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Most sixteen-year-olds make mistakes in peace, with some shouts from parents, at most. But Justin Bieber’s rise to fame at 15 did not bring him this peace.
Most sixteen-year-olds make mistakes in peace, with some shouts from parents, at most.
But Justin Bieber’s rise to fame at 15 did not bring him this peace. After his debut ‘One Time, ’ the “Belieber” fanbase grew to almost sell out the 17-year-old’s first tour in 2010. Over 28,000 tickets were sold out at the Dublin leg of the tour, and 100K seats in Brazil sold out in under 12 minutes. According to Billboard, the “My World” tour at Madison Square Garden went under 30 seconds.
Although backed by millions of ‘Beliebers,’ the young star faced intense media scrutiny.
"Bieber Bashing" became a worldwide phenomenon, and “hate Justin Bieber” became a trend.
Every misstep was a trending topic, and every relationship was public property. Selena Gomez was permanently tied to every breakup song. Years later, even after he built a new life away from Hollywood, people just can’t seem to get over the relationship the boy had when he was 17.
The 18-year-old said he lost control of his career “vision” amid industry opinions and that people can “prey” on insecurities. During the Purpose (2017) and Justice (2022) tours, Bieber described depression while touring. He had to cancel the ending leg of both tours. Documentary coverage in "Justin Bieber: Seasons", Bieber shows addiction so severe that security had to check up on him at night. He has also spoken about suicidal feelings. But even during his lowest, the “Bieber Bashing” never stopped.
He was rich, he was famous, he must be fine. Some called him attention-seeking. Others called it karma. Empathy seemed conditional.
Looking back, Bieber was a YouTube kid discovered for his talent. He reminded the world of this talent during his Grammy performance in 2026. The singer wore nothing but underpants and sang “Yukon” with a guitar and simple sound effects. A fan commented, “They [Hollywood] stripped him [Bieber] of everything, but his talent.”
In 2009, Bieber walked into the music industry with the hope of sharing his passion with the world. He didn’t walk in asking to become a cultural experiment. Yet the world watched him grow up in real time. Critics worldwide on the internet judged every haircut, every arrest, and every emotional outburst.
Yes, he engaged in some questionable actions during his teenage and young adult years. But didn’t we all? Additionally, Bieber was raised in poverty. The decisions he made after his rise to fame and wealth could arguably be seen as a confused reaction to the materialistic resources he lacked in his upbringing. In his song ‘Purpose’ that was released in 2015, he put a heartfelt outro in an attempt to explain how he felt: “We weren't necessarily put in the best position to make the best decisions. You can't be hard on yourself for these were the cards that you were given.”
More of the truth behind the scenes of child stars is being revealed to the world. Perhaps this could be a turning point for observers to realise that the young Hollywood stars have been through more than what the news headlines suggest. Bieber is only one of them.
Furthermore, research on young performers is thinner than it should be. Regulations for young stars’ psychological well-being are comparatively neglected, studies on child actors note.
If Bieber’s story is a case study, it should produce better policies for child stars. We need youth safeguarding in the music business. The least could be welfare advocates, mental?health support built into contracts, and strict limits on promotion and touring so under?18 artists aren’t run like machines. If we want to destigmatise mental health, it cannot depend on income, fame, or public image. Pain is pain. Burnout is burnout. Anxiety does not discriminate based on chart positions.
I don’t know him, and I’m not pretending fame erases responsibility. But Bieber has served his time. A child should never have to lose his childhood to an industry that doesn’t care.
He raised a generation through his music. But he lost his childhood doing it. I can’t help but wonder, if he were given the choice, would he choose to enter Hollywood again?