on "2U" (2017) and BloodPop on "Friends" (2017), both emphasizing electronic pop fusion.[57] These efforts demonstrate Bieber's adaptability, leveraging collaborators to evolve from teen pop toward mature, genre-blending productions.

Musical style and genre evolution

Bieber's early music, beginning with the 2009 EP My World, centered on teen pop and dance-pop, characterized by upbeat tempos, catchy hooks, and R&B undertones influenced by his mentor Usher.[88] These elements defined his debut singles like "One Time," which blended accessible pop melodies with light R&B production.[89] With the 2012 album Believe, Bieber shifted toward a more mature sound, incorporating stronger R&B grooves and subtle dance influences while retaining pop structures, as evident in tracks exploring themes of growth and relationships.[90] The accompanying Journals release in 2013 further emphasized R&B, focusing on introspective heartbreak narratives with minimal electronic elements.[90] The 2015 album Purpose represented a pivotal evolution, integrating tropical house, EDM, and trap beats through collaborations with producers like Skrillex and Diplo, as in the Grammy-winning "Where Are Ü Now," which fused Bieber's vocal style with electronic drops.[91] This period marked a departure from pure pop toward genre-blending experimentation, yielding hits like "Sorry" that combined dance rhythms with R&B sensibilities.[92] Subsequent releases like Changes in 2020 leaned into electro-R&B and trap, prioritizing smoother, relationship-focused tracks over high-energy dance.[93] Justice (2021) pivoted back toward pop with R&B inflections and electronic accents, aiming for uplifting anthems amid personal reflection, though critics noted its lighter production compared to the denser R&B of Changes.[94] By 2025's Swag, Bieber revisited deeper R&B roots, signaling ongoing stylistic fluidity driven by collaborations and personal maturation.[95]

Vocal abilities and performance techniques

Justin Bieber possesses a vocal range spanning approximately A2 to E5 or F5, covering about two to three octaves, classified by analysts as a light-lyric baritone or tenor with a light, smoky, and warm timbre across registers.[96][97] His voice demonstrates agility, enabling melismas and seamless transitions between chest voice and falsetto, contributing to his emotive phrasing in pop and R&B tracks.[96] A hallmark of Bieber's technique is his frequent employment of falsetto, producing a breathy, high-pitched quality often used for ad-libs and hooks, as heard in songs like "Yummy" and "Love Yourself." This approach, combined with subtle vibrato and dynamic control, allows for expressive delivery but relies on studio pitch correction tools like Melodyne to refine intonation, which he also applies in live settings for consistency.[98] Vocal coaches note his post-pubertal adaptation, where a deepened range shifted from higher pre-teen pitches to more mature baritonal tones, necessitating transpositions in live performances of early material.[99] In live performances, Bieber's abilities manifest through energetic delivery and audience engagement, though critiques highlight occasional pitch inconsistencies and reliance on backing tracks or lip-syncing elements, particularly during high-movement choreography.[100] Despite this, documented acapella and stripped-down renditions, such as during the Believe Tour (2012-2013), showcase competent belting up to C#5 and sustained notes without electronic aid, underscoring his foundational skill as an entertainer whose vocal prowess supports rather than dominates his stage presence.[96][101]

Commercial success

Record sales and chart performance

Bieber's debut extended play, My World (2009), sold over 1 million copies in the United States, earning platinum certification from the RIAA, while its follow-up album My World 2.0 (2010) debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and has sold more than 3 million copies domestically, achieving 3× platinum status.[3] His holiday album Under the Mistletoe (2011) also topped the Billboard 200 upon release, moving 291,000 units in its first week and later certified platinum.[51] Believe (2012) similarly debuted at number one, with over 2 million US sales and multi-platinum certification, bolstered by the single "Boyfriend," which peaked at number five on the Hot 100.[3][102] The Purpose era (2015) marked Bieber's commercial peak, with the album debuting at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 649,000 equivalent units in its first week, and accumulating over 6 million worldwide equivalent album units to date.[3] It spawned three Hot 100 number-one singles—"What Do You Mean?" (2015), "Love Yourself" (2015–2016), and "Sorry" (2015–2016)—a feat achieved by few artists from a single album, with "Sorry" alone certified 10× platinum in the US.[103] Later releases like Changes (2020) and Justice (2021) both debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, with Justice generating 154,000 opening-week units and the collaboration "Stay" (with the Kid Laroi) topping the Hot 100 for seven weeks.[51][102] Bieber's 2025 release Swag debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with 163,000 equivalent units, predominantly from streaming.[104] On the Billboard Hot 100, Bieber has secured eight number-one singles as lead or featured artist, including "Despacito (Remix)" (2017, with Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee), "I'm the One" (2017, with DJ Khaled), and "I Don't Care" (2019, with Ed Sheeran), alongside over 30 top-ten entries, placing him among the chart's most successful solo male artists.[103] His signature single "Baby" (2010, featuring Ludacris) peaked at number five but became the most downloaded song of the 2010s in the US, certified diamond (10 million units) by the RIAA despite limited radio airplay. Overall, Bieber's catalog has surpassed 124.5 million equivalent album units globally, driven by 20.7 million pure album sales and substantial streaming equivalents, with US digital singles exceeding 105 million units as of 2021.[3][105]
AlbumUS Peak (Billboard 200)US Certifications (RIAA)Global Equivalent Units (est.)
My World 2.0 (2010)#13× Platinum~10 million[3]
Under the Mistletoe (2011)#1Platinum~5 million
Believe (2012)#12× Platinum~8 million
Purpose (2015)#13× Platinum~20 million[3]
Justice (2021)#1Platinum~10 million

Awards and industry recognitions

Bieber has won two Grammy Awards from 23 nominations: Best Dance Recording for "Where Are Ü Now" (with Diplo and Skrillex) at the 58th ceremony in 2016, and Best Country Duo/Group Performance for "10,000 Hours" (with Dan + Shay) at the 63rd ceremony in 2021.[4] He also received a Latin Grammy Award for Best Urban Fusion/Performance for the "Despacito" remix (with Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee) at the 18th ceremony in 2017. At the Billboard Music Awards, Bieber has secured 26 victories, including Top Artist in 2016 and 2021, and multiple Top Hot 100 Song awards, such as for "Despacito (Remix)" in 2018 and "Stay" (with the Kid Laroi) in 2022; he was the first artist to win the latter category more than once. He received the Milestone Award in 2013, recognizing his chart dominance with over 10 billion audience impressions from 2010 to 2013. Bieber holds eight Juno Awards, primarily for international album and single of the year, and two Brit Awards for International Male Solo Artist in 2011 and 2016. In terms of certifications, the RIAA has awarded Bieber five Diamond singles: "Baby" (featuring Ludacris), "Sorry," "Despacito (Remix)," "Love Yourself," and "What Do You Mean?" each exceeding 10 million units in the U.S. His overall discography has generated over 150 million certified units worldwide, reflecting sustained commercial impact. Bieber has set multiple Guinness World Records, including most-streamed track on Spotify in 24 hours for "What Do You Mean?" (21.4 million streams on September 17, 2015), youngest solo male artist to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 (with the same track on September 26, 2015), and youngest artist with five number-one U.S. albums before age 19.[106] He earned eight record titles in the 2017 edition, encompassing streaming milestones and fan engagement metrics like most-viewed YouTube video in 24 hours for "Baby" (initially set in 2011).[107]

Critical reception

Early criticism as teen pop and backlash

Justin Bieber's breakthrough album My World 2.0, released on March 23, 2010, drew criticism for exemplifying the formulaic nature of teen pop, with tracks like "Baby" featuring heavy autotune and repetitive hooks aimed at a young audience.[108] Reviewers described the music as bland and soulless, prioritizing commercial appeal over artistic depth, as Bieber's vocal delivery was often processed to mask technical limitations typical of the genre.[108] Songs such as "One Less Lonely Girl" and "Favorite Girl" were seen as adhering to the teen-idol playbook, recycling themes of puppy love without innovation.[109] This musical critique fueled a broader backlash against Bieber as a manufactured product of digital marketing and industry grooming, rather than an organic talent, despite his YouTube origins.[110] Critics and commentators dismissed his rapid rise—fueled by manager Scooter Braun and mentor Usher—as emblematic of shallow, overhyped pop stardom, leading to widespread ridicule from non-fans who viewed his "Bieber fever" phenomenon as culturally vacuous.[111] Online communities amplified this sentiment through memes and high dislike ratios on videos like "Baby," which garnered millions of views but faced derision for its perceived lack of substance.[112] The backlash extended to cultural resentment toward teen idols, with Bieber positioned as a symbol of ephemeral fame in the post-Jonas Brothers era, where his appeal to preteen girls alienated older demographics and music purists who favored authenticity over polished production.[113] Public figures and media outlets contributed to the narrative by questioning his longevity in a genre with a short shelf life, predicting a swift decline akin to past boy band fads.[114] While some reviews acknowledged the album's effective pop craftsmanship, the dominant early discourse framed Bieber's output as disposable, intensifying anti-fan campaigns and petitions that highlighted societal fatigue with teen pop dominance.[115][116]

Reevaluation in later career and mixed reviews

Following the release of his 2015 album Purpose on November 13, Bieber's work received reevaluation from critics who previously dismissed him as a teen pop act, praising the album's shift to electro-dance and tropical house elements alongside introspective lyrics addressing personal redemption.[50] [48] The record's singles, including "What Do You Mean?" and "Sorry," demonstrated vocal maturity and production sophistication, with reviewers noting Bieber's transition to a more serious artist through collaborations with producers like Skrillex and Diplo.[50] This era marked a commercial and artistic peak, as Purpose sold over 6 million copies worldwide and topped charts in multiple countries, prompting acknowledgments of Bieber's growth beyond his early image.[48] Subsequent albums elicited mixed responses, with Changes (February 14, 2020) criticized for its subdued R&B tone and perceived lack of emotional depth despite themes of marital contentment.[117] [118] Pitchfork described the tracks as "cold angles and frictionless surfaces," while Rolling Stone deemed it "sweet and tender, but ultimately shallow," reflecting a one-note focus on domestic bliss that failed to recapture Purpose's energy.[117] [118] The Guardian noted its "fitfully lovely" quality but suggested Bieber's disinterest in chart dominance contributed to the album's muted impact, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 yet receiving lower aggregate scores around 60/100 from critics.[119] Justice (March 19, 2021) continued the mixed trajectory, blending pop with acoustic elements and themes of faith and justice, earning praise for earnestness but critique for mawkish songwriting and bland production.[120] [121] Pitchfork called it "surprisingly compelling" for unearthing Bieber's charisma, while Rolling Stone highlighted "abject affection" tempered by "misguided depth," assigning a 2.5/5 rating.[120] [121] Variety viewed it as a "sharp turn for the better," yet overall reception hovered around mixed-positive, with user and critic aggregates in the low 60s, indicating sustained commercial viability but inconsistent artistic innovation post-Purpose.[122]

Cultural impact

Role in shaping digital fame and YouTube era

In late 2007, at age 13, Justin Bieber's mother, Pattie Mallette, uploaded amateur videos of him performing covers of songs by artists such as Ne-Yo, Stevie Wonder, and Chris Brown to YouTube, a platform then just two years old.[24] These clips, featuring Bieber singing and playing drums or piano in informal settings, initially accumulated around 60,000 to 70,000 views.[24][21] Talent manager Scooter Braun discovered Bieber in 2008 after randomly viewing the videos while searching for another artist, leading him to contact Mallette and arrange an audition in Atlanta.[21] Braun subsequently mentored Bieber, securing a development deal with Usher and a recording contract with Island Records, marking one of the earliest instances of a major-label signing primarily driven by YouTube exposure rather than traditional scouting methods like talent shows or demos.[24] Under Braun's guidance, Bieber's online views surged from tens of thousands to over 66 million by early 2009, fueling the release of his debut EP My World in November 2009.[24] Bieber's ascent demonstrated the disruptive potential of digital platforms in democratizing fame, proving that viral user-generated content could propel an unknown talent to global stardom without prior industry connections or broadcast exposure.[24] This phenomenon shifted music industry practices, encouraging labels to invest in online talent discovery and social media promotion as viable alternatives to conventional pipelines.[24] The "Bieber Fever" fan movement amplified through YouTube shares, comments, and early Twitter interactions, creating a feedback loop of organic virality that prefigured the influencer-driven economy.[123] By 2010, Bieber's YouTube channel had become a cornerstone of his brand, with covers and original content driving sustained engagement and informing his pivot to polished music videos that retained an accessible, relatable aesthetic.[124] His success validated YouTube as a launchpad for pop careers, influencing subsequent artists like Carly Rae Jepsen and influencing platform algorithms to prioritize music content, though it also highlighted challenges like rapid fame's psychological toll on young creators.[24] Overall, Bieber's path underscored causal links between algorithmic visibility, fan amplification, and commercial breakthroughs in the nascent digital era.

Legacy as a pop icon and influence on successors

Bieber's enduring status as a pop icon is evidenced by his commercial dominance, including over 150 million records sold worldwide and billions of streams, which positioned him as Spotify's most-streamed artist with 83.3 million monthly listeners as of mid-2021, a record underscoring his role in popularizing digital consumption of music.[125] His trajectory from a 2008 YouTube covers discovery to multimillion-selling albums like Purpose (2015), which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 649,000 copies in its first week, exemplifies a model of rapid ascent sustained by viral marketing and genre-blending releases. Billboard ranked him the eighth greatest pop star of the 21st century, citing his evolution from teen pop to mature R&B-infused hits that maintained chart relevance into the 2020s, including a pop radio No. 1 in October 2025 tying him with superstars like Rihanna.[126][127] His influence on successors manifests in the blueprint he established for social media-driven fame, enabling unsigned talents to bypass traditional labels through platforms like YouTube and Vine, as seen in the industry's shift post-2010 where viral videos supplanted radio airplay for breakthroughs.[128] This path directly inspired "pop boys" emulating his clean-cut teen appeal and ballad-heavy style, including Shawn Mendes, who rose via Vine covers in 2013 and acknowledged parallels in fan-driven hype; Austin Mahone, dubbed a "Bieber 2.0" for his 2011 YouTube covers leading to RCA signing; and Cody Simpson, whose 2009 acoustic uploads mirrored Bieber's early strategy.[129] Other acts like Conor Maynard and Why Don't We adopted similar youth-oriented pop formulas, leveraging Bieber's template of mentor-guided debuts—such as Scooter Braun's management model—to achieve initial streaming spikes and arena tours.[130] Bieber's legacy also lies in normalizing public personal reinvention amid scrutiny, influencing how successors like Mendes navigated from idol phases to edgier sounds without derailing careers, as his Purpose era redemption arc—post-2014 controversies—demonstrated resilience yielding hits like "Sorry" (over 3 billion YouTube views). Critics note his collabs with producers like Skrillex expanded pop's EDM integration, paving for genre-fluid acts, though his impact is tempered by debates over artistic depth versus market savvy, with some attributing his successors' viability more to algorithmic amplification than innovation.[131] Overall, Bieber's model recalibrated pop's youth pipeline, prioritizing digital virality and rapid commercialization over gatekept development.

Public image

Evolution from teen idol to mature artist

Bieber's early career established him as a teen idol through bubblegum pop tracks like "Baby" from his 2010 debut album My World 2.0, which appealed primarily to young audiences and sparked "Bieber Fever."[132] By his 2012 album Believe, however, his public image began shifting amid reports of legal troubles, including arrests for driving under the influence in 2014 and vandalism incidents, leading to widespread media portrayal as a "troubled" celebrity and backlash against his immature antics.[132][133] The release of Purpose on November 13, 2015, represented a pivotal moment, with Bieber adopting a more introspective style influenced by electronic and R&B elements, addressing themes of regret, redemption, and personal growth in songs like "Sorry" and "Love Yourself."[134][135] The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, breaking streaming records with 205 million global streams in its first week, and collaborations with producers like Skrillex signaled a departure from teen pop toward genre-melding maturity.[134][136] This shift coincided with Bieber's public apologies and a toned-down persona, transforming perceptions from irritant to relatable artist.[137][133] Subsequent releases reinforced this evolution; the 2020 album Changes focused on marital devotion to Hailey Bieber, sobriety, and faith, presenting a confessional R&B sound that emphasized emotional healing over youthful exuberance.[138][139] Bieber's image further matured into that of a family-oriented figure, with reduced touring and openness about mental health struggles, distancing him from the idol archetype while maintaining commercial viability through hits like "Intentions."[140][141] By 2025, this progression had solidified his status as a resilient pop figure who navigated fame's pressures via authentic reinvention rather than fleeting trends.[132]

Media portrayals and fan dynamics

Media coverage of Justin Bieber initially emphasized his rapid ascent from a YouTube cover artist discovered in 2008 at age 13 to a global teen idol by 2010, highlighting his appeal to young audiences through hits like "Baby."[132] This portrayal shifted during his mid-teens amid escalating controversies, including altercations with paparazzi in 2012 and the emergence of videos from 2009 showing him using racially offensive language, which drew widespread condemnation and framed him as a "troubled" celebrity.[142][143] Outlets like BBC and CNN documented incidents such as his 2014 DUI arrest in Miami, contributing to a narrative of reckless behavior exacerbated by fame's pressures, though Bieber later attributed suicidal ideation during this period to relentless scrutiny rather than inherent character flaws.[144] Documentaries reinforced evolving media images: the 2011 film Justin Bieber: Never Say Never celebrated his stardom and work ethic during his 2010 tour, grossing over $99 million at the box office.[145] In contrast, the 2020 YouTube series Justin Bieber: Seasons provided an intimate view of his post-2015 recovery, addressing mental health struggles and marriage, signaling a mature pivot that tempered prior "bad boy" depictions.[146] By 2021's Justin Bieber: Our World, coverage focused on professional resilience amid personal challenges, aligning with his transition to genre-blending releases like Justice in 2021.[147] Bieber's fanbase, known as Beliebers, emerged organically on YouTube before his 2009 debut album, amassing over 2 billion video views by 2010 through grassroots sharing that propelled his fame.[148] Dynamics involved fervent online defense against media criticism, with fans prioritizing chart records and view counts, often performing informal promotion as if employed by his team.[148] This loyalty persisted through backlash, fostering a subculture where fandom shaped identity, though early intensity included obsessive behaviors critiqued in analyses of teen fan communities.[149] By the mid-2010s, Beliebers adapted to his stylistic evolution, supporting mature works while maintaining sold-out concert attendance, as seen in 2015 Purpose Tour crowds exceeding 2 million attendees globally.[150]

Business ventures

Fashion and product lines

In 2011, Bieber launched his first fragrance line with Someday, a women's perfume developed by perfumer Honorine Blanc and marketed through Perfumania, featuring notes of mandarin, jasmine, and vanilla. Subsequent releases under the Justin Bieber brand included Girlfriend in 2012, with fruity and floral accords, and The Key in 2013, expanding to seven perfumes by 2025, primarily targeting young consumers with playful, youthful scents.[151] Bieber co-founded the casual apparel brand Drew House with stylist Ryan Good, trademarking the name in February 2018 and debuting it on December 25, 2018, with smiley-face slippers priced at $4.99.[152] The full collection launched in January 2019, offering streetwear staples such as oversized T-shirts, hoodies, socks, and pajamas in neutral tones, with prices ranging from $48 to $148, emphasizing comfort and self-expression.[153] The brand cultivated a grassroots following through limited drops and Bieber's personal endorsements, evolving from celebrity-driven to a cult label by 2022.[154] Bieber disaffiliated from Drew House on April 10, 2025, stating it no longer represented him or his family and advising fans against purchases.[155] In 2025, Bieber introduced SKYLRK as his first independent fashion venture, filing trademarks via SKYLRK Holdco, LLC in 2023 in collaboration with associate Neima Khaila.[156] The brand launched on July 10, 2025, with comfort-focused items including zip-up hoodies, molded rubber sandals, and sculptural sunglasses, prioritizing relaxed, everyday wear.[157] In December 2025, SKYLRK opened a temporary retail space in Tokyo from December 4 to 7.[158] On December 10, 2025, the brand debuted the 3D-printed Earth Bender sneaker in collaboration with Zellerfeld.[159]

Endorsements and entrepreneurial efforts

Bieber endorsed Proactiv skincare products, serving as a spokesmodel in advertisements starting around 2011.[160] In 2010, he collaborated with Nicole by OPI to create the "One Less Lonely Girl" nail polish collection, featuring shades inspired by his song from the album My World 2.0.[160] He signed a promotional deal with Adidas in the early 2010s, appearing in campaigns for their apparel and footwear lines.[161] In 2015, Bieber featured in a high-profile Calvin Klein advertising campaign, posing in underwear alongside model Lara Stone for the #MyCalvins initiative, which generated significant media attention and sales boosts for the brand.[162] He later endorsed Schmidt's Naturals deodorants in 2017, promoting their natural ingredient products through social media and ads.[161] Entrepreneurially, Bieber launched the women's fragrance Someday in June 2011 through Perfumania Holdings, with top notes of red berries, pear, and mandarin orange, targeting a youthful audience and achieving commercial success with over 400,000 units sold in its first year.[163] In 2018, he co-founded the streetwear brand Drew House with longtime friend and stylist Ryan Good, debuting hoodies and apparel in 2019 that emphasized comfort and casual aesthetics, though Bieber publicly severed ties with the company in April 2025 amid reported internal disputes.[155] Beyond consumer products, Bieber has pursued angel investing, committing to at least seven startups including cryptocurrency platform MoonPay and sports media venture TMRW Sports as of 2023.[164]

Personal life

Family background and relationships

Justin Bieber was born on March 1, 1994, in London, Ontario, Canada, to unmarried teenagers Patricia "Pattie" Mallette and Jeremy Jack Bieber.[8][165] Mallette, aged 18 at the time, raised Bieber as a single mother in nearby Stratford, Ontario, amid financial hardship; she had endured a rape at age 14, battled depression and substance issues in her youth, and relied on government assistance while working low-wage jobs.[11] Jeremy Bieber, also 18, had minimal early involvement due to his own troubles with petty crime and drug use, though he later reconnected with his son around age 13 and provided guidance during Bieber's rising fame, including co-managing aspects of his career.[8][166] Bieber has no full siblings, as his parents had no further children together, but maintains relationships with four paternal half-siblings from Jeremy's later partnerships: half-sister Allie (born 1998) from a pre-Justin relationship, half-sister Jazmyn (born 2008) and half-brother Jaxon (born 2009) with ex-wife Erin Wagner, and half-sister Bay (born 2018) with current wife Chelsey Bieber.[167][168] These connections strengthened post-reconciliation with his father, with Bieber often sharing family moments publicly and describing his role as a supportive older brother.[169] Bieber's early romantic relationships emerged during his teen years amid fame. He briefly dated childhood acquaintance Caitlin Beadles, sister of his friend Christian, around 2008–2009, before fame intensified public scrutiny.[170] From 2010 to 2018, he maintained an on-and-off relationship with singer Selena Gomez, beginning as friends and evolving into a highly publicized pairing involving multiple breakups, reconciliations, and tabloid coverage of emotional volatility.[171][172] After their November 2012 breakup, the pair continued an on-again, off-again status into 2013. In March 2013, Gomez confirmed the split on The Late Show with David Letterman, stating she was single. They briefly reconciled in April 2013 when Gomez visited Bieber in Norway on April 19 during his tour, where they were seen holding hands, hugging, and kissing, and Bieber posted throwback photos of the pair on social media. They spent the Fourth of July together in Los Angeles, with cozy photos and videos posted online. However, by late July 2013, Gomez told the Associated Press she was "definitely single and enjoying being that," ending the reunion.[173][174][175][176][177] Other short-term links included backup dancer Jasmine Villegas (2010), model Chantel Jeffries (January–February 2014), and reported flings with Jayde Pierce (2015) and Sofia Richie (2016), many confirmed via social media or public outings but lasting weeks to months amid his touring schedule and youth.[172][178] A brief 2015 encounter with Kourtney Kardashian drew media attention but ended quickly, with both parties downplaying it as non-serious.[170]

Marriage to Hailey Bieber and fatherhood

Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin, who later took the surname Bieber, began dating in June 2018 after reconnecting at a Miami church event earlier that year, following years of intermittent friendship since meeting in 2009.[6] Bieber proposed to Baldwin on July 7, 2018, during a Bahamas vacation, presenting a 6-carat oval diamond engagement ring valued at approximately $500,000.[179] The couple obtained a marriage license in New York City on September 13, 2018, and wed that same day in a private civil ceremony at the city's courthouse, with Bieber's manager Scooter Braun serving as a witness; only Baldwin's father, actor Stephen Baldwin, was informed in advance.[179] Their ceremonial wedding occurred on September 30, 2019, at the Montage Palmetto Bluff resort in Bluffton, South Carolina, attended by 154 guests including celebrities such as Kylie Jenner, Kendall Jenner, Jaden Smith, and Bieber's former flame Selena Gomez's mother, Mandy Teefey. [180] The event featured a vegetarian menu, floral installations by Jamali Garden and Flowers, and a custom white Vera Wang gown for Baldwin, with Bieber wearing a Tom Ford tuxedo; the couple exchanged vows under a floral arch, reaffirming their commitment after the earlier legal union.[181] Bieber later documented aspects of their relationship and weddings in his 2020 YouTube docuseries Seasons, emphasizing themes of personal growth and faith.[182] The Biebers announced the birth of their first child, a son named Jack Blues Bieber, on August 23, 2024, via Instagram posts expressing gratitude and describing the newborn as a source of overwhelming love.[7] Hailey Bieber has described the pregnancy as unexpected, noting initial struggles to accept it amid her career demands, but affirmed Justin's active involvement as a father, stating he is "always with his family" and handles childcare when she is unavailable.[183] In interviews, she has praised Bieber's parenting, calling him an attentive dad who prioritizes family time, though the couple maintains privacy around Jack's upbringing, sharing only occasional photos such as milestone celebrations.[184] As of October 2025, Hailey Bieber has indicated plans for additional children, stating they "definitely want more than one" but are not rushing, citing enjoyment of parenthood while balancing professional lives.[185]

Health challenges and recovery

In January 2020, Bieber disclosed his diagnosis with Lyme disease, a bacterial infection transmitted by ticks, alongside a severe case of chronic mononucleosis, which contributed to ongoing fatigue and health management challenges.[186][187] These conditions necessitated long-term treatment, though Bieber continued professional activities while emphasizing rest and medical care.[186] On June 10, 2022, Bieber announced a diagnosis of Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a rare neurological complication of the varicella-zoster virus causing inflammation of the facial nerve, resulting in partial paralysis on the right side of his face, including inability to close his eye or fully smile.[188][189] This led to the postponement of multiple dates on his Justice World Tour, with recovery prognosis uncertain but potentially aided by early antiviral and steroid interventions.[190][191] He resumed touring in August 2022 after partial improvement, and by March 2023, demonstrated restored facial symmetry in public appearances.[192][193] Further updates in May 2024 showed full facial mobility regained.[194] Bieber has publicly addressed mental health difficulties, including depression and anxiety exacerbated by early fame and substance use, which he linked to feelings of shame and relational strain beginning in his late teens.[195][196] He reported initiating marijuana use around age 12 or 13, escalating to heavier drugs like Xanax by age 19, which he used to numb emotional distress but which intensified dependency and health risks, including informal detoxification efforts.[197][198] Sobriety, achieved through pastoral counseling and lifestyle changes by 2019, involved adjunctive measures such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy and weekly intravenous nutrient infusions to support recovery from prior substance-related fatigue.[199][200] As of 2025, sources indicate ongoing prioritization of family and mental well-being amid public speculation, with Bieber rejecting dependency on medications.[201][202][203]

Religious beliefs and spiritual journey

Bieber's engagement with Christianity became publicly prominent during his adolescence, influenced by evangelical figures and his exposure to faith-based communities amid rising fame and personal challenges. In a 2011 interview, he described himself as a believer in Jesus Christ, emphasizing prayer and moral guidance from scripture as central to his life.[204] By 2014, facing legal troubles and substance issues, Bieber underwent baptism on June 6 in a private ceremony conducted by Hillsong Church pastor Carl Lentz in the bathtub of NBA player Tyson Chandler's New Jersey home, an event Lentz later recounted as occurring spontaneously at 3 a.m. after Bieber expressed urgency for immersion.[205] [206] This marked a turning point, with Bieber associating closely with Hillsong's New York branch, where Lentz served as a spiritual advisor.[207] Post-baptism, Bieber integrated Christian themes into his music and public persona, particularly during the 2015 release of his album Purpose, which he attributed to a redemptive spiritual renewal. He stated that faith rendered him "invincible," asserting "if God's for me, who can be against me," and positioned Jesus as the ultimate healer capable of addressing personal failings beyond scientific explanation.[204] [208] Bieber's involvement with Hillsong drew scrutiny following scandals, including Lentz's 2020 dismissal for "moral failures" involving infidelity and the church's broader issues with leadership accountability and celebrity favoritism, prompting Bieber to distance himself while affirming his independent commitment to Christianity.[209] [210] In subsequent years, Bieber's spiritual expressions evolved toward nondenominational practices, including attendance at Churchome and regular Bible study, which he credited for navigating mental health struggles and relational stability.[211] By 2021, he described faith as enabling him to embrace his designed purpose without self-judgment, viewing grace as a continual restorative force amid setbacks.[212] [213] Recent statements in 2024 and 2025 reaffirm this trajectory, with Bieber declaring the Bible as his "guideline" for decisions and expressing deepened reliance on Jesus for forgiveness and strength, independent of institutional affiliations.[214] [215] His wife, Hailey Bieber, shares this evangelical outlook, though Bieber's journey reflects personal conviction over denominational loyalty, evidenced by consistent public testimonies amid ongoing fame pressures.[216]

Philanthropy and charitable work

Bieber has supported numerous charitable causes, with a focus on children's health, education, and disaster relief. In 2011, he launched the Believe Charity Drive, pledging portions of proceeds from his album Under the Mistletoe to organizations including the Children's Wish Foundation of Canada, Pencils of Promise, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Musicians on Call, Project Medishare for Haiti, and City of Hope.[217][218] This initiative aimed to raise millions tied to his Believe album release the following year. He has partnered extensively with Pencils of Promise, an education nonprofit founded by his manager's brother, through campaigns like Schools4All, which encouraged fan donations to build schools in developing regions, and a 2012 effort that donated $20,000 split between Pencils of Promise and Make-A-Wish via a brand competition.[219][220] A significant portion of Bieber's philanthropy involves the Make-A-Wish Foundation, where he earned recognition for granting wishes to children with critical illnesses. By August 2013, he had fulfilled his 200th wish, becoming the first recording artist to achieve that milestone for the organization.[221] Reports indicate he granted over 250 wishes by 2015, ranking him among the top celebrity wish-granters, though surpassed overall by wrestler John Cena.[222][223] In 2014, he received the Champ of Charity Award at the Young Hollywood Awards for this work, having granted a then-record 226 wishes.[224] Bieber has made direct donations for disaster and health relief, including over $3 million raised in 2013 for typhoon victims in the Philippines through partnerships with UNICEF, Action Against Hunger, and the Philam Foundation.[225] In 2014, he pledged $545,000 to AIDS charities during a Cannes gala.[226] Other contributions include $100,000 to a Las Vegas elementary school in December 2011 following a benefit concert,[227] sponsorship of multiple clean water projects in Ethiopia and Sierra Leone via charity: water,[228] a $77,000 raise for Haiti's 2021 earthquake relief,[229] and donations supporting COVID-19 efforts, such as to the Beijing Chunmiao Children Aid Foundation in 2020.[230] He has also backed broader causes like PETA animal welfare campaigns and Red Cross disaster response.[231]

Early behavioral incidents and public outbursts

In October 2010, Bieber faced an investigation after being accused of assaulting a 12-year-old boy during a game at a laser tag arena in Norwalk, California, on October 18; authorities cleared him of wrongdoing following review of surveillance footage.[232] During a shopping outing with then-girlfriend Selena Gomez in Los Angeles on May 12, 2012, Bieber was accused by paparazzo Jose Linebaugh of punching him in the face and damaging his camera, leading to a battery complaint; no charges were filed against Bieber.[142] On March 26, 2013, Bieber's neighbor Jason McDonald filed a battery report claiming the singer spat on him and issued threats during a driveway confrontation at their shared Calabasas, California, gated community; the incident stemmed from complaints about noise from Bieber's residence, and McDonald later sued in 2015 alleging ongoing harassment.[233] A video leaked on July 10, 2013, captured Bieber and associates urinating into a mop bucket in the kitchen of a New York City restaurant after leaving a nightclub, with Bieber yelling "Fuck Bill Clinton" while spraying a framed photo of the former president with cleaning fluid; Bieber personally apologized to Clinton via intermediaries that day, stating he had acted immaturely.[234][235] On July 25, 2013, while staying at a Toronto hotel, Bieber faced allegations of spitting over his balcony toward a crowd of fans below, as claimed by witnesses and depicted in photographs; Bieber's representatives denied the act, stating that no fans were below the balcony and accusing TMZ of superimposing photos of fans next to Bieber on a different balcony to create a misleading impression, while asserting that he was not targeting anyone; TMZ denied the superimposition claim.[236][237][238] These incidents, occurring amid Bieber's rapid ascent to global stardom as a teenager, highlighted a pattern of impulsive and confrontational actions often captured on video or reported by witnesses, drawing widespread media scrutiny.[239] On January 9, 2014, Justin Bieber was implicated in vandalizing a neighbor's home in Calabasas, California, by throwing eggs that caused approximately $20,000 in damage to the property.[240] He was charged with misdemeanor vandalism in July 2014 after Los Angeles prosecutors determined the evidence did not support felony charges.[241] Bieber pleaded no contest to the charge on July 9, 2014, resulting in a sentence of two years' probation, five days of community service or anger management classes, and an order to pay $80,900 in restitution to the victims.[240] [242] On January 23, 2014, Bieber was arrested in Miami Beach, Florida, for driving under the influence, drag racing, resisting an officer without violence, and driving with an expired license after police observed him speeding in a yellow Lamborghini alongside a rented red Ferrari.[243] He was released on $2,500 bond following the arrest.[243] In August 2014, Bieber entered a plea deal reducing the DUI charge to misdemeanor careless driving, to which he pleaded guilty, while also pleading guilty to resisting an officer; the expired license charge was dropped.[244] The agreement required 50 hours of community service, 12 hours of anger management counseling, a $50,000 donation to a youth charity, and two years' probation, avoiding jail time.[245] In June 2015, Bieber pleaded guilty to charges of assault and careless driving stemming from an August 2013 incident in Stratford, Ontario, Canada, where he assaulted a paparazzo following an ATV collision.[246] He received a $750 fine and no criminal record as part of the resolution.[246] No further arrests or significant legal charges have been reported against Bieber since these cases.

Drug allegations and personal struggles

Justin Bieber began using marijuana around age 12 or 13, initially as a means to cope with the pressures of early fame.[197] This dependency escalated during his teenage years, leading to experimentation with harder substances including codeine-based lean, ecstasy (Molly), psilocybin mushrooms, and various pills, which he later described as an attempt to numb emotional pain and escape reality.[247][248] On January 23, 2014, Bieber was arrested in Miami Beach, Florida, for driving under the influence, drag racing, and resisting an officer without violence; a subsequent urine toxicology test confirmed the presence of THC (marijuana's active metabolite) and alprazolam (Xanax).[249][250] He pleaded guilty to lesser charges of careless driving and resisting arrest, avoiding jail time through anger management and community service, but the incident fueled public speculation about ongoing substance abuse.[249] Bieber has publicly admitted that his drug use intensified to the point where he woke up daily smoking marijuana and taking pills, with security personnel monitoring his pulse nightly due to overdose risks from severe intoxication.[251][252] In a 2019 BBC interview, he linked heavy substance abuse to depression and relational issues stemming from rapid stardom, acknowledging patterns of emotional numbness and self-destructive behavior.[195] By 2020, in his YouTube docuseries Seasons, Bieber detailed achieving sobriety after therapy, faith-based interventions, and support from his wife Hailey Bieber, though he later revealed ongoing battles with Xanax and alcohol addiction into the early 2020s.[253][199] These struggles, exacerbated by childhood trauma and the isolation of fame, prompted periodic withdrawals from public life for treatment, with Bieber emphasizing personal accountability over external excuses in his recovery narrative.[254]

Recent rumors and public scrutiny

In 2025, Justin Bieber faced renewed public scrutiny over his health and substance use, fueled by social media posts and fan concerns about his appearance, including gaunt features and erratic behavior observed in videos.[255][256] Bieber's February posts showing him smoking marijuana and subsequent captions referencing past drug experiences reignited speculation, with some outlets linking it to his admitted history of using substances like lean, pills, MDMA, and mushrooms since age 23.[254][256] His representatives dismissed these as "salacious" and "harmful" rumors in February 2025, emphasizing his focus on fatherhood after son Jack Blues's birth in August 2024 and ongoing recovery from Ramsay Hunt syndrome.[257][258] Bieber addressed the speculation directly in his surprise album Swag II, released in July 2025, with lyrics in tracks like "Speed Demon" and "Walking Away" rejecting narratives of relapse and affirming personal growth amid public doubt.[259][260] In July, he shared "detox" selfies from Spain, sweating profusely, which some interpreted as evidence of wellness efforts at a clinic like The Balance, though no confirmation emerged.[261][262] A July 21 repost of rapper DMX discussing avoidance of a "clean" life drew further concern, but Bieber has not endorsed active hard drug use, contrasting with his 2020 documentary admissions of past dependency.[263][264] Marriage rumors intensified in early 2025, with speculation of a split from Hailey Bieber amid reports of tension post-childbirth and Bieber's independent travels.[265] Hailey described their union as a "crazy life" in July 2025 interviews, navigating external pressures, but affirmed commitment, noting slim divorce odds due to shared faith.[266][267] Bieber countered by posting affectionate images from a Spanish getaway, captioning Hailey his "forever n always" on July 7.[268] Persistent tabloid claims of Hailey managing his career were labeled "stupid" and "ridiculous" by her in October 2025, highlighting how unverified social media narratives amplify scrutiny on their private life.[269][270] Additional rumors included unfounded death hoaxes in October 2025 and vague accusations of financial decline, often traced to anonymous social media without evidence.[271][272] Bieber shifted focus to non-music pursuits, announcing daily personal gigs in October, amid calls from fans for privacy as he balances recovery and family.[273][274] These episodes underscore a pattern where celebrity visibility invites speculative commentary, often detached from verified personal progress.

References

User Avatar
No comments yet.