Dummies' Guide to Justin Bieber - What's All the Fuss?

How It Started: Born in Stratford, Ontario, Bieber (BEE-BURR) got his viral start when his mother, Pattie Mallette, began posting videos on YouTube of the then 12-year-old singing his versions of songs by Usher, Chris Brown, Justin Timberlake and more. The videos caught the eye of Scooter Braun, a former marketing executive of So So Def, who decided to fly Bieber to Atlanta to meet with R&B singer Usher. Initially, Usher and Justin Timberlake were both fighting to sign the young singer. Usher eventually won the bidding war when he gave Bieber an audition with Antonio "L.A." Reid, who signed Bieber to Island Records in October 2008.



His Music: He began his professional career by releasing the first part of his debut album 'My World' on November 17, 2009, which sold 137,000 copies in its first week -- the second best opening release for a new artist in 2009. In less than two months following its release, the album was certified platinum in the United States, having sold over a million copies. Part two, 'My World 2.0,' was released on March 23. What you need to know? His three hit songs are: 'Baby' Featuring Ludacris, 'One Time' and 'One Less Lonely Girl.'

Why Girls (and Guys!) Love Him: 15-year-old Annalisa and her friend Patricia started J-Bieber.Org "because we really love Justin and think he is an amazing person and has a lot to offer people," Annalisa tells PopEater. "We're huge fans, and we've been supporting him through everything... What makes him a stand-out performer is his originality, how he connects with his fans and how much he cares for them. Justin overall is down to earth and humble and that's what his fans love."

But girls aren't the only ones digging his music and swagger. In 2009, Justin Bieber Source was created after 16-year-old Josh watched Bieber's 'One Time' video. Josh was so impressed that he decided to make a fan site because "there's no better way to praise someone you like." When Bieber came to his city for an autograph session back in November of 2009, Josh tells PopEater, "[It] was absolutely insane and chaotic. There were tons of girls pushing and screaming. Bit of a culture shock for me. I missed school, and waited in line for about five hours to meet Justin. The moment I approached his table, you could tell by his body language that he was happy to see another guy there; one that wasn't screaming or crying. I got an autograph, and we exchanged a few words. I was star struck, so I couldn't really think of what to say."

Industry Talk: Rolling Stone recently reviewed 'My World 2.0' and broke down exactly what makes Bieber tick:"Bieber has something more important for a young pop star than chops: personality. He's got an odd combination of guilelessness and swagger that makes puppy-love goop like 'We'll take it to the sky/Past the moon/Through the galaxies' sound both sweet and playful," writes Jody Rosen.

Of course, he isn't Bob Dylan just yet. Rosen notes the pop star needs vocal maturing, which will likely come with experience. "Bieber's talent is not fully formed. He sings with swing and rhythmic dexterity (presumably learned from Usher), but his voice is nasal and lacks heft." But his teen fans don't seem to mind.


His Young Fans Will Start Riots: Bieber first started making headlines when his crazed fans caused a riot and got a little too wild and excited to see him. New York police shut down a mall appearance by the teen pop singer after a crowd of 3,000 thousand young girls began pushing and shoving as they waited for the singer to arrive at the Roosevelt Field Mall in Garden City. Bieber never made it into the building. Five people were taken to hospitals with minor injuries and police arrested a vice president from his label. Bieber's manager Scott Braun has since surrendered on two misdemeanor charges, reckless endangerment and criminal nuisance, and will face one year in jail if convicted, TMZ reports.


Twitter King: In case you haven't been watching Twitter trends, #JustinBieber seems to rank among the top trends almost every day -- for no other reason than his legions of fans writing about him. Even Conan O'Brien started calling out the singer on Twitter this week, "Sweet victory! I'm now trending higher than my twitter nemesis, Justin Bieber. Who's the tween heartthrob now?" To date, Bieber has more than a 1.5 million followers and gains an average of 11,170+ new followers each day (via Twitter Counter.)



Famous A-list Friends: Even though he's only 16, Bieber has a plethora of A-list friends... and the list just keep growing. Bieber performed for President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama at the White House, he has toured with Taylor Swift and even co-hosted BET's '106 & Park' with Rihanna. Bieber claims he has written songs for Diddy and has collaborated with music's biggest names, including Ludacris, Drake and Sean Kingston.

If he looks oddly familiar, you may also recognize him from the 'We Are The World' remake. He sings the opening line, which was sung by Lionel Richie in the original version.

Bieber is NOT scared of flirting with Hollywood's elite:
- Barbara Walters: Following his appearance on 'The View,' Bieber posted a note on his Twitter account. "Barbara Walters just came backstage earlier," he tweeted. "I hit on her... Just joking around though. Think she liked it. Haha."

- Rihanna: Bieber received a kiss on the cheek from his idol Rihanna at VEVO launch party on December 8 in Los Angeles. "It means I'll probably never wash my face," he told E! News. When he later appeared on 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show,' he joked that he asked her for a date but was turned down. "Well, I'm not dating her," he said, before quickly adding, "Maybe in a few years."

- Beyonce: In a DETAILS interview, Bieber opens up about his love life. "I've had girlfriends -- nothing really, really serious, but I've had girlfriends... Now I'm waiting for Beyonce to call."

Bieber will do anything for his fans:
When Bieber heard about a viral video of a 3-year-old girl who loved him so much that she couldn't help but cry, he and Jimmy Kimmel upped the ante and set up a surprise visit to meet the girl and her family. Too adorable for words.



What's Next? Bieber has announced his 'My World' tour dates, covering over 40 cities and featuring Sean Kingston. The tour begins June 23 in Hartford, CT, and wraps up in Allentown, PA, on Sept. 4.

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