It was just four years ago that a young Justin entered a local singing competition at just 12 years of age and took second place. He had never taken voice lessons or had a coach but still wowed the audience. He and his mom wanted to share his victory with friends and family far away so they began uploading Justin’s videos on YouTube. This is where the history begins. It was not only Justin’s friends and family that enjoyed his videos but the general public overall loved them just as much. Justin ranked in over 10,000,000 views simply from word or mouth. He sang his own versions of everything from Ne-Yo to Stevie Wonder. Below is Justin's video from his singing competition.
It was not more than seven short months after these videos had been uploaded to YouTube that former So Def Jam marketing executive, Scooter Braun, came across Justin’s videos while randomly searching for videos of new artists. He immediately got in contact with the boy and flew him and his mother out to GA to meet with his team of professionals. Scooter drove Justin and his mom to the studio and they happened to see Usher in the parking lot. It was only a short time later that Usher realized he was in the presence of a soon-to-be superstar. Justin signed with Raymond Braun Media Group (RBMG) which led to a recording contract with Island Records. This is where Justin’s certified platinum album in the US and twice platinum in Canada and UK, My World, was created.
It hasn’t been more than four years since the debut of Justin Bieber and already he has been awarded and nominated for numerous prestigious awards over these past years. He was awarded Artist of the Year at the 2010 American Music Awards and was nominated for Best New Artist and Best Pop Vocal Album at the Grammy Awards this year. When his single, My World 2.0 was released it debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 charts making Justin the youngest solo male act to top the charts since Stevie Wonder had done it in the year 1963. Justin’s hit movie, Never Say Never 3D, grossed over 12 million dollars on its first day and a total of $30.3 million for its opening weekend. It came in number two (the first was Miley Cyrus’s film, Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert) in the top selling music-documentary films.
With the hit success of Justin Bieber on YouTube it gives a true testament to just how powerful these social media sites are. He was 12 years old when his mom simply uploaded a video for family and friends to see and Justin Bieber is now one of the most successful solo male artists to come around and he has yet to hit puberty. I can proudly admit I am a dedicated fan to the “Bieber Fever” I watch his videos numerous times per day on YouTube, I waited in line at the midnight premiere for his movie, Never Say Never 3D and I proudly wear a shirt with his face on it to the gym. To think that this young kid who entered a singing competition one day and a short seven months later he was creating double platinum selling albums is ludicrous. This is a prime example of how social media is going to take over the world. If it was not for YouTube and a simple search engine hundreds of millions of girls around the world would not have “Bieber Fever” and would thus have to find someone else to be smitten over. Justin’s success is just a prime example for how social networking sites such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter could eventually be the basis for how we run our new, innovative society. He can barely drive a car legally, but the boy can sell out Madison Square Garden in 22 minutes. Is YouTube to thank for his success? Obviously. Without YouTube Justin Beiber would still live in Stratford, Ontario and be singing in local competitions and I wouldn’t have a young, teeny-bopper to idolize. The makings of YouTube and Facebook are going to change our society in ways we cannot explain over the next five years.
Below is one of my favorite Justin videos – enjoy!!
Happy Bieberfying!
Tiffany
(Source: Information on Justin's childhood and what led his his success was obtained through http://www.justinbieberbiography.net/)
(Source: Information on Justin's childhood and what led his his success was obtained through http://www.justinbieberbiography.net/)
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