Justin Drew Bieber (/biːbər/ BEE-bər; born March 1, 1994)[1][2] is a Canadian singer.

He is
recognized for his genre-melding artistry, tenor vocal range, and global influence in modern-
day popular music.[3] Bieber 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.[4] The album spawned the internationally successful single "Baby"
(featuring Ludacris), which became one of the best selling singles of all time in the US.[5] 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.[6] 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.[7] From 2013–14, Bieber was involved in multiple controversies and legal
issues, which had a drastic impact on his public image.[8]
In 2015, Bieber explored EDM with Jack Ü as a lead vocalist on "Where Are Ü Now", which won
the Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Recording.[9][10] The song's musical direction played an
instrumental role in his fourth studio album, Purpose, which produced three US number-one singles:
"Love Yourself", "Sorry", and "What Do You Mean?". He became the first artist in history to occupy
the entire top three of the UK Singles Chart.[11] Bieber diversified on numerous collaborations
between 2016 and 2017, including DJ Khaled's "I'm the One" and his remix to Luis Fonsi's
"Despacito"—both reaching number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 a week apart, making him the
first artist in history to chart new number-one songs in consecutive weeks.[12] "Despacito" was named
the greatest Latin song of all time by Billboard and earned Bieber his career-first Latin Grammy
Award. In 2019, he released a country collaboration with Dan + Shay, "10,000 Hours", which won
the Grammy Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance.[13]
In 2020, Bieber released his R&B-inspired fifth studio album, Changes, which debuted at number
one in both the UK and US, and a standalone duet with Ariana Grande, "Stuck with U", which
debuted atop the US Billboard Hot 100.[14] Bieber returned to his pop roots on his sixth studio
album, Justice (2021). It spawned the worldwide hit "Peaches" (featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon)
and debuted atop the US Billboard 200, making him the youngest soloist to have eight US number-
one albums, a record held previously by Elvis Presley since 1965.[15] The same year, Bieber released
"Stay" (with the Kid Laroi), which became his eighth US number-one single.[16]
Bieber is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with estimated sales of over 150 million
records worldwide. He is credited with four Diamond certifications from the RIAA.[17] He has
received numerous accolades, including two Grammy Awards, one Latin Grammy Award, eight Juno
Awards, two Brit Awards, one Bambi Award, 26 Billboard Music Awards, 18 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), and 33 Guinness World Records. Time named Bieber one of the 100
most influential people in the world in 2011, and he was included on Forbes' list of the top ten most
powerful celebrities in 2011, 2012, and 2013.[18]

Early life
Justin Drew Bieber was born on March 1, 1994, at St. Joseph's Hospital in London, Ontario,[19] and
was raised in Stratford.[20] 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.[21] 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.[22] Bieber has maintained contact with his father.[23] Bieber's
ancestry includes French-Canadian, Irish, English, Scottish, and German.[24][25][26]
Bieber has three younger half-siblings; the four have the same father, Jeremy Bieber. Jeremy Bieber
and his ex-girlfriend, Erin Wagner,[27] who broke up in 2014 after seven years together, have two
children, daughter Jazmyn and son Jaxon.[28] Jeremy married his girlfriend Chelsey in February 2018,
and they have a daughter named Bay.[29][30] Bieber also has a stepsister named Allie, the daughter of
his stepmother.[31] Bieber attended two French-language immersion elementary schools in
Stratford, Jeanne Sauvé Catholic School[22] 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[32] with a 4.0 GPA.[33]
Growing up, he learned to play the piano, drums, guitar, and trumpet.[20][34] In early 2007, aged 12,
Bieber sang Ne-Yo's "So Sick" for a local singing competition in Stratford and was placed second.[34]
[35]
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.[36] In the same year, Bieber busked shows in front of Avon Theatre steps with a
rented guitar during tourism season.[37] Young talents still sit upon the steps to the Avon
Theatre hoping to follow in their idol's footsteps.

Career
2007–2009: Career beginnings and My World

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.[23] 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.[23] Bieber began singing for Usher one week later.[38]
Bieber was soon signed to Raymond Braun Media Group (RBMG), a joint venture between Braun
and Usher.[39] 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.[39][40]
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.
[41]
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.[42][36][39][41] Bieber then moved to Atlanta with his mother to pursue
further work with Braun and Usher.[39] Braun became Bieber's manager in 2008.[36]
Bieber's first single, "One Time", was released to radio while Bieber was still recording his debut
album.[43] The song reached number 12 on the Canadian Hot 100 during its first week of release in
July 2009,[36] and peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. During
fall 2009, it had success in international markets.[44] The song was certified platinum in Canada and
the US and gold in Australia and New Zealand.[45][46][47] 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.[44] 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.
[48]

"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.[44] 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.[49] My World was
eventually certified platinum in the US and double platinum in both Canada and the United Kingdom.
[50][51][52]
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,[53][54] 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.[55]
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.[56] Bieber was also one of the performers
for Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest, on December 31, 2009.[57]

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

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.[58]
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.[59]
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[60] and reached the top ten in several
international markets.[44] Two promo singles, "Never Let You Go" and "U Smile", were top 30 hits on
the US Hot 100, and top 20 hits in Canada.[44] According to review aggregator Metacritic, the album
has received generally favourable reviews.[61] 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.[4] 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[44] and reached the top 10 of fifteen other
countries.[62][63]
To promote the album, Bieber appeared on several live programs including The View, the 2010 Kids'
Choice Awards, Nightline, Late Show with David Letterman, The Dome and 106 & Park.[64] Sean
Kingston appeared on the album's next single "Eenie Meenie". The song reached the top ten in the
United Kingdom and Australia, and the top 20 of most other markets. On April 10, 2010, Bieber was
the musical guest on Saturday Night Live.[65] On July 4, 2010, Bieber performed at the Macy's Fourth
of July Fireworks Spectacular in New York City.[66] 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, 2010, Bieber went on his first official headlining tour, the My World Tour,
starting in Hartford, Connecticut, to promote My World and My World 2.0. In May 2010, Bieber
featured in Soulja Boy's song "Rich Girl".[67] In July 2010, it was reported that Bieber was the most
searched-for celebrity on the Internet.[68] That same month, his music video for "Baby"
surpassed Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" (2009) as the most viewed, and also the most disliked,
YouTube video at the time.[69][70] In September 2010, it was reported that Bieber accounted for 3% of
all traffic on Twitter, according to an employee of the social-networking site.[71]

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.
[72]
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."[73] 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.[74] 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.[75] Bieber announced in October 2010 that he
would be releasing an acoustic album, called My Worlds Acoustic.[76] 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".[77] 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.[78]
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.[79] It grossed $30.3
million for the weekend and was narrowly beaten by the romantic comedy Just Go with It, which
grossed $31 million.[80] 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.
[81]
Never Say Never grossed a total of $99,034,125 worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing
concert or performance film at the global box office.[82][83] 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.[84] 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.[85] 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.[86] 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.[87] 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.[88] 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.[6] On November 19, 2021, the
album was listed among the Greatest of All Time Top Holiday Albums chart by Billboard.[89] The first
single from the album, "Mistletoe" peaked at number one on the US Billboard Holiday 100 and
Holiday Digital Songs charts.[90] 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.[91] Billboard listed the
album and its singles, among the greatest Holiday albums and songs of all time, respectively.[92]
2012–2014: Believe, Journals, and other appearances

Bieber at the 2012 NRJ Music Awards in Cannes, France

In late 2011, Bieber began recording his third studio album, titled Believe.[93] 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.[94] 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.[95] 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".[96] "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.[95] 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.[97] 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.[98][99] 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.[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.[101] 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".[102] 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").[103] Believe debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming his fourth number-one
album.[104][105][106] The album sold 57,000 copies in its first week in Canada, debuting atop the Canadian
Albums Chart.[107] In September 2012, Bieber was featured on "Beautiful", a song from Carly Rae
Jepsen's second studio album Kiss.[108] 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.[109]
 Bieber performing during his Believe Tour in October 2012
The Believe Tour, which further promoted the album, began in September 2012 in Glendale,
Arizona.[110] 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.[111] 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.[7]
Bieber returned to Saturday Night Live as the host and musical guest on the February 9, 2013
episode. His appearance was panned by critics[112][113] 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.[114][115]
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.[116] 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.[117] In mid-August 2013, a remixed duet version of Michael Jackson's previously
unreleased song "Slave to the Rhythm", featuring Bieber, leaked online.[118] 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.[119] Later, a song titled "Twerk" by rapper Lil Twist, featuring Bieber as well
as Miley Cyrus, also leaked.[120] In September, Bieber was featured in Maejor Ali's song "Lolly" with
rapper Juicy J.[121] 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.[122]
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.[123][124][125] 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 will be featured on an
upcoming collection called Journals. It reportedly featured 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 only: 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).[126] Bieber released
a song titled "Home to Mama" (featuring Cody Simpson) in November 2014.[127] 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.[128]
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.[129][130]

2015–2017: Purpose

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.[131] The song
peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached number one on Billboard's Hot
Dance/Electronic Songs chart.[132] It earned Bieber his career-first Grammy Award for Best
Dance/Electronic Recording at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards.[133] In March 2015, Bieber made an
appearance in the music video for Carly Rae Jepsen's single "I Really Like You".[134]
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.[135] Bieber filmed an episode for the Fox
TV reality series Knock Knock Live, and aired before the show was cancelled after two episodes.
[136]
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.[137] It debuted at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and became Bieber's first
number-one single in the country.[138] He set a Guinness World Record by becoming the youngest
solo male artist to debut at the top of the Hot 100.[139] It also broke the record for the fastest song to
reach number one on US iTunes, reaching the top spot in under 5 minutes.[140] 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.[141] 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.
[142]
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.[143] "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.[144] An album track on Purpose, "Company", was
announced as the fourth single on March 8, 2016.[145] On February 12, 2016, Bieber's first four
albums were released on vinyl for the first time.[146]

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.[147][148] It was the fourth best-selling
album of 2015 with worldwide sales of 3.1 million copies.[149] As of June 2016, it had sold 4.5 million
copies globally.[150] 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.[151] Bieber
was the headliner at the 2015 Jingle Bell Ball held by Capital FM, on December 6, 2015.
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.[11] 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 MØ 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.[152] 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.
[153]
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.
[154]
Bieber then appeared in the documentary Bodyguards: Secret Lives from the Watchtower (2016).
[155]
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.[156] Bieber was the headlining act at the 2016 iHeartRadio Jingle Ball and
gave a closing performance on December 9, 2016.[157]

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.[158] 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.[159] 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.[160] 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.
[161]
The song earned Bieber his first career Latin Grammy.[162] 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.[163][164]
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.[165] 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.
[166]
"I'm the One" also reached number one on Billboard's Hot Rap Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop
Songs charts.[167] 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.[168]
[169][170]
On July 24, 2017, Bieber cancelled the remaining dates of the Purpose World Tour due to
"unforeseen circumstances".[171][172] 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.[173][174]
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.[175] 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.[176] 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.[177] Bieber
was a participating player in the 2018 NBA Celebrity All-Star Game, marking his second appearance
at the event.[178] 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.[179] He was also featured in the accompanying
music video.[180]
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.
[181]
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.[182] Bieber later featured on a remix of Billie Eilish's breakthrough single "Bad
Guy", which was released on July 11.[183] 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.
[184][185]
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.[186] It earned Bieber his second Grammy
Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.[13] 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.[187]
2020–present: Changes, Justice, and Freedom

Bieber performing in Guadalajara, during the Justice World Tour in 2022

On December 24, 2019, Bieber announced that he would be releasing his fifth studio album and
embarking on his fourth concert tour in 2020.[188] The album's first single, "Yummy", was released on
January 3, 2020. It debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100.[189] 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.[190] 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.[191] 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.
[192]
The same day, he also released a promotional single for the album, "Get Me" (featuring Kehlani).
[193]
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.[194] 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.[195]
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.[196] 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).[197] 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.[198] It peaked at number three on
the Billboard Hot 100. On October 15, 2020, he released "Lonely", a collaboration with Benny
Blanco as the second single from his upcoming album.[199] The song peaked at number 12 on
the Billboard Hot 100. Bieber and J Balvin were featured on a remix of 24kGoldn's single, "Mood",
which was released on November 6, 2020.[200] On November 20, 2020, Shawn Mendes and Bieber
released "Monster", from Mendes' fourth studio album Wonder.[201] It peaked at number eight on
the Billboard Hot 100.
On January 1, 2021, Bieber released the third single "Anyone"[202] from his upcoming studio album,
which peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100. On February 14, 2021, Bieber performed
"Journals Live" in collaboration with TikTok, which marked his first-ever performance of his 2013
album Journals. It became 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.[203] On February 26, 2021, Bieber
officially announced that his sixth studio album would be titled Justice.[204] On March 5, 2021, Bieber
released the album's fourth single, "Hold On", which peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100.
[205]
Justice and its fifth single, "Peaches", were both released on March 19, 2021, and met with
generally positive reviews.[206][207] It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming Bieber's
eighth number-one project, while "Peaches" debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100,
becoming his seventh number-one single respectively.[208] As a result, Bieber set major records in the
US. Bieber became the youngest solo artist to have eight US number-one albums, breaking a 56-
year-old record held by Elvis Presley.[209] He became the first solo male artist in history 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 6 studio albums debut at number one on the Billboard 200.[210]
On Easter 2021, Bieber surprise-released Freedom, a gospel-inspired EP consisting of six songs.
[211]
On April 11, 2021, Justice led the Billboard 200 by less than 1,000 units, and became Bieber's
first full-length album to spend more than one week at the top of the chart in over a decade.[212] On
May 10, 2021, DJ Khaled released the single "Let It Go", with Bieber co-featured alongside 21
Savage, from Khaled's twelfth studio album Khaled Khaled. He also starred in the accompanying
music video. On June 11, 2021, Bieber made an appearance on Migos's fourth studio
album, Culture III, on the album track "What You See". On July 9, 2021, Bieber released a
collaboration with the Kid Laroi titled "Stay". The song debuted at number three on the Billboard Hot
100. It later peaked at number one in its fourth week on the chart, becoming his eighth number-one
single in the US.[16] "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.[213] It also became the first song by a
male foreign act to achieve a Perfect All-Kill in South Korea.[214] "Stay" was the most-streamed song
globally on Apple Music in 2022.[215] Bieber was the headlining act for the "Freedom Experience"
show at the SoFi Stadium as part of 1DayLA's COVID-19 service event, held on July 24, 2021.[216]
On August 13, 2021, Bieber released a remix to Nigerian singer Wizkid's song "Essence", his
career-first song in afrobeats. It elevated the song's position to number nine on the Billboard Hot
100.[217][218] A week later, he released a collaboration with Skrillex and Don Toliver titled "Don't Go".
[219]
On September 4, 2021, Bieber headlined the 2021 Made in America Festival held at the Benjamin
Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia. On October 8, 2021, Bieber released a new documentary film
titled Justin Bieber: Our World to give viewers an inside-view in preparation for his 2020 "New Year's
Eve Live" powered by T-Mobile, his first concert performance in three years.[220] On October 29, 2021,
he released "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree", a cover of Brenda Lee's holiday classic, on
streaming platforms worldwide.[221] On November 15, 2021, Bieber announced the international legs
of his upcoming fourth concert tour, the Justice World Tour, scheduled to begin in San Diego,
California on February 18, 2022.[222] On November 19, 2021, Bryson Tiller released the single "Lonely
Christmas", with Bieber co-featured alongside his long-time collaborator Poo Bear.[223] On December
3, 2021, Bieber released a collaboration with American rapper Juice Wrld titled "Wandered to LA" as
the second single from the rapper's second posthumous album Fighting Demons. Bieber was the
headlining performer at the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix held on December 5, 2021,
in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.[224] On December 11, 2021, he headlined the 2021 Jingle Bell Ball held
by Capital FM at The O2, London. The same month, Justice received 8 nominations at the 64th
Annual Grammy Awards.[225]
On January 1, 2022, Bieber set the then-record for the most monthly listeners in Spotify history,
having achieved a peak of 94.68 million monthly listeners, a record broken by Canadian artist The
Weeknd a year later.[226] On February 4, 2022, he made a guest appearance on Beam's debut studio
album, Alien, on the album track "Sundown". On February 11, 2022, Bieber headlined the
"Homecoming Weekend" bash ahead of the Super Bowl in Los Angeles.[227] On March 4, 2022,
Bieber released a collaboration with Nigerian singer Omah Lay titled "Attention".[228] On March 28,
2022, "Ghost", the sixth single from Justice, peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100, which
marked his 20th career top-five hit on the chart.[229] The song reached number one on Billboard's Pop
Songs chart, making Bieber the first solo male artist to have 10 number-one singles in the chart's
history.[230] On March 30, 2022, Bieber was featured on the single "Up at Night" by Kehlani, as part of
the latter's third studio-album Blue Water Road.[231] On April 15, 2022, Bieber gave a surprise
performance with Daniel Caesar at the 2022 Coachella music festival.[232] On April 29, 2022, Bieber
released a new single titled "Honest" (featuring Don Toliver) and an accompanying music video
directed by Cole Bennett.[233] On August 27, 2022, Bieber released an exclusive single titled
"Beautiful Love" for the battle royale game Garena Free Fire.[234]
In January 2023, Bieber sold his music publishing rights and recording catalogue shares, up to the
end of 2021, to the Blackstone-backed Hipgnosis Songs Fund—a sale valued at over $200 million.
[235]
In the same month, Bieber was reportedly offered to be a headlining performer at Coachella
2023, but declined to focus on his upcoming seventh studio album.[236] On February 24, 2023, Don
Toliver released the single "Private Landing", with Bieber co-featured alongside Future, from
Toliver's third studio-album Love Sick.[237] He joined Toliver on stage at the 2023 Rolling Loud festival
to deliver a surprise performance of the song.[238] On September 15, 2023, Bieber made a guest
appearance on the song "Moments" from American rapper Diddy's fifth studio album, The Love
Album: Off the Grid. The same day, he released an acoustic version of the single "Snooze" by
American singer-songwriter SZA. He also starred in the official music video as the latter's love
interest.[239]

Artistry
Influences

During the early years of his career, Bieber often spoke about his admiration for Michael Jackson, as well as
his influence on him.

Bieber has cited Chris Brown, Michael Jackson, the Beatles, Boyz II Men, Justin Timberlake, Stevie
Wonder, Tupac, Usher and Kanye West as his musical inspirations.[240][241][242][243][244] 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."[245] 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."[246]

Musical style
Bieber incorporates a variety of genres in his music, focusing mainly on pop,[247][248] R&B,[248][249] and
occasionally dance-pop or EDM.[247] 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".[250] During the initial years of his career, his
musical style was noted for being aimed to a more teen pop and "bubblegum-ish" direction.[251]
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."[252] 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.[253][121] In 2015 Bieber released
the EDM-fuelled album, Purpose, where he collaborated with Skrillex,[254] and explored serious
themes such as "life experiences", through "feel-good music".[255]

Voice
Bieber initially sang with a boy soprano voice,[256] 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.[257] Jody
Rosen commented that Bieber sings with "swing and rhythmic dexterity" on his debut album, noting
his tone to be "nasal".[250]
Bieber started to receive voice coaching from Jan Smith in 2008.[258]
As an adult singer, Bieber's voice type is tenor, with a vocal range spanning from the baritone A2 to
the high tenor F5.[259][260] In a review of his Purpose album, Neil McCormick of The Daily
Telegraph complimented his "soft, supple and seductive singing".[261] Caroline Sullivan of The
Guardian also praised Bieber's "affectedly breathy voice", noting that "the voice soon palls, but the
songs are often interesting."[262]

Achievements
Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Justin Bieber

Throughout his career, Bieber has sold an estimated 150 million records worldwide, making him one
of the best-selling music artists of all time.[263][264]
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.[265] 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.[266]
[267]
Bieber is credited with four Diamond certifications from the RIAA.[17] Bieber has won two Grammy
Awards out of 23 nominations,[268] one Latin Grammy Award,[269] eight Juno Awards,[270] two Brit
Awards,[271][272] 26 Billboard Music Awards,[273] 22 ASCAP Awards, and numerous fan voted accolades
which include 18 American Music Awards,[274] 23 Teen Choice Awards (the most wins for a male
individual),[275] 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).[276] 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,[277] surpassing the
likes of Taylor Swift and Bruno Mars to the award.[278] All of Bieber's studio projects are
certified Platinum or higher by the RIAA and have received numerous accolades.[279] He is the
youngest (27) solo artist to have eight US number-one albums, a record held by Elvis Presley since
1965.[209] Bieber is the first artist in Spotify history to have 14 songs surpass 1 billion streams.[280]
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.[281] 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.[11] 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.[142] 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.[143] "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.[144] 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.[282]
Bieber has attained success on numerous Billboard charts both in the United States and globally.
Eight singles by Bieber have topped the US Billboard Hot 100, his most recent being "Stay".[16] He is
the first artist in history to chart new number-one singles in consecutive weeks on the Hot 100.[166] He
is the youngest (21) male soloist to debut at number one in the US.[139] He is also the youngest (25)
male soloist to spend 200 cumulative weeks in the top 10 of the Hot 100.[187] He is the first male
soloist to simultaneously debut a song and an album at number one in the US.[210] He is also the first
male soloist to spend 59 consecutive weeks in the top 10 of the Hot 100. Bieber is the first artist in
history 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.[186] His hit single "Despacito" has spent the most weeks at number one (56)
on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs Chart and is ranked as the greatest Latin song of all time by Billboard.
[163]
He is the artist with the most number-one debuts (10), most number-one singles (13), and
the most cumulative weeks at number one (56) on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 Chart. Bieber is
the solo artist with the most cumulative weeks at number one (163) on the Billboard Social 50 Chart.
He was named the number one artist on Billboard's Decade-End Social 50 Chart for the 2010s.
[283]
Bieber was named the "Greatest Pop Star of 2016" by Billboard.[284] He was also Billboard's Year-
End Top Male Artist for 2016 and placed number seven on the magazine's Decade-End Top Artists
Chart for the 2010s.[285][286] The magazine also ranked him 55th on the Greatest of All Time Artists and
38th on the Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Artists Charts respectively.[287][288]

Cultural status
Legacy

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.
[289]
Bieber has been credited for reinventing pop stardom for over a decade[290] and has been referred to
as the "Prince of Pop"[291] and the "King of Teen Pop"[251] by contemporary journalists. Highlighting his
longevity, he was awarded the MTV Award for Best New Artist in 2010[292] and the MTV Award for
Artist of the Year in 2021.[293] 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".[294] Bieber is often cited as a pop icon, or simply an icon.[295][296][297][298] 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."[299] 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."[300]
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.[301]
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.[302] He had achieved a global fandom who came to be
known as "beliebers" and his popularity was labelled "Bieber Fever",[302] with fan frenzies taking place
in Liverpool,[303] Barcelona[304] and Paris,[305] among other territories. It was revealed in 2020 that
singer Billie Eilish was nearly sent to therapy by her mother Maggie Baird due to her "obsession"
with Bieber.[306] Bieber's intense fandom was considered to be reminiscent of "Beatlemania",[307] and
his signature wings hairstyle at the time also drew comparisons to the Beatles' mop top hairstyle.
[308]
Bieber's adoration from teenage girls was also likened to those of Frank Sinatra in the 1940s
and Elvis Presley in the 1950s.[309]
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[310]
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".[300] The Conversation's Jo Adetunji said that Bieber
is "one of the most successful pop singers of recent years".[311] 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).[311] 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."[312] 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.[312]
Bieber and his work have influenced various recording artists including Shawn Mendes,[313] Why Don't
We,[314] Johnny Orlando,[315] and Niall Horan.[316] 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.[317][318][319]

Public image

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.[23] 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 favourite rappers."[320] 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".[310] Bieber was often featured in teen
magazines such as Tiger Beat,[23] and has been labelled a "teen heartthrob".[321] In 2010, he was
frequently criticized for looking and sounding younger than his age,[322] 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.[323] His
signature wings hairstyle at the time brought much attention in particular.[308] His teen-pop music,
image (especially as a heartthrob to girls), and the media attention he receives have additionally
been criticized.[322] He has been a target of Internet bloggers and message board posters, especially
users of the Internet message board 4chan and of YouTube.[324] 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.[322]

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),[325] was
involved in an explicit image with a stripper, and allegedly assaulted his bodyguard and a limo driver.
[326]
Bieber's uncle, Brad Bieber, said that his troublesome behaviour was caused by his break-up
with Selena Gomez.[326] In its March 2014 edition, Rolling Stone put Bieber on its cover alongside the
title 'Bad Boy'.[326] The same year, Bieber adopted the pseudonym "Bizzle".[327] During the "Bizzle"
phase, Bieber donned a quiff and often wore thick gold chains and baseball caps.[326]
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[328]—flannel shirts, denim jackets, and ripped jeans.[329] He also
wore kilts, a trend of 1990s fashion, on several occasions.[328] Vogue remarked that his fashion during
this period was reminiscent of grunge fashion during the 1990s.[328] 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.[330][331] In an interview with Vogue in February 2019, Bieber said that he would
"laugh at his past self".[332]
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.[333] 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 mementoes from his formative years and rise to international
stardom.[334] 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.[334] Bieber made a number of visits to the museum.[335][336] "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.[337]
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[338] and was ranked number 2 on the Forbes Highest-
Paid Celebrities Under 30 list.[339] He went on to be included on the Forbes annual list five more
times; in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017.[339]

"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.[340] According to Jan Hoffman of The New York Times, part of Bieber's appeal stems from his
YouTube channel. Chicago Tribune noted that Bieber's fanbase, "Beliebers", was among the top
words of 2010.[341] Long before the release of My World in November 2009, his YouTube videos
attracted millions of views.[23] 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.[23] Bieber
continues to upload videos to the same channel and has opened a Twitter account, from which he
interacts with fans regularly.[36] 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.[342]
As of 2023, Bieber is the third-most-followed user on Twitter and the most-followed musician on the
platform, with over 111 million followers. His YouTube channel is currently the most viewed music
channel for an individual on the platform, having attracted over 30.5 billion views. With over 71.5
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),[343] his most recent being "Beauty and a Beat".[344] 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.[345] 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.[346][347][348]

Business interests
In 2010, Bieber signed a deal with Proactiv.[349] 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.[350] Bieber's nail polish line sold one million bottles less than two months after its release.
[351]
Bieber endorsed Adidas, beside Derrick Rose and Venus Williams, in 2012.[352] He became the
new "face" and "body" of Calvin Klein in early 2015.[353] Entertainment Tonight reported that Bieber
had used MYO-X, a dietary supplement, in preparation for the photo shoot.[354] In June 2015, Bieber
teamed up with StarShop, a new shopping app launched by Kevin Harrington.[355] Bieber
endorses Beats By Dre, Elizabeth Arden and Best Buy.[356][357] Bieber has been credited with boosting
the careers of other singers such as Carly Rae Jepsen and Madison Beer when he tweeted about
them.[358][359]
Bieber has released four fragrances.[360] He launched his debut fragrance, Someday, in 2011;[360] 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.[361][362] On the heels of that 2011 best-
seller, he launched his second fragrance, Girlfriend, in June 2012.[363] His third fragrance, The Key,
was launched in July 2013,[364] and his latest fragrance, Justin Bieber Collector's Edition, launched in
2014.[361]
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.[365] 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.[366][367][368] 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.[369]
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.[370] On February 7, 2022, Bieber starred in Balenciaga's first 2022
campaign alongside Kim Kardashian and Isabelle Huppert.[371][372] 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.[373] 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.[374]
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.[375]

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.[376] 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.[377] However, in
September 2018, TMZ reported that Bieber had begun the process of becoming an American
citizen, following his marriage to Hailey Baldwin.[378] Bieber owns a $26 million home in Beverly
Hills as well as a lakeside home in Ontario.[379][380]

Relationships
Bieber's father, Jeremy Bieber, is a former carpenter and pro-am mixed martial artist.[381] 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".[382]
From 2008 to 2009, Bieber was in a relationship with Caitlin Beadles; the two remained friends, and
Beadles attended Bieber's wedding.[383] From December 2010 to March 2018, Bieber was in an on-
again, off-again relationship with singer and actress Selena Gomez.[384][385][386][387] 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.[388] From August to December
2016, he was linked to model Sofia Richie.[389][390]
Bieber became engaged to model Hailey Baldwin on July 7, 2018.[391] They had briefly dated from
December 2015 to January 2016 before splitting, then reconciled in June 2018.[392] Bieber and
Baldwin reportedly obtained a marriage license in September 2018, leading to reports that they had
a civil marriage.[393][394] On September 14, 2018, Baldwin said on Twitter that she and Bieber had not
yet married, but deleted the tweet afterward.[394] On November 23, 2018, Bieber stated he was
married to Baldwin.[395] Bieber and Baldwin had an official ceremony in Bluffton, South Carolina, on
September 30, 2019.[396]

Religious beliefs
Bieber has described himself as a faithful Christian, said he communicates with God via prayer, and
that "He's the reason I'm here".[397] He reflected his faith in a music video with Brandon Burke, titled
"#iPledge", in which he talks about God's forgiveness.[398] 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.[399][400] In 2021, he announced that he had become a member of
Churchome, an evangelical church.[401] On July 24, 2021, Bieber led worship with Gospel singers Kari
Jobe and Cody Carnes during the "Freedom Experience" at SoFi Stadium.[402] The trio
performed "The Blessing".[403]
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."[404] 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.[405]

Opinions
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, however, he said, "I guess I haven't been in that position, so I wouldn't be able to judge
that."[377][406] However, 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."[407] His view on sexual orientation is
quoted as "everyone's own decision",[408] and he has contributed to the It Gets Better Project,[409] a
non-profit group aiming to prevent suicide among LGBT youth.[410] Bieber also opposed the Trump
administration family separation policy, calling for Donald Trump to "also let those kids out of cages"
in 2019.[411]
In 2011, Bieber was among the list of content creators opposing Bill S.978, also known as
the Commercial Felony Streaming Act,[412] which would have made unauthorized streaming a felony
instead of a misdemeanor.[413] He stated that the bill's sponsor, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar "needs
to be locked up, put away in cuffs!"[412] While the bill did not ultimately pass,[414] it was later
reintroduced by Senator Thom Tillis as the Protecting Lawful Streaming Act[415] and was signed into
law by then-President Donald Trump in December 2020 as part of the omnibus Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2021.[416]

Philanthropy
Bieber supports Pencils of Promise,[417] a charity founded by Adam Braun, the younger brother of
Bieber's manager.[418] 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[419] by running ads for the charity and its campaign "Schools4All".[420][421] He promises to
visit schools that donate the most funds to the organization.[422] He takes part in the charity's fund-
raising galas and donates parts of the proceeds from his concerts and Someday line of fragrances,
[423]
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.
[424]
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.[425] 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.[426] In December 2011, Bieber donated $100,000 to Whitney Elementary School
in Las Vegas to provide students from low income families.[427] 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.[428] 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.[429] He also supports Children's Miracle Network
Hospitals and Alzheimer's Association.[430][431] 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.[432]
On February 7, 2020, Bieber donated $100,000 to Julie Coker, a 22-year-old fan who works
in mental health awareness.[433] 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."[434]
In February 2020, Bieber made a donation to Beijing Chunmiao Children Aid Foundation in China to
support COVID-19 relief.[435] 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.[436] 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.[437] By
August 2021, the single had raised over $3,500,000.[438] 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.[439]
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.[440] 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.[440] Bieber described
his visit to the prison as a "life-changing experience that I will never forget".[441]

Health
Bieber has struggled with mental health issues,[442] particularly depression and anxiety,[443][444] at
various points during his career.[445] He has generally been open about these issues.[446][447] In his
American YouTube docu-series Seasons, the singer opened up about his struggles with addiction
with frequent consumption of lean, pills such as MDMA, and hallucinogenic mushrooms in early
stages of his career.[448]
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.[449]
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.[450] 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.[451] He canceled and postponed concerts and appearances due to the condition, but
returned to live performances in late July.[452][453] 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."[454]

Legal issues and controversies

Bieber had several run-ins with the law around the world before his first arrest in 2014,[455] including
when he was accused of reckless driving in his neighborhood in 2012, and charged in Brazil
with vandalism in 2013.[455][456] 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.[455][457]
[458]
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.[456][459][460] Police said that Bieber told authorities he had consumed
alcohol, smoked marijuana, and taken prescription drugs.[455] He was released from these charges on
a $2,500 bond.[461] 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.[462][463] 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."[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 April 2013, Bieber was criticized for writing a message in the guestbook at the Anne Frank
House which read, "Truly inspiring to be able to come here. Anne was a great girl. Hopefully she
would have been a belieber."[467] 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."[468][469]
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.[458][470][471] Police earlier claimed that they
had video footage of him high-fiving friends after the eggs were thrown.[458][472] With him pleading no
contest to the charge, the Los Angeles County Superior Court sentenced him on July 9 to pay
$80,900 in restitution, serve two years' probation, complete 12 weeks of anger management, and
five days of community service in what the district attorney termed a negotiated settlement. Since
then, he has permanently moved to Beverly Hills, California.[458][470][471]
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.[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".[475][476] On September 8, Toronto dropped an assault charge
against him originally brought up on January 29 for an incident with a limousine driver in December
2013.[477][478] In November 2014, he 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.
[479]
When he failed to do so, an arrest warrant was issued and two of his bodyguards were released
in Argentina in April 2015.[480]
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[481]
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.[482] In the same month, a second video showed a 15-year-old Bieber
giggling as he croons 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".[483][484] 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."[485]
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."[486][487] In 2021,
Chinese streaming sites Youku, iQIYI, and Tencent Video removed Bieber's scenes in Friends: The
Reunion donning Ross Geller's iconic "Spudnik" costume.[488]
In June 2020, Bieber was accused of sexual assault by a woman known pseudonymously as
"Danielle", who claimed on Twitter that the singer had engaged in non-consensual sexual acts at
a Four Seasons hotel in Austin, Texas, in March 2014 while with then-girlfriend Selena Gomez.[489] In
a series of tweets, Bieber denied all allegations, stating that sexual abuse "is something I don't take
lightly" and provided evidence that he was not at the Four Seasons at the time of the alleged
incident.[490]