Justin Drew Bieber is a Canadian singer. Bieber is recognized for his genre-melding musicianship and global influence in modern-day popular music. He was discovered by American record executive Scooter Braun and signed with RBMG Records in 2008, gaining recognition with the release of his debut seven-track EP My World (2009) and soon establishing himself as a teen idol.

Bieber achieved commercial success with his teen pop-driven debut studio album My World 2.0 (2010), which debuted atop the US Billboard 200, making him the youngest solo male act to top the chart in 47 years. The album spawned the internationally successful single "Baby" (featuring Ludacris), which became one of the best selling singles of all time in the US. His second studio album, Under the Mistletoe (2011), became the first Christmas album by a male artist to debut at number one in the US. Bieber experimented with dance-pop in his third studio album, Believe (2012), and went on to become the first artist in history with five US number-one albums by the age of 18. From 2013–14, Bieber was involved in multiple controversies and legal issues, which had a drastic impact on his public image.

Early life

Justin Drew Bieber was born on March 1, 1994, at St. Joseph's Hospital in London, Ontario, and was raised in Stratford. He is the son of Jeremy Jack Bieber and Pattie Mallette, who were both 18 when Bieber was born, and split up not long after his birth. 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 her son. Bieber has maintained contact with his father. Bieber's ancestry includes French-Canadian, Irish, English, Scottish, and German.

Bieber has three younger half-siblings; the four have the same father, Jeremy Bieber. Jeremy Bieber and his ex-girlfriend, Erin Wagner, who broke up in 2014 after seven years together, have two children, daughter Jazmyn and son Jaxon. Jeremy married his girlfriend Chelsey in February 2018, and they have a daughter named Bay. Bieber also has a stepsister named Allie, the daughter of his stepmother.

Bieber attended a French-language immersion elementary school in Stratford, the Jeanne Sauvé Catholic School. He graduated from high school in Stratford, the St. Michael Catholic Secondary School, 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 sang Ne-Yo's "So Sick" for a local singing competition in Stratford and was placed second. 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 Avon Theatre steps with a rented guitar during tourism season.

Career

2008-2009 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. Impressed, Braun tracked down the theatre Bieber was performing at, located Bieber's school, 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 with Braun to record demo tapes. Bieber began singing for Usher one week later.

Bieber was soon signed to Raymond Braun Media Group (RBMG), 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 Justins 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.

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 American rapper 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.

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.[136] 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.

2020-present: Changes, Justice, and Freedom

On December 24, 2019, Bieber announced that 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 also 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. Episodes were released weekly on Mondays and Wednesdays from January 27, 2020. The docu-series amassed 32.65 million views within its first week of release, breaking the all-time 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, 2020. The same day, he also released a promotional single for the album, "Get Me" (featuring Kehlani). On February 7, 2020, Bieber released "Intentions" (featuring Quavo), 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 in history 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 and their families. The song debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100, becoming his sixth number-one single in the US. On August 28, 2020, he was featured on the album track "Falling for You" from Jaden's third studio album CTV3: Cool Tape Vol. 3. On September 4, 2020, Bieber played a lead starring role in the music video for DJ Khaled's single "Popstar" (featuring Drake). On September 18, 2020, Bieber released a collaboration with Chance the Rapper titled "Holy", which Bieber called the start of his new era and the first single from his upcoming sixth studio album.

Business ventures and endorsements

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 endorses Beats By Dre, Elizabeth Arden and Best Buy. 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.

Personal life

As Bieber resides in the United States, he is reported to possess an O-1 visa for temporary resident status, based on "extraordinary ability or achievement" in a field. Bieber has said he is not interested in obtaining US 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. However, in September 2018, TMZ reported that Bieber had begun the process of becoming an American citizen, following his marriage to Hailey Baldwin. Bieber owns a $25.8 million home in Beverly Hills as well as a lakeside home in Ontario.

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, and charged in Brazil with vandalism in 2013. 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. 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 license, 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. However, 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."

Legacy

Bieber has reinvented pop stardom for over a decade and has been referred to as the “Prince of Pop” and the "King of Teen Pop"[249] 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 cited 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 that:

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.

Achievements

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 three Diamond Certified singles from the RIAA for "Baby", "Sorry", and "Despacito". Bieber has won two Grammy Awards out of 23 nominations, one Latin Grammy Award, eight Juno Awards, two Brit Awards, 26 Billboard Music Awards, 20 ASCAP Awards, and numerous fan voted accolades which include 18 American Music Awards, 23 Teen Choice Awards (the most wins for a male individual), eight iHeartRadio Music Awards, and six MTV Video Music Awards. He has also won a record 22 MTV Europe Music Awards out of a record 52 nominations (the most for any artist). 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, surpassing the likes of Taylor Swift and Bruno Mars to the award. All of Bieber's studio albums are certified Platinum or higher by the RIAA and have received numerous accolades. He is the youngest (27) solo artist to have eight US number-one albums, a record held by Elvis Presley since 1965. Bieber is the first artist in Spotify history to have 13 songs surpass 1 billion streams.

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 2021, Bieber has set 33 Guinness World Records, which include eight that were achieved from the success of his album Purpose and was featured in the 2017 Edition. 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.

Discography

Studio Albums

My World 2.0 (2010)
Under the Mistletoe (2011)
Believe (2012)
Purpose (2015)
Changes (2020)
Justice (2021)

Filmography

Justin Bieber: Never Say Never (2011)
Justin Bieber's Believe (2013)
Zoolander 2 (2016)
Justin Bieber: Seasons (2020)
Justin Bieber: Our World (2021)

Tours

Urban Behavior Tour (2009)
My World Tour (2010–2011)
Believe Tour (2012–2013)
Purpose World Tour (2016–2017)
Justice World Tour (2022)