About four to five years after he got started in the pop music industry, Justin Bieber has grown on me. It’s weird for me to admit this — that’s how much I used to hate this guy. My new acceptance of Bieber in my iTunes library is just a great example of how any music artist can make a fan out of someone if given the chance; Kanye West can surely attest to that.
Usually, when I approach the music of a new artist, I try to be fair and give them a good listen. Justin Bieber was just one artist I could not stand. I didn’t like anything about him. I didn’t like the way his hair looked. His voice gave me anger equivalent to an alarm clock going off non-stop for two hours at five in the morning. To me, there was nothing to like about this kid.
When I heard Bieber was a “YouTube sensation” it made me even angrier (this is starting to sound like jealousy at this point but trust me, it was genuine hate). How can you make a song like “Baby” and expect people to not hate it? It was one of those songs they played on every single radio station (even the "urban" stations played it) and if you heard the song it immediately took hold of you like a bad spirit and you had no choice but to sing along shamelessly in your head.
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I like many pop singers, even teen pop singers, but Bieber was not one of them. As his popularity kept growing, so did my hate for him and his music. The documentary on him and his career took it over the top. You’re a teenager with a documentary on your life. Give me a break.
But then something changed.
Bieber released an album called "Journals" back in 2013 and it received so much hype on social media. My first reaction was “Of course it did,” he could release a video of him vomiting and people would absolutely love it. But the feedback on Justin Bieber was different this time. People were saying how this was the album that showed Bieber was finally becoming a man. So I discreetly gave it a try and listened to it.
I truly believe that Justin Bieber didn't get me as a fan until Journals.
— Karyn Dyer (@THEKarynDyer) November 17, 2015
The reviews from "Journals" were right, for the most part, and I must say I was impressed. I still didn’t feel comfortable having a song by Bieber on my iPhone, it just didn’t look right. So the album continued to discreetly display in my iTunes library. As I kept listening to the album, I noticed there were a couple songs being played on the radio, and one mysteriously made its way on my phone:
I wasn’t an official fan yet, but I was unknowingly on the path to becoming a Belieber. This year was the breaking point after I heard a song he was featured on with Travis Scott on his debut album "Rodeo" (and I am a huge fan of Scott). I have no idea how those two hooked up for a song but I was blown away. I loved Bieber’s verse and finally all of the animosity I had toward him was long gone. It is now acceptable and appropriate to like and listen to Justin Bieber.
Biebs’s (I call him Biebs because we’re cool now) new album "Purpose" confirmed my newfound love for his music. I went from one Bieber song to 20 on my iPhone now. That’s the beauty to music and artists: one day you can hate an artist and several years later he or she could be your absolute favorite.
Related Links:
Justin Bieber's fall casts long shadow
Justin Bieber escapes Comedy Central's roast just lightly toasted
Reach the columnist at adonis.dees@asu.edu or follow @Don_D24 on Twitter.
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