Justin Bieber

Life and career

1994–2006: Early life

Justin Drew Bieber was born on March 1, 1994, at St. Joseph's Hospital in London, Ontario, and was raised in Stratford. His parents, Jeremy Jack Bieber and Pattie Mallette, were both 18 when he was born, and separated soon after his birth. Mallette raised Bieber as a single mother in low-income housing while working a series of low-paying office jobs. Mallette's mother Diane and stepfather Bruce helped her raise Bieber, who has maintained contact with his father. Bieber has French, Irish, English, Scottish and German ancestry.

Bieber's father is a former carpenter. Through his father, Bieber has two younger half-sisters and a younger half-brother. He also has a stepsister, who is the daughter of his stepmother. Bieber attended two French-language immersion elementary schools in Stratford: Jeanne Sauvé Catholic School and Bedford Public School. In grades 7 and 8, he attended Stratford Northwestern Secondary School. He then attended St. Michael Catholic Secondary School, graduating in 2012 with a 4.0 GPA.

Growing up, he learned to play the piano, drums, guitar, and trumpet. In early 2007, aged 12, Bieber performed Ne-Yo's "So Sick" for a local singing competition in Stratford, in which he placed in the top three. 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. In the same year, Bieber busked shows in front of the Avon Theatre steps with a rented guitar during tourism season.

2007–2009: Career beginnings and My World

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". 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. Bieber began singing for Usher one week later. Bieber soon signed with RBMG (Raymond Braun Media Group), a joint venture between Braun and Usher. 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.

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. 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. Bieber then moved to Atlanta with his mother to pursue further work with Braun and Usher. Braun became Bieber's manager in 2008.

Bieber's first single, "One Time", was released to radio while Bieber was still recording his debut album. The song reached number 12 on the Canadian Hot 100 during its first week of release in July 2009, and peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. During fall 2009, it had success in international markets. The song was certified platinum in Canada and the US and gold in Australia and New Zealand. His first release, an extended play titled My World, was released on November 17, 2009. Critics noted that material from the EP was inspired by singer Chris Brown's early work. 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. 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.

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

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. 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.

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 and reached the top 10 in several international markets. Promo singles, "Never Let You Go" and "U Smile", were top 30 hits on the US Hot 100, and top 20 hits in Canada. The album has received generally favourable reviews. 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. 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 and reached the top 10 of fifteen other countries.

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. Sean Kingston appeared on the album's next single, "Eenie Meenie". The song reached the top 10 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". In July, it was reported that Bieber was the most searched-for celebrity on the Internet. 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. In September, it was reported that Bieber accounted for 3% of traffic on Twitter, according to an employee of the social-networking site.

On My World 2.0, Bieber's voice was noted to be deeper than it was in his debut EP, due to puberty. In April 2010, he 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." 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. 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. Bieber announced in October 2010 that he would be releasing an acoustic album, called My Worlds Acoustic. 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". 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.

2012–2014: Believe, Journals, and other appearances

In late 2011, Bieber began recording his third studio album, titled Believe. 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. 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. 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". "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. 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. 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 Ludacris), followed the next week. 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.

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. 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". 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"). Believe debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming his fourth number-one album. The album sold 57,000 copies in its first week in Canada, debuting atop the Canadian Albums Chart. In September 2012, Bieber was featured on "Beautiful", a song from Carly Rae Jepsen's second studio album, Kiss. 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.

2015–2017: Purpose

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

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. It debuted at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and became Bieber's first number-one single in the country. He set a Guinness World Record by becoming the youngest solo male artist to debut at the top of the Hot 100. It also broke the record for the fastest song to reach number one on US iTunes, reaching the top spot in under 5 minutes. 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.

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. 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. "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. An album track on Purpose, "Company", was announced as the fourth single on March 8, 2016. On February 12, 2016, Bieber's first four albums were released on vinyl for the first time.

2017–2019: Collaborations

On January 28, 2017, Bieber starred in the 2017 NHL Celebrity All-Star Game as a participating player, coached by Wayne Gretzky. 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. 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. It tied the then-record for the most weeks at number one in Billboard Hot 100 history. The song spent a then-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 song earned Bieber his first career Latin Grammy. 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.

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. 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 number-ones in back-to-back weeks. "I'm the One" also reached number one on Billboard's Hot Rap Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts. 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. On July 24, 2017, Bieber cancelled the remaining dates of the Purpose World Tour due to "unforeseen circumstances". 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.

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. 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. 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. Bieber was a participating player in the 2018 NBA Celebrity All-Star Game, marking his second appearance at the event. 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. He was also featured in the accompanying music video.

2020–2022: Changes and Justice

On December 24, 2019, Bieber announced he would be releasing his fifth studio album and embarking on his fourth concert tour in 2020. The album's first single, "Yummy", was released on January 3, 2020. It debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. 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. 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. 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. He released a promotional single for the album, "Get Me" featuring Kehlani. 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. 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. 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. On September 4, 2020, Bieber played a starring role in the music video for DJ Khaled's single "Popstar".

On September 18, 2020, Bieber released "Holy" featuring Chance the Rapper as the first single from his upcoming sixth studio album; 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. On November 6, 2020, Bieber and J Balvin were featured on a remix of 24kGoldn's single "Mood". On November 20, 2020, Shawn Mendes and Bieber released "Monster"; 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. 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. On February 26, 2021, Bieber announced his sixth studio album would be titled Justice. On March 5, 2021, he released the album's fourth single, "Hold On", which peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. On March 19, 2021, Bieber released Justice and its fifth single, "Peaches". The album was met with generally positive reviews and received 8 nominations at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards. 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. 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. He also became the first male act to have his first six studio albums debut at number one on the Billboard 200.

2023–present: Hiatus, Swag and Swag II

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. Bieber was reportedly offered to be a headlining performer at Coachella 2023, but declined to focus on his seventh studio album. On February 24, 2023, Don Toliver released the single "Private Landing" with Bieber co-featured alongside Future. He joined Toliver on stage at the 2023 Rolling Loud festival to deliver a surprise performance of the song. 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.

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. 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. It debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with 163,000 equivalent album units earned in the US in its opening week. The album's lead single "Daisies" debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and became his 27th top 10 single in the US, tying Janet Jackson for the tenth-most in history. On September 4, Bieber announced his album Swag II would be released the next day. On April 11, 2026, Bieber was a headlining performer at Coachella 2026. Following his performance during the first weekend at Coachella, his music catalog experienced a 172% increase in streams with 17 songs charting on the Billboard Global 200 chart for the week of April 25. During the same week, Bieber simultaneously charted seven albums on the Billboard 200 for the first time in his career, including Journals, which made its debut on the chart over 12 years after its release. On July 19, 2026, Bieber performed an acoustic rendition of his song "Everything Hallelujah" during the 2026 FIFA World Cup final halftime show, which took place at New York New Jersey Stadium.

Artistry

Influences

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. 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." In 2019, Bieber called Chris Brown the "best entertainer of all time".

Musical style

Bieber incorporates a variety of genres in his music, focusing mainly on pop, and occasionally R&B, dance-pop or EDM. 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". During the initial years of his career, his musical style was noted for being aimed to a more teen pop and "bubblegum-ish" direction.

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." 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. In 2015 Bieber released the EDM-fuelled album Purpose, where he collaborated with Skrillex, and explored serious themes such as "life experiences", through "feel-good music".

Voice

Bieber initially sang with a boy soprano voice, 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. Jody Rosen commented that Bieber sings with "swing and rhythmic dexterity" on his debut album, noting his tone to be "nasal". Bieber started to receive voice coaching from Jan Smith in 2008.

As an adult singer, Bieber's voice type is tenor, with a vocal range spanning from the baritone A2 to the high tenor F5. In a review of his Purpose album, Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph complimented his "soft, supple and seductive singing". Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian also praised Bieber's "affectedly breathy voice", noting that "the voice soon palls, but the songs are often interesting." 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."

Achievements

Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal

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

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. 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. Bieber is credited with five diamond certifications from the RIAA. Bieber has won two Grammy Awards out of 23 nominations, one Latin Grammy Award, eight Juno Awards, two Brit Awards, 26 Billboard Music Awards, 19 American Music Awards, 22 MTV Europe Music Awards (the most wins for any artist), 23 Teen Choice Awards (the most wins for a male individual), 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. As of 2024, all of Bieber's studio projects are certified platinum or higher by the RIAA and have received numerous accolades.

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. 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. 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. 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. "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. 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.

Cultural impact

Bieber has been credited for reinventing pop stardom for over a decade and has been referred to as the "Prince of Pop" and formerly the "King of Teen Pop" by contemporary journalists. Highlighting his longevity, he was awarded the MTV Award for Best New Artist in 2010 and the MTV Award for Artist of the Year in 2021. 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". Bieber is often described as a pop icon, or simply an icon. 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." 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."

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.

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. He had achieved a global fandom who came to be known as Beliebers and his popularity was labelled "Bieber Fever", with fan frenzies taking place in Liverpool, Barcelona and Paris, among other territories. Bieber's intense fandom was considered to be reminiscent of "Beatlemania", and his signature wings hairstyle at the time also drew comparisons to the Beatles' mop top hairstyle. Bieber's adoration from teenage girls was also likened to those of Frank Sinatra in the 1940s and Elvis Presley in the 1950s. Bieber reinvented his image multiple times and in 2012, changed his hairstyle to resembled more of an pompadour which resembled and drew connections to Elvis Presley.

Public image

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. 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." 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".

Bieber was often featured in teen magazines such as Tiger Beat, and has been labelled a "teen heartthrob". In 2010, he was frequently criticized for looking and sounding younger than his age, 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. His signature wings hairstyle at the time brought much attention in particular. His teen-pop music, image (especially as a heartthrob to girls), and the media attention he receives have additionally been criticized. He has been a target of Internet bloggers and message board posters, especially users of the Internet message board 4chan and of YouTube. 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.

In 2013 and 2014, Bieber was involved in several controversial incidents. He abandoned his pet monkey in Germany, vomited onstage, was filmed urinating into a bucket, cursed at a photograph of Bill Clinton, wore a gas mask in public, and was involved in an explicit image with a stripper. He also allegedly assaulted his bodyguard and a limo driver. Bieber's uncle, Brad Bieber, said that Bieber's behaviour was related to his break-up with Selena Gomez. In its March 2014 edition, Rolling Stone put Bieber on its cover alongside the title "Bad Boy". The same year, Bieber adopted the pseudonym "Bizzle". During the "Bizzle" phase, Bieber donned a quiff and often wore thick gold chains and baseball caps.

Business interests

In 2010, Bieber signed a deal with Proactiv. 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. Bieber's nail polish line sold one million bottles less than two months after its release. Bieber endorsed Adidas, beside Derrick Rose and Venus Williams, in 2012. He became the new "face" and "body" of Calvin Klein in early 2015. Entertainment Tonight reported that Bieber had used MYO-X, a dietary supplement, in preparation for the photo shoot. In June 2015, Bieber teamed up with StarShop, a new shopping app launched by Kevin Harrington. Bieber has been credited with boosting the careers of other singers such as Carly Rae Jepsen and Madison Beer when he tweeted about them.

Bieber has released four fragrances. He launched his debut fragrance, Someday, in 2011; 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. On the heels of that 2011 best-seller, he launched his second fragrance, Girlfriend, in June 2012. His third fragrance, The Key, was launched in July 2013, and his latest fragrance, Justin Bieber Collector's Edition, launched in 2014.

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. 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. 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.

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. On February 7, 2022, Bieber starred in Balenciaga's first 2022 campaign alongside Kim Kardashian and Isabelle Huppert. 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. 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.

Personal life

As a Canadian citizen who lives in the United States, Bieber reportedly possesses a U.S. non-immigrant O-1 visa for working status based on "extraordinary ability or achievement" in an artistic field. He owns a $26-million home in Beverly Hills, California and another home in Ontario.

Relationships

From 2008 to 2009, Bieber was in a relationship with Caitlin Beadles; the two remained friends, and Beadles attended Bieber's wedding. Between 2010 and 2018, Bieber was in an on-again, off-again relationship with the singer and actress Selena Gomez. In an interview on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Bieber said that his songs "Sorry", "Mark My Words", and "What Do You Mean?" are about his relationship with Gomez. From August to December 2016, he dated the model Sofia Richie.

Bieber became engaged to model and longtime friend Hailey Baldwin on July 7, 2018. They had briefly dated from December 2015 to January 2016, before resuming their relationship in June 2018. Bieber and Baldwin reportedly obtained a marriage license in September 2018, leading to reports that they had a civil marriage. In November, Bieber said that he was married to Baldwin. Bieber and Baldwin had an official ceremony in Bluffton, South Carolina, on September 30, 2019. On August 23, 2024, Baldwin gave birth to their son.

Religious beliefs

Bieber is a Christian. He was baptized on January 9, 2014, by Pentecostal pastor Carl Lentz of Hillsong Church, New York, after a born again experience. He expressed his faith in a music video with Brandon Burke, titled "#iPledge", in which he talks about God's forgiveness. In 2021, he announced that he had become a member of Churchome, an evangelical church. On July 24, 2021, Bieber led worship with Gospel singers Kari Jobe and Cody Carnes during the "Freedom Experience" at SoFi Stadium. The trio sang "The Blessing". Many of Bieber's tattoos have religious significance, including the crosses on his chest and under his eye. Bieber covered up the "Son of God" text tattooed on his abdomen with a large tattoo that features two angels, gothic arches, a skeleton, and a serpent.

Health

Bieber has struggled with mental health issues, particularly depression and anxiety, at various points during his career. He has been generally open about these issues. In his YouTube documentary series Seasons (2020), he 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. In 2016 Bieber mentioned he was taking the ADHD medication Adderall. In January 2020, Bieber announced that he had been diagnosed with Lyme disease and infectious mononucleosis.

In February 2022, Bieber tested positive for COVID-19, two days after embarking on his fourth concert tour, the Justice World Tour. 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. He cancelled and postponed concerts and appearances due to the condition, but returned to live performances in late July. In September, two days after his first concert in Latin America as part of the Rock in Rio festival, it was announced that all remaining performances of the Justice World Tour would be suspended due to Bieber prioritizing his health.

Political beliefs

Regarding sexual abstinence, Bieber told 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." In 2022, amidst Roe v. Wade being overturned, both Bieber and his wife expressed disapproval, with Bieber stating, "I think women should have the choice what to do with their own bodies." His view on sexual orientation is quoted as "everyone's own decision", and he has contributed to the It Gets Better Project, a non-profit group aiming to prevent suicide among LGBT youth. Bieber also opposed the Trump administration family separation policy, calling for Donald Trump to "also let those kids out of cages" in 2019.

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

Philanthropy

Bieber supports Pencils of Promise, a charity founded by Adam Braun, the younger brother of Bieber's manager. The organization builds schools in developing countries, and Bieber became the manager for the organization's campaign in Guatemala. He serves as a celebrity spokesman for the organization by running advertisements for the charity and its campaign "Schools4All". He promises to visit schools that donate the most funds to the organization. He takes part in the charity's fund-raising galas and donates parts of the proceeds from his concerts and Someday line of fragrances, 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. 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. 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. In December 2011, Bieber donated $100,000 to Whitney Elementary School in Las Vegas to provide students from low income families. 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.

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. He also supports Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and Alzheimer's Association. 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.

On February 7, 2020, Bieber donated $100,000 to Julie Coker, a 22-year-old fan who works in mental health awareness. 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."

In February 2020, Bieber made a donation to Beijing Chunmiao Children Aid Foundation in China to support COVID-19 relief. 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. 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. By August 2021, the single had raised over $3,500,000. In September 2020, Bieber and Chance the Rapper announced that they had partnered with Cash App and would donate $250,000 to fans who were struggling during the pandemic.

Legal issues and controversies

Bieber had several run-ins with the law around the world before his first arrest in 2014, including when he was accused of reckless driving in his neighbourhood in 2012, charged in Brazil with vandalism in 2013, 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. 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." 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."

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. Police said that Bieber told authorities he had consumed alcohol, smoked marijuana, and taken prescription drugs. He was released from these charges on a $2,500 bond. 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. 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." 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.

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. 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."

Discography

Studio albums

Tours

My World Tour (2010–2011)

Believe Tour (2012–2013)

Purpose World Tour (2016–2017)

Justice World Tour (2022)