Justin Bieber
Who was Justin Bieber?
Canadian pop singer who became a global phenomenon after being discovered on YouTube, known for hits like "Baby" and "Sorry".
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Justin Bieber (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Justin Drew Bieber was born on March 1, 1994, in London, Ontario, Canada. He went to several schools, including Jeanne Sauvé Catholic School, St. Michael Catholic Secondary School, and Stratford District Secondary School. His fame started to rise in the late 2000s after he got noticed on YouTube. His performances caught the eye of talent manager Scooter Braun, leading to his signing with Island Records. He released his first extended play, "My World," in 2009, which made him a teen idol and global sensation.
Bieber's first studio album, "My World 2.0," came out in 2010 and reached the top of the US Billboard 200. This made him the youngest solo male artist to do so in 47 years. The album's main single, "Baby," became one of the best-selling singles in the US, although its music video was also the most disliked video on YouTube at the time. His following albums set records too, with "Under the Mistletoe" (2011) becoming the first Christmas album by a male artist to debut at number one, and "Believe" (2012) helped him become the first artist having five US number-one albums by age 18.
After some personal controversies in the mid-2010s, Bieber changed his image successfully with the EDM-influenced single "Where Are Ü Now" in 2015. His fourth album, "Purpose" (2015), marked a creative and commercial comeback, producing three consecutive Billboard Hot 100 number-one hits: "What Do You Mean?", "Sorry", and "Love Yourself". These songs also held the top three spots on the UK singles chart at the same time, making Bieber the first artist to do this.
Bieber's career kept growing in the following years with important collaborations and solo projects. In 2017, he was featured on two US number-one singles, "I'm the One" and "Despacito," with the latter tying the record for the longest-running number-one song at 16 weeks. His albums "Changes" (2020) and "Justice" (2021) strengthened his commercial success, making him the youngest solo act with eight US number-one albums. In his personal life, Bieber married model Hailey Baldwin (now Hailey Bieber) in 2018. Throughout his career, he has sold over 150 million units worldwide and won many awards, including Grammy Awards, Latin Grammy Awards, Juno Awards, and MTV Video Music Awards, making him one of the best-selling music artists ever.
Before Fame
Before becoming a global superstar, Justin Bieber grew up in Stratford, Ontario, where he learned to play several instruments like the piano, drums, guitar, and trumpet on his own. His mom, Pattie Mallette, started uploading videos of his performances on YouTube in 2007 when he was just 13, mainly to share his talent with family and friends who couldn't attend his local singing contests.
The videos gradually became popular and caught the eye of talent manager Scooter Braun in 2008, who stumbled upon Bieber's video while looking for another artist. This lucky find led to Braun bringing Bieber and his mom to Atlanta, where he eventually met and impressed R&B star Usher, leading to his record deal with Island Records.
Key Achievements
- Became the youngest solo male artist to top the Billboard 200 in 47 years with 'My World 2.0' (2010)
- First artist to have eight US number-one albums as the youngest solo act
- Sold over 150 million units worldwide with five diamond certifications from RIAA
- Won Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Recording (2016) and Latin Grammy Award for Best Urban Fusion/Performance (2017)
- Achieved simultaneous top-three UK singles chart dominance, a historic first
Did You Know?
- 01.His music video for 'Baby' became the most disliked video on YouTube, holding this record for several years
- 02.He became the first artist in Billboard history to monopolize the top three positions of the UK singles chart simultaneously with 'What Do You Mean?', 'Sorry', and 'Love Yourself'
- 03.His collaboration on 'Despacito' helped the song tie the record for longest-running number-one hit at 16 consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100
- 04.He achieved five US number-one albums by age 18, making him the youngest artist to reach this milestone in Billboard history
- 05.He received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, recognizing his contributions to Canadian culture and society
Family & Personal Life
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Recording | 2016 | — |
| Latin Grammy Award for Best Urban Fusion/Performance | 2017 | — |
| Juno Fan Choice | 2016 | — |
| Juno Fan Choice | 2014 | — |
| Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal | — | — |
| MTV Video Music Awards/Artist of the Year | 2021 | — |
| MTV Video Music Award for Best Pop Video | 2021 | — |
| American Music Award for Artist of the Year | — | — |
| American Music Award for New Artist of the Year | — | — |
| Diamond Play Button | — | — |
| Billboard 21 Under 21 | 2011 | — |
| Billboard 21 Under 21 | 2012 | — |