Justin Bieber. What comes to mind when you hear that name? Talented? Conceited? Rich? Surprisingly, Justin is no typical teenager. With five multi-platinum records, a movie under his belt, and a perfume line, it’s safe to say that Justin is successful. But how did he gain so many fans?
Early Life
Justin Drew Bieber was born on March 1, 1994 in London, Ontario. He was raised by his mother, Patricia Lynn, and spent most of his time with his grandparents, Bruce and Diane. As a child, he kept his love of music to himself, getting involved with soccer, hockey, and chess.
As he grew older, Justin taught himself to play the piano, drums, trumpet, and guitar. Patricia began registering him in singing contests and recording and uploading the videos on Youtube. His performance of Ne-Yo’s “So Sick,” which he won second place for, caught the attention of Scooter Braun, a former marketing executive. He contacted Justin’s mother and flew them out to Atlanta, Georgia. In a matter of weeks, Justin was signed to a record label and began touring around the U.S., visiting radio stations, amusement parks, high schools, and local fairs. His hard work paid off and he began getting airtime on the radio. Years later, he now has over 16 million followers on Twitter, and this number isn’t slowing down any time soon.
The Fans
Through his music career, Justin has always given credit to Beliebers and reminds them of his appreciation often. In one tweet he says, “Having fans like you all never gets old. I do love you to death, and I do appreciate you more than any speech will ever show. You got me smiling.” Justin constantly replies to his fans and follows them on Twitter. Beliebers call themselves a family, saying they “stick together forever” (@iJDBSupport_).
Giving Back
Justin’s generosity extends much further than social media pages. As his bank account increases, so does his drive to help those less fortunate. Justin has reportedly donated thousands to charities such as Children’s Wish Foundation, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, Pencils of Promise, the Red Cross, Disaster Relief, and more. He opted out of receiving gifts on his seventeenth and eighteenth birthdays, instead requesting donations to his page on Charity Water, which has raised over 50,000 dollars and counting.
Justin continually supports the hungry and homeless, paying surprise visits to local food banks and donating thousands towards the cause. Justin’s song “Pray” was written in order to raise awareness about those in need. He mentions crying children, dying soldiers, the homeless, those who are broken-hearted, the ones whose lives haven’t even started, and all the souls in need. He also encourages his fans to pray for them with the line, “can you give them [a prayer] today?”
Justin has given large amounts of money to underprivileged kids, usually performing a free concert for them as well. Children from the Whitney school in Las Vegas and Massey Hall in Toronto have benefitted from Justin’s generosity. Justin has repeatedly visited hospitals full of terminally ill patients and sometimes even invites them backstage before a concert. When he cut his hair, Justin decided to sell pieces of it and donate what he raised to different organizations. He even gave a lock to Ellen DeGeneres, who donated it to her favorite charity, The Gentle Barn, as a result.
Justin donated a portion of the earnings from his Christmas album, Under the Mistletoe, to charities and when he released his perfume “Someday,” he made sure that a percentage of the profit was given to charity as well.
Future
There aren’t many people who are as selfless as Justin is—and he’s only eighteen! With his talent, his fan base, and his altruistic attitude, it is certain that Justin Bieber will be around for a very long time.
Amber Oliver - Amber holds a B.A. in English and works as a freelance writer for various websites. She's smart, funny, single, and tweets like a beast.
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