I have to admit, I only know a handful of things about Justin Bieber. I know that Usher is his mentor, his girlfriend is Selena Gomez and that he vomited onstage a few weeks ago after taking too many shots of milk mixed with tequila or something.
SLIDESHOW:
Beliebers: Justin Bieber at Toyota Center
But more importantly, I know that he is a super-ginormous megastar with millions of fans worldwide, making him the most beloved Canadian export since maple syrup and hockey.
But until I received this assignment, I had never ever heard him sing or seen him perform. His music is just not my bag, baby. I don't listen to the radio, much less Top 40 Radio, nor do I watch much television. And you know what? Living in a Bieber-less world is not so bad...for me.
For millions of "Beliebers," however, Justin Bieber is life. And it's not hard to understand how a handsome, talented, personable kid can become an idol to a fan base that ranges from tweens to middle-aged moms, all clamoring to get a piece of their Justin.
Oh, and to a concert photographer, big artists such as the Biebs are like trophies, and in that respect I was determined to make him mine.
So I decided to give him a shot. And you know what? Some of his stuff is actually pretty great. After listening to "Be Alright," I was surprised at how heartfelt and sincere his voice sounds on that track. Later that night, I caught myself singing "baby, baby, baby... ohhhh!" to my one-year-old niece.
I sought out and found some hardcore "Beliebers" at last night's sold-out show at the Toyota Center and asked them to give me their insight on his Bieberness. Here are the results:
LINDSEY & ALEXIS, BOTH 17
Rocks Off: How long have you been a Belieber?
Both: About three years.
Why should I listen to JB?
Alexis: Because his music is fun and very relatable. And we like to dance to it.
RO: What is your favorite JB song?
L: "As Long as You Love Me."
A: "Boyfriend."