Who is Justin Bieber?

KARACHI: Who knew a 16-year-old could cause this much havoc? Justin Bieber’s planned concert in Sydney, Australia was shut down recently over crowd safety fears after young fans were injured in surges hours before the free event was due to start.

Thousands of fans, many of whom had been camping out overnight, returned disappointed. Bieber later tweeted that he was “just as disappointed as everyone else”. For his upcoming performance in New Zealand, authorities are preparing for his arrival. According to BBC News, “Officials at Auckland airport told the New Zealand Herald newspaper that extra security would be arranged for the singer’s arrival there.” Justin Bieber can cause stampedes, but who is this boy and why is he so over hyped? We provide a guide to Bieber.

What is his name?

The name Bieber has caused some confusion because no one is quite sure how to pronounce it. The singer’s full name is Justin Drew Bieber. Bieber is pronounced BEE-ber.

Where did he come from?

Bieber was born on March 1, 1994 in Ontario and is a Canadian pop/R&B singer.

When did he start singing?

Bieber began singing at a very young age and entered a local singing competition at age 12, where he came second. He taught himself how to play the piano, drums, guitar and trumpet. He also plans on learning to play the violin.

How was he discovered?

In 2007, Bieber and his mother began posting videos of him singing on YouTube so that his family and friends, who could not attend his performances, could see Bieber sing. The videos were seen by Scooter Braun, a former marketing executive of So So Def, who flew Bieber to Atlanta, Georgia. Braun is now Bieber’s manager.

How did R&B singer Usher come into the picture?

Braun met with Usher after flying Bieber to Atlanta and had Bieber sing for him. Usher’s interest was caught and he got Bieber an audition at Island Def Jam Records who signed Bieber in October 2008. It was reported that Justin Timberlake also wanted to sign Bieber, but the Canadian eventually decided to sign with Usher.

Bieber’s music

Bieber’s first album My World which was released on November 17, 2009, went to number six on the Billboard 200. Bieber’s first single “One Time” reached number 12 on the Canadian Hot 100 chart. Bieber’s latest album My World 2.0 debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.

Why has Bieber become so famous?

The world of pop has a new teen sensation after a long time. His age lets young kids relate to him and his cute face and soulful voice means that thousands of teenage girls are in love with him. In Bieber’s own words he is popular because “older people can appreciate my music because I really show my heart when I sing, and it’s not corny.” And for the younger fans Bieber says, “I think I can grow as an artist and my fans will grow with me.”