Do you beliebe?

I'm going to be frank with y'all: I'm a belieber... or at least, I have been.  Now?  I don't know what to beliebe.

We all knew about Justin Bieber when he came onto the scene.  An overnight sensation like no one before him, you couldn't help but know his name and at least be able to hum one of his songs.  Whether you liked him or not, you'd heard of him.

Brilliantly managed and marketed, he experienced a frighteningly fast climb to success.  In the face of it all, he seemed to manage it well himself.  You might not want to call him an artist, but he sure could perform.  Beyond that, he has a certain charm, too... charisma, even, and not just in the "tween" sense.  Have you ever seen him on "Chelsea Lately"?  Check out the video below.  He's not very articulate, per se, but he holds his own, and is funny (and even, dare I say it, smart!) in his own way.



So what did I think of him when he was first thrust upon us?  Not much, really... I was indifferent... I mean, although there is something unique about his rise to success (YouTube discovery, overnight sensation, etc.), it's just the same old story in a new context, isn't it?  I wasn't a hater, I wasn't a fan, I was just aware... and maybe curious... and maybe a teeny bit proud that for once an enormous star was Canadian?  Or maybe more angry at the fact that Justin was calling himself the first interesting thing to come out of Stratford.

I became a belieber though when I watched "Never Say Never", the documentary film movie about Justin's rise to fame and his "Never Say Never" tour in which he first performs in the legendary Madison Square Garden.  There's something almost hypnotizing about that movie.  I can't even remember what it was that made me watch it in the first place.  Again, I wasn't a huge fan, and none of my friends had seen it.  Regardless, I watched it one night and was totally mesmerized.  There is something so captivating about him and his story, and in the movie he is portrayed as very serious, sincere, caring, and hard-working.  He definitely is talented, too, but he's also so... earnest.  Yes, that is the word!  He seems to be so earnest, and there is something so endearing about him.

That brings me to now.

I'm not sure if you keep up with the Justin Bieber news, but he's been acting a fool lately.  There's been issues with his friend caught speeding in his car, photos surfacing of him smoking marijuana, getting kicked out of a London bar on his birthday, passing out on stage at his own concert, starting a concert two hours late, walking around shirtless, swearing at paparazzi..... Bieber is not 13 anymore.

So he's 19, and the old smile for the camera paired with a flick of the hair doesn't really work for him now.  That's fine.  Performers have to evolve with their age and with time.  Look at Justin Timberlake (I certainly enjoy looking at him); he started as a curly-haired, frosted-tipped boy bander, and now he's all dapper in a suit and tie singing us brilliant R&B.

But this isn't about a performer evolving, it's about an individual experiencing some growing pains, and the thing that I struggle with is: can we just chalk this up to a 19 year-old acting his age?  Does he have to be held to different standards because he's a massive celebrity?  Does any of it matter?  19 year-olds all over the world are doing this and much worse (minus what the money and fame afford him), but his discretions are displayed for all the world to see.  What does it all mean?

The funny thing is, I don't really care about his music.  Some of it is pretty catchy, but just because I call myself a belieber, you won't be finding me buying his albums and certainly not attending his concerts.  What I liked about him, as I said, was his earnestness... his charisma and hard-working nature.  I'm just not seeing that anymore.

However, as a belieber, I will hold out some hope.  I'd like to see Justin Bieber elevate to the levels of Justin Timberlake one day... maybe it'll never happen, but...

NEVER SAY NEVER.