Justin Bieber Through the Years: From Teen Heartthrob to Married Man

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Justin Bieber Through the Years: From Teen Heartthrob to Married Man

Ever since Scooter Braun discovered Justin Bieber on YouTube in the late aughts, the singer has become one of the most successful and recognizable names in the music industry. Bieber released his debut EP, My World, in 2009 and his first full-length album, My World 2.0, in 2010. His fan base quickly grew, thanks in part to his early hits “One Time,” “One Less Lonely Girl” and “Baby” — and his trendsetting swoop hairstyle. The pop star went on to release two concert films, 2011’s Justin Bieber: Never Say Never and 2013’s Justin Bieber’s Believe, and four more albums: 2011’s Under the Mistletoe, 2012’s Believe, 2015’s Purpose and 2020’s Changes. In addition, he has made guest appearances on other artists’ hit singles, including Jack Ü’s “Where Are Ü Now” (for which he won a Grammy in 2015); Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito (Remix)”; DJ Snake’s “Let Me Love You”; DJ Khaled’s “I’m the One” with Quavo, Chance the Rapper and Lil Wayne; Ed Sheeran’s “I Don’t Care”; and Dan + Shay’s “10,000 Hours.” On top of his music career, all eyes have been on Bieber’s personal life since he hit the scene. He made headlines several times as a teenager for his bad-boy behavior — which included a DUI arrest and a vandalism charge, both in 2014 — as well as his high-profile romances and flings. He dated Selena Gomez on and off from 2011 to 2014 before they briefly rekindled their relationship at the end of 2017. Bieber went on to marry Hailey Bieber (née Baldwin) in 2018 at a New York courthouse before walking down the aisle in front of their family and friends in South Carolina one year later. [jwplayer N5ysYZnZ-zhNYySv2] “Hailey’s very logical and structured, which I need,” Justin told Vogue in 2019. “I’ve always wanted security — with my dad [Jeremy Bieber] being gone sometimes when I was a kid, with being on the road. With the lifestyle I live, everything is so uncertain. I need one thing that’s certain. And that is my baby boo.” The model echoed, “We’re two young people who are learning as we go. I’m not going to sit here and lie and say it’s all a magical fantasy. It’s always going to be hard. It’s a choice. You don’t feel it every single day. You don’t wake up every day saying, ‘I’m absolutely so in love and you are perfect.’ That’s not what being married is. But there’s something beautiful about it anyway — about wanting to fight for something, commit to building with someone. We’re really young, and that’s a scary aspect. We’re going to change a lot. But we’re committed to growing together and supporting each other in those changes. That’s how I look at it. At the end of the day, too, he’s my best friend. I never get sick of him.” Scroll down to take a look back with Us at Justin’s life and career so far: [podcast_block]

Credit: Getty Images; WireImage.com; INSTARimages.com (3)

Justin Bieber Through the Years: From Teen Heartthrob to Married Man

Ever since Scooter Braun discovered Justin Bieber on YouTube in the late aughts, the singer has become one of the most successful and recognizable names in the music industry. Bieber released his debut EP, My World, in 2009 and his first full-length album, My World 2.0, in 2010. His fan base quickly grew, thanks in part to his early hits “One Time,” “One Less Lonely Girl” and “Baby” — and his trendsetting swoop hairstyle. The pop star went on to release two concert films, 2011’s Justin Bieber: Never Say Never and 2013’s Justin Bieber’s Believe, and four more albums: 2011’s Under the Mistletoe, 2012’s Believe, 2015’s Purpose and 2020’s Changes. In addition, he has made guest appearances on other artists’ hit singles, including Jack Ü’s “Where Are Ü Now” (for which he won a Grammy in 2015); Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito (Remix)”; DJ Snake’s “Let Me Love You”; DJ Khaled’s “I’m the One” with Quavo, Chance the Rapper and Lil Wayne; Ed Sheeran’s “I Don’t Care”; and Dan + Shay’s “10,000 Hours.” On top of his music career, all eyes have been on Bieber’s personal life since he hit the scene. He made headlines several times as a teenager for his bad-boy behavior — which included a DUI arrest and a vandalism charge, both in 2014 — as well as his high-profile romances and flings. He dated Selena Gomez on and off from 2011 to 2014 before they briefly rekindled their relationship at the end of 2017. Bieber went on to marry Hailey Bieber (née Baldwin) in 2018 at a New York courthouse before walking down the aisle in front of their family and friends in South Carolina one year later. [jwplayer N5ysYZnZ-zhNYySv2] “Hailey’s very logical and structured, which I need,” Justin told Vogue in 2019. “I’ve always wanted security — with my dad [Jeremy Bieber] being gone sometimes when I was a kid, with being on the road. With the lifestyle I live, everything is so uncertain. I need one thing that’s certain. And that is my baby boo.” The model echoed, “We’re two young people who are learning as we go. I’m not going to sit here and lie and say it’s all a magical fantasy. It’s always going to be hard. It’s a choice. You don’t feel it every single day. You don’t wake up every day saying, ‘I’m absolutely so in love and you are perfect.’ That’s not what being married is. But there’s something beautiful about it anyway — about wanting to fight for something, commit to building with someone. We’re really young, and that’s a scary aspect. We’re going to change a lot. But we’re committed to growing together and supporting each other in those changes. That’s how I look at it. At the end of the day, too, he’s my best friend. I never get sick of him.” Scroll down to take a look back with Us at Justin’s life and career so far: [podcast_block]

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Early 2008

The Ontario, Canada, native became a sensation on YouTube after mom Pattie Mallette posted videos of him covering songs such as Ne-Yo’s “So Sick” and Chris Brown’s “With You” as a preteen.

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October 2008

Justin signed a deal with Island Records after his future manager, Braun, stumbled upon his YouTube videos and flew the then-13-year-old out to Atlanta to sing for Usher.

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November 2009

The singer released his first EP, My World, which included a collaboration with mentor Usher titled “First Dance.” It hit No. 6 on the Billboard 200 chart, making it the strongest debut for a new artist that year.

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March 2010

Justin’s first album, My World 2.0, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, making him the youngest solo male artist to top the chart since Stevie Wonder in 1963. The disc included collaborations with Ludacris (“Baby”) and Sean Kingston (“Eenie Meenie”) and was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album at the Grammys. Later that year, he released an acoustic version of the album.

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February 2011

The pop sensation’s 3-D movie, Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, documented the road to his sold-out August 2010 concert at New York City’s famed Madison Square Garden. During opening weekend, the film grossed nearly $30 million.

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November 2011

Hot off the success of Never Say Never, Justin released his Christmas album, Under the Mistletoe. In addition to lead single “Mistletoe,” he teamed up with Mariah Carey for a “superfestive” rendition of her 1994 classic “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Other collaborations included Usher (“The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)”), Boyz II Men (“Fa La La”) and Busta Rhymes (“Drummer Boy”).

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June 2012

Justin’s third album, Believe, which also debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, marked a departure from his teen pop sound with more dance and R&B sounds. He released five singles: “Boyfriend,” “As Long as You Love Me” featuring Big Sean, “Beauty and a Beat” featuring Nicki Minaj, “Right Here” featuring Drake and “All Around the World” featuring Ludacris. To promote the album, Justin embarked on a world tour and, like My World, later released an acoustic version.

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February 2013

The entertainer served as the host and musical guest of Saturday Night Live, but his appearance was panned by critics and cast members Kate McKinnon and Bill Hader. Years later, Hader called Justin SNL’s worst guest, noting that the singer “seemed exhausted or just at the end of a rope.”

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December 2013

Justin Bieber’s Believe, which was not a box office hit like Never Say Never, chronicled his Believe tour with the addition of never-before-seen backstage footage.

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December 2013

The performer wrote a number of new songs during his time on the road, which he compiled into a digital-only album titled Journals. The R&B-inflected record, which included singles “All That Matters” and “Hold Tight,” was his most mature to date but was not a commercial success.

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January 2014

Justin was charged with misdemeanor vandalism for throwing eggs at his neighbor’s home in the Calabasas area of Los Angeles. He pleaded no contest to the charge and was ordered to pay $80,000 in restitution, serve two years of probation and complete anger management classes and community service. He settled a lawsuit with the neighbor in November 2018.

Credit: Miami-Dade Police Department via Getty Images

January 2014

Justin was arrested in Miami Beach, Florida, on charges of driving under the influence, driving with an expired license and resisting arrest. Police said at the time that he admitted to smoking marijuana, drinking alcohol and taking Xanax. That August, he accepted a plea deal and made a $50,000 donation to the charity Our Kids.

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February 2014

After dating on and off for three years, the “Somebody to Love” singer and Gomez called it quits.

“[She] is someone I love dearly. I’m never going to stop loving her. I’m never going to stop checking in on her,” he later told Access. “I don’t think if you end a relationship, you should end that, unless it was super toxic and you guys were hurting each other physically or mentally. We always respected each other and we still respect each other.”

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March 2015

Comedy Central hosted its Roast of Justin Bieber at his request with roasters including Pete Davidson, Chris D’Elia, Will Ferrell, Shaquille O’Neal, Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart. At the end of the night, Justin roasted himself, joking, “What do you get when you give a teenager $200 million? A bunch of has-beens calling you a lesbian for two hours.”

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November 2015

The pop star’s fourth album, Purpose, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and included some of his most successful singles to date, including “What Do You Mean?,” “Sorry” and “Love Yourself.” It was nominated for four Grammys, including Album of the Year and Song of the Year for “Love Yourself.”

Credit: Dan MacMedan/WireImage.com

February 2016

Justin won his first Grammy when he took home Best Dance Recording for “Where Are Ü Now” with Jack Ü’s Skrillex and Diplo. The win was not televised, but Justin was on hand, rocking newly dyed blond hair.

Credit: Kevin Mazur/One Love Manchester/Getty Images

April 2017

The singer-songwriter hopped on a remix of Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s song “Despacito” and helped it become a global smash. The remix became the first Spanish-language song to hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 since “Macarena” in 1996.

Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

July 2017

More than a year into his Purpose world tour, Justin decided to cancel his remaining 14 shows.

“I got really depressed on tour,” he explained to Vogue nearly two years later. “I haven’t talked about this, and I’m still processing so much stuff that I haven’t talked about. I was lonely. I needed some time.”

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November 2017

The Just Getting Started author started dating Gomez again after her split from The Weeknd. “I cherish people who have really impacted my life. So maybe before, it could have been forcing something that wasn’t right. But that doesn’t mean caring for someone ever goes away,” she told Billboard soon after the reunion. However, the on-off couple broke things off again in March 2018.

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September 2018

In June 2018, Justin started hooking up with Hailey, whom he previously dated from 2015 to 2016. He proposed to the model during a trip to the Bahamas in July, and they quietly married at a New York City courthouse in September.

“We’re two young people who are learning as we go,” she later told Vogue in the couple’s joint cover story. “I’m not going to sit here and lie and say it’s all a magical fantasy. It’s always going to be hard. … But we’re committed to growing together and supporting each other in those changes. That’s how I look at it. At the end of the day, too, he’s my best friend. I never get sick of him.”

Credit: Broadimage/Shutterstock

March 2019

Justin took to Instagram to explain his extended break from the music scene, writing, “I’ve toured my whole teenage life, and early 20s, I realized and as you guys probably saw I was unhappy last tour and I don’t deserve that and you don’t deserve that, you pay money to come and have a lively energetic fun light concert and I was unable emotionally to give you that near the end of the tour. … I will come with a kick ass album ASAP, my swag is undeniable and my drive is indescribable.”

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September 2019

Justin and Hailey tied the knot for a second time during a ceremony in Bluffton, South Carolina. Their guests included the bride’s father, Stephen Baldwin, and friends including Kylie Jenner, Kendall Jenner and Jaden Smith.

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January 2020

Justin’s YouTube docuseries Justin Bieber: Seasons gave fans a close look at his health struggles, marriage and return to music ahead of the release of Changes.

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February 2020

Changes debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, thanks to the singles “Yummy” and “Intentions.”

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June 2020

After two anonymous women claimed via Twitter that Justin had sexually assaulted them in March 2014 and May 2015, respectively, he filed a $20 million defamation lawsuit against them for “maliciously posting despicable, blatantly false, fabricated, defamatory accusations.”

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December 2020

The entertainer performed his first full-length concert in more than three years on New Year’s Eve from the roof of The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills. He debuted his song “Anyone” during the live-streamed show in addition to doing classics like “Baby” and “Love Yourself.”

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March 2021

Justin released his sixth studio album, Justice, which included the singles “Holy,” “Lonely” and “Anyone” plus collaborations with artists such as Chance the Rapper, Khalid and Benny Blanco.

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September 2021

The married couple stepped out at the 2021 Met Gala in matching black ensembles to honor the “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion” theme.

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February 2022

The “Ghost” crooner and the model attended Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles alongside Kendall Jenner and Devin Booker.

Credit: Courtesy of Justin Bieber/Instagram

June 2022

The "Sorry" performer revealed that he was diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, which created side effects including partial facial paralysis. "It is from this virus that attacks the nerve in my ear and my facial nerves and has caused my face to have paralysis,” Bieber explained via Instagram in June 2022, showing how one side would not move. “As you can see this eye is not blinking. I can’t smile on this side of my face. This nostril will not move.”

The Canada native canceled several concert performances on the Justice World Tour amid his health battle. “I’m just physically, not capable of doing them,” he added. “This is pretty serious as you can see. I wish this wasn’t the case. But obviously, my body is telling me I need to slow down.”

That same month, Bieber offered an update on how he was doing with the major challenges. "Wanted to share a little bit of how I've been feeling," he wrote via Instagram. "Each day has gotten better and through all of the discomfort, I have found comfort in the one who designed me and knows me. I'm reminded he knows all of me. I'm reminded he knows all of me."

He added: "He knows the darkest parts of me that I want no one to know about and he constantly welcomes me into his loving arms. This perspective has given me peace during this horrific storm that I'm facing. I know this storm will pass but in the mean time JESUS IS WITH ME."

Credit: Courtesy of Justin Bieber/Instagram

January 2023

Justin and Hailey cuddled during a couple’s getaway to Aspen, Colorado.

Credit: Courtesy of Justin Bieber/Instagram

February 2023

During a Hawaii vacation with the Rhode founder, the “One Less Lonely Girl” crooner stopped to admire a school of fish.