Since Justin Bieber first burst onto the Top 40 radio scene four years ago, his image has transformed from squeaky-clean adolescent to that of an angst-ridden teen trying to master the balance of fame.
To begin this whirlwind of a month, Bieber was photographed holding what appeared to be a blunt at a Newport Beach hotel party. This incident, occurring only a day after a paparazzo was killed while chasing Bieber’s Ferrari (which Bieber himself wasn’t even driving), brought on huge backlash from Bieber’s doting fan base.
Almost immediately following these controversies, Bieber got right back on track for his “Believe Tour” but was moments late for his Jan. 5 Salt Lake City stop because he was visiting an ill fan in a local hospital (or relentlessly trying to re-polish that squeaky-clean reputation we touched upon earlier).
In addition to all of this, Bieber has also been dealing with a very public and tumultuous relationship with on-and-off again girlfriend Selena Gomez. With countless rumors constantly circling around the couple, the public and Bieber’s “Beliebers” are left in a constant state of uncertainty about their relationship.
But in light of all this, Bieber and his team are on top of things, with an album re-release and a “Saturday Night Live” appearance.
Bieber is set to re-release his “Believe” album acoustically with a handful of previously unreleased tracks on Jan. 29. Bieber is also reportedly scheduled to host and perform “Saturday Night Live” on Feb. 9, and has stated via his Twitter account that there’s nothing in his life that’s off limits to the writers.
With Bieber and his team choosing the route of an “SNL” appearance, Bieber will publically be able to poke fun at both himself and his recent troubles, all while allowing the rest of America to laugh along with him. After all, laughter really is the best medicine.
Bieber, the second-most followed person on Twitter next to reigning Twitter Queen Lady Gaga, and his influence have grown dramatically over the past three years since his debut album “My World 2.0,” and he’s just learning how to handle it.
In reality, Bieber is just another 18-year-old who is trying to figure out both his public and private lives, all while living under the wide eye and scrutiny of fame.
Some might even argue that this latest marijuana stint could be the beginning of the decay of Bieber’s career. With Bieber entering a crucial point in his career in terms of success, critics have begun to state that this is the first step in the downfall of his career. That he’s just begun down the road of countless other child stars.
However, I would argue that both Bieber’s career and his influence are only just beginning.
In fact, Bieber’s most recent “Believe Tour” has been greeted with so much success that Bieber and his team have added 30 additional international dates to the original lineup, with tickets being immediately gobbled up around the globe.
No matter your opinion, Bieber’s success and his following are unprecedented. It seems as though his most recent issue with drugs is just a minor hiccup in the overall picture of his career, which will arguably continue for decades to come.