Justin Bieber - Biography

JUSTIN BIEBER

Justin Bieber is a Canadian pop star who was discovered via YouTube.

“My world got very big, very fast and based on a lot of sad examples—people expect me to get lost in it.”

—Justin Bieber

Synopsis

Born in 1994 in Stratford, Ontario, Canada, to a single mother, Justin Bieber took second place in a local talent competition at a young age and later turned into a YouTube phenomenon. He signed a record contract with Usher and became the first solo artist to have four singles enter the Top 40 before the release of a debut album. His album My World has gone platinum in several countries, though he later experienced a ton of media exposure resulting from offensive activity. He nonetheless made his comeback in 2015 with his first No. 1 song, "What Do You Mean?"

Childhood

Born on March 1, 1994, in the small town of Stratford, Ontario, Canada, Justin Bieber was raised by a single mom. Bieber, whose debut album, My World, hit stores in November 2009, is a true overnight success, having gone from an unknown, untrained singer whose mother posted YouTube clips of her boy performing, to a budding superstar with a big-time record deal, all in just two years.

Bieber always had an interest in music. His mother gave him a drum kit for his second birthday and, as he tells it, he was "basically banging on everything I could get my hands on."

YouTube Sensation

But it was an obscure talent contest in his hometown, in which the 12-year-old Bieber finished second that put him on the road to superstardom. As a way to share his singing with family, Justin and his mom began posting clips of Bieber performing covers of Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson and Ne-Yo on YouTube.

Within months, Justin was an Internet sensation, with a large following of fans and an eager manager arranging for the teenager to fly to Atlanta to consider a record deal. There, Bieber had a chance meeting with Usher, who eventually signed the young singer to a contract.