Justin Bieber

Singer · Songwriter · Actor · Musician

b. 1994 · Born in London, Ontario, Canada · 4 min read

Verified: 13 November 2026
Sources: 4
Independently reviewed

Photo: Lou Stejskal / Wikimedia Commons , CC BY 2.0

Canadian pop singer discovered on YouTube as a teenager, whose debut single 'Baby' (2010) made him a global star; later hits include 'Sorry', 'Love Yourself' and 'Stay', and he has won two Grammy Awards.

Early Life

Justin Drew Bieber was born on 1 March 1994 in London, Ontario, Canada, at St Joseph's Hospital, and was raised in Stratford, Ontario, by his single mother, Pattie Mallette. He grew up in a low-income household and taught himself to play piano, drums, guitar and trumpet. As a child he busked on the streets of Stratford, and in early 2007, aged twelve, he sang in a local talent contest; his mother posted videos of the performance on YouTube for family and friends.

Education

Bieber was educated in Stratford, Ontario, and graduated from St Michael Catholic Secondary School in Stratford in 2012, while already touring internationally.

Career

Bieber was born in London, Ontario, and raised in Stratford, Ontario, by his mother, Pattie Mallette. He taught himself piano, drums, guitar and trumpet, and in 2007, aged twelve, he placed second in a local singing contest. His mother posted videos of the performance on YouTube, and talent manager Scooter Braun came across them in 2008. Braun signed Bieber to Raymond Braun Media Group, a joint venture with Usher, and Island Records signed him in October 2008. His debut EP, My World, was released in 2009, and his debut studio album, My World 2.0, followed in March 2010, led by the single 'Baby'. Further albums followed: Under the Mistletoe (2011), Believe (2012), Purpose (2015), Changes (2020) and Justice (2021). Believe moved him from teen pop towards a more mature R&B sound, and Purpose relaunched his career with the hits 'What Do You Mean?', 'Sorry' and 'Love Yourself', all of which topped the US charts. His collaboration with Jack U, 'Where Are U Now', won him his first Grammy Award in 2016, and he won a second for '10,000 Hours' with Dan + Shay. In 2021 his collaboration with the Kid Laroi, 'Stay', topped the charts around the world. In 2022 he revealed he had Ramsay Hunt syndrome, which partly paralysed his face, and paused touring. He married Hailey Baldwin in 2018, and their son was born in 2024. In July 2025 he released his seventh studio album, Swag, followed by Swag II in September 2025.

Achievements

Bieber's central achievements began with his discovery on YouTube at thirteen and his rapid rise to teen stardom with My World 2.0 and the single 'Baby' in 2010. He became the youngest solo male act to top the US Billboard 200 in 47 years. As he matured, the album Purpose (2015) produced three US number-one singles, and 'Where Are U Now', his collaboration with Jack U, won him his first Grammy Award in 2016. He won a second Grammy for '10,000 Hours' with Dan + Shay, and topped the charts again with 'Stay' in 2021. His collaborations also include 'Despacito' with Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee in 2017, which topped the charts worldwide, and 'Peaches' from Justice, which gave him another US number-one single in 2021. After a four-year break from albums he returned in 2025 with Swag and Swag II.

Discovered on YouTube by talent manager Scooter Braun in 2008 and signed to Raymond Braun Media Group and Island Records
Released the debut EP My World in 2009 and the debut studio album My World 2.0 in 2010
Became the youngest solo male act to top the US Billboard 200 in 47 years with My World 2.0
Released the international hit single 'Baby' featuring Ludacris in 2010
Won his first Grammy Award in 2016 for Best Dance Recording for 'Where Are U Now' with Jack U
Won a second Grammy Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for '10,000 Hours' with Dan + Shay
Released the albums Believe (2012), Purpose (2015), Changes (2020) and Justice (2021)
Scored three US number-one singles from Purpose: 'What Do You Mean?', 'Sorry' and 'Love Yourself'
Topped the US charts with 'Stay', his 2021 collaboration with the Kid Laroi
Released his seventh and eighth studio albums, Swag and Swag II, in 2025

Legacy

Bieber is remembered as the first pop star built by YouTube, a model for how social media could launch a music career without the traditional path through talent shows or radio. His early fame as a teen idol gave way to a longer career in adult pop and R&B, and his openness about his health, including Ramsay Hunt syndrome in 2022, drew wide attention. His collaborations across genres, from dance music with Jack U to country with Dan + Shay, showed a range unusual for a star who began as a teen idol. Because he is a living person whose public work continues, this profile records only documented milestones and will need regular updating from reliable sources.

Contributions

Bieber's contribution was to show that a music career could be built from the internet: discovered through videos his mother posted on YouTube, he became one of the first global pop stars of the social-media era. His teen-pop hits of 2010 gave way to the R&B-influenced sound of Purpose, and his collaborations across genres, from dance music with Jack U to country with Dan + Shay, kept him at the centre of pop for more than fifteen years.

Notable Works

My World 2.0 (2010)
Believe (2012)
Purpose (2015)
Changes (2020)
Justice (2021)
Swag (2025)

Milestones

1994 — Born Justin Drew Bieber in London, Ontario, Canada Source: Wikipedia
2007 — Videos of him singing were posted on YouTube Source: Wikipedia
2008 — Discovered by Scooter Braun; signed to Island Records Source: Wikipedia
2009 — Released the debut EP My World Source: Wikipedia
2010 — Released My World 2.0 and the single 'Baby' Source: Wikipedia
2012 — Released the album Believe Source: Wikipedia
2015 — Released the album Purpose Source: Wikipedia
2016 — Won his first Grammy Award for 'Where Are U Now' Source: Grammy.com
2018 — Married Hailey Baldwin Source: Wikipedia
2021 — Released the album Justice; 'Stay' topped the charts Source: Wikipedia
2022 — Revealed Ramsay Hunt syndrome and paused touring Source: Wikipedia
2025 — Released his seventh studio album, Swag Source: Grammy.com

Timeline

1 March 1994
Born Justin Drew Bieber in London, Ontario, Canada
Source: Wikipedia
2007
Placed second in a local singing contest; his mother posted videos of him on YouTube
Year only — exact date unknown Source: Wikipedia
2008-10
Signed to Island Records after being discovered by Scooter Braun
Source: Wikipedia
17 November 2009
Released the debut EP My World
Source: Wikipedia
18 January 2010
Released the single 'Baby' featuring Ludacris
Source: Wikipedia
19 March 2010
Released the debut studio album My World 2.0
Source: Wikipedia
13 November 2015
Released the album Purpose
Source: Wikipedia
15 February 2016
Won his first Grammy Award for 'Where Are U Now' with Jack U
Source: Grammy.com
2018
Married Hailey Baldwin
Year only — exact date unknown Source: Wikipedia
9 July 2021
Released 'Stay' with the Kid Laroi
Source: Wikipedia
10 June 2022
Revealed he had Ramsay Hunt syndrome and paused touring
Source: Wikipedia
2024
His son Jack Blues Bieber was born
Year only — exact date unknown Source: Wikipedia
11 July 2025
Released his seventh studio album, Swag
Source: Grammy.com

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Justin Bieber?

Justin Bieber (born 1 March 1994) is a Canadian singer who was discovered on YouTube as a teenager and became a global pop star with his debut single 'Baby' in 2010. He has won two Grammy Awards.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica ; Wikipedia

How was Justin Bieber discovered?

Bieber was discovered in 2008 by talent manager Scooter Braun, who came across videos of the twelve-year-old singing on YouTube that his mother had posted for family and friends. Braun signed him to Raymond Braun Media Group, and Island Records signed him later that year.

Source: Wikipedia ; Grammy.com

What are Justin Bieber's biggest songs?

Bieber's best-known songs include 'Baby' (2010), 'Boyfriend' (2012), 'What Do You Mean?', 'Sorry' and 'Love Yourself' (all 2015), '10,000 Hours' with Dan + Shay (2019) and 'Stay' with the Kid Laroi (2021).

Source: Wikipedia ; Grammy.com

How many Grammy Awards has Justin Bieber won?

Bieber has won two Grammy Awards: Best Dance Recording in 2016 for 'Where Are U Now' with Jack U, and Best Country Duo/Group Performance for '10,000 Hours' with Dan + Shay. He has been nominated more than twenty times.

Source: Grammy.com ; Wikipedia

Who is Justin Bieber married to?

Bieber married model Hailey Baldwin in 2018. Their son, Jack Blues Bieber, was born in August 2024.

Source: Wikipedia

What happened to Justin Bieber's health in 2022?

In June 2022 Bieber revealed he had Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a condition that partly paralysed one side of his face, and he paused his Justice world tour to recover.