The Rise of the YouTube Sensation: Justin Bieber

Before last week, my only knowledge of Justin Bieber consisted of a vague recollection of an Entertainment Weekly blog posted a year ago about a young singer who got noticed through youtube videos of him singing. But last week, smiling back at me from the cover of People magazine (April 19, 2010), was sixteen year old Justin Bieber with the caption:

World’s

Biggest

Pop Star

Most singers marketed toward the tween market (age 10-14 years old) are products of a Disney or Nickelodeon channel show. Miley Cyrus gained fame on her Disney show “Hannah Montana” which soon spiraled into a record deal screaming fans. The Jonas Brothers gained fame from the Disney channel as well. Before them, Hilary Duff became a huge star on “The Lizzie McGuire Show.” Miranda Cosgrave, from the popular Nickelodeon show “iCarly” garnered a record deal out of her television show.

Contrastingly, when Justin Bieber first started singing, he had no television show with a built in audience to launch his career. Instead, Justin had YouTube. A product of his own digital generation, Justin Bieber got his first exposure through YouTube.

A December 31, 2009 NY Times article, entitled “Justin Bieber is Living the Dream” articulated this belief:

“he is…a creature of this era: a talented boy discovered first by fans on YouTube, then cannily marketed to them through a fresh influx of studiedly raw videos on the Web site.”

Because of this, fans feel especially connected to him. They feel like they can relate to him because they don’t see him as a manufactured product from a record company. The People article strives to continue to facilitate the image of Justin as a regular old sixteen-year old kid who just happens to illicit thousands of screaming fans wherever he goes. The article describes Justin a old boy living in Canada with his single mom who loved to sing, but never had any grand illusions of being famous. When he started singing in local competitions at age twelve, he posted videos of the events on YouTube so his relatives could watch from far away. Strangers began watching the videos and requesting songs. Before long, a music exec based in Atlanta clicked on the video and promptly woed Justin and his mother out to Atlanta to sign a record deal, and the boy that is Justin Bieber was soon released to the world.

The front-page article creates a narrative of a boy from a small town who followed his passion of signing and who succeeded. But, as the article quickly reminds us, he didn’t solicit any of this fame. Managers don’t want Justin to be perceived as stuck up or unattainable. The whole attraction to Justin stems from his relatable persona. Celebrity fans want their idols to “be just like them.” Tabloids like US Weekly feature a “Stars are Just Like Us” section at the beginning of each issue, where celebrities are pictured grocery shopping, getting gas, walking their dogs, and doing other “normal” activities.

In reality, Justin Bieber is a meticulously crafted entity. He has an entire team of adults working with him to sustain his fame. A January 9, 2010 LA Times article gives a glimpse into the world of Justin Bieber. Bieber, who was interviewed for the article backstage at “The Tonight Show,” is shown to be surrounded by a team of adults. Justin Bieber was such an unexpected surprise, and now, with his screaming, dedicated fans, he has become a shining light in the limping music industry.

“Bieber, in the span of less than a year, is suddenly one of [the music industry’s] most valuable assets, the evidence being the team of adults on his payroll that follows him nearly everywhere he goes, working to both manage and prolong his success. It's a lot for a teenager to process.”

Bieber has become a manufactured star: his fans just don’t realize it. It’s interesting to examine the music business in regards to singers who are marketed towards a younger audience. Studies have shown again and again that young teens have money to spend with none of the responsibilities of a mortgage or insurance payments. Once you can tap into that market, you are tapping into a huge pile of money. Jusitn, with his doe-eyed look and non threatening stature, has managed to capture the hearts (and wallets) of millions of young girls.

Works Cited

Bartolomeo, Joey. “Boy Wonder.” People 19 Apr 2010. 66-72. Print.

Hoffman, Jan. “Justin Bieber is Living the Dream.” nytimes.com. The New York Times 31 Dec 2009. Web. 15 April 2010.

Kaufman, Amy. “Justin Bieber & Co.” latimes.com. The Los Angeles Times 1 Apr 2010. Web. 15 Apr 2010.

Bonus:

Below's a hilarious sketch from SNL which Justin Bieber hosted.

And here's a recent Chelsea Lately interview with Justin Bieber: