I’ve always been a sucker for boybands. Who can resist them? From the early days of the Backstreet Boys and ‘N Sync to more recent groups such as The Jonas Brothers and One Direction; I love them all. There’s something about teenage boy pop sensations that teenage girls go crazy for (and even me as a 20 year old). Justin Bieber also fits into this category. From his innocent demeanor to his pre-pubescent voice, what 7th grader could have resisted his famous floppy hair.
Justin Bieber became who he is today all because of YouTube. He was discovered online and at the age of 13 he came to the US from Canada to record demo tapes. With the help of Usher, Justin was signed to a label and got a manager. His first single, “One Less Lonely Girl,” was released in 2009, and his career took off. He has since released countless albums, products, and even used to have the most twitter followers of any account on the site.
With all of his success, he has made quite an earning for himself. According to Forbes, Justin Bieber is worth $58 million. That’s a LOT of money for a nineteen year old.
Being successful in the entertainment industry opens up a lot of doors, and not all of them should neccessarily be opened. It’s sad that so many young and talented people end up going down the wrong path, and this seems to be happening to Justin Bieber. It seems that he has had many crazy antics, and now he is finally starting to pay the price. Just in the past few months, he had a night with a prostitute it Brazil, painted some grafitti, had his rapper friend get arrested at his house, and caused $20,000 in damage by egging his neighbor’s house. Also, he was most recently arrested for drag racing and drunk driving at 4AM in Miami.
I would assume that growing up in the spotlight is very difficult. No matter how hard you try, you cannot live a simple life. Since the age of 13, everything he has ever done and experienced has been all over the tabloids and the internet. Whether he likes it or not, he is, for better or worse, a role model to many. He chose this life for himself, and young men and women are looking up to him, especially since his fanbase is mostly young teenage girls. He also influences people in the college age group as well. If we see celebrities drinking, doing drugs, and having ridiculous parties, why can’t we do the same thing?
Next time you go out to a party, don’t try to imitate the celebrities you see in the media. Do your own thing. Don’t worry Justin, even though you need to smarten up, I’ll always be a Belieber.
Stay classy, Collegiettes!