Pretty Fly For A White Guy

Not since The Beatles have teenage girls been screaming out for newest pop sensation, Justin Bieber. Okay, maybe that’s too big a call since we’ve had our fair share of Hanson, Aaron Carter and Jesse McCartney's. So why are audiences so shocked when they hear that Justin Bieber, the latest teen craze is just sixteen?

“How old is he? Like 12?” seems to be the majority of first reactions I have encountered. Slightly older than 12, Justin Bieber is in fact 16 years old. While this is still an incredibly young age to establish ones name in the music world, Justin Bieber is not alone. At 22, the Jonas Brothers have obviously reached their used by date and are now simply “too old” for juvenile girls to obsess and drool over. Needing a new fad to replace last week’s, Justin Bieber was discovered on youtube, introduced to R&B singer, Usher and signed to The Island Def Jam record label. It has occurred to me that every time Bieber’s name is brought up in conversation, when told he is only sixteen, mouths instantly drop to the floor. What? You mean, it was okay for Miley Cyrus to have a successful TV show at age 14, a film career, record deal and fashion label at age 16 but when the latest 16 year old R&B singer reaches the Billboard charts it’s a little controversial?

It might have something to do with the audience demographic. Artists mentioned like Jesse McCartney, The Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus targeted the pop music pre-teens/teenagers as their core audience. We haven’t really had any young R&B breakthrough artists since Lil’ Bow Wow or even Lil’ Romeo, unlike Bieber, these Lil’ musicians were black. Wait, can I say that? Justin Bieber’s objective target audience is both the R&B demographic and the pre-teen/teens. Definitely receiving admiration from pop music’s most significant judges, teenage girls, I don’t think the R&B world welcomes Bieber with too much regard. What can I say; everyone needs a little white chocolate now and again.

Unlike Peter Pan, everybody else grows up. Jesse McCartney who once brought us “Beautiful Soul” is now collaborating with rappers Ludacris and T-Pain. The Jonas Brothers, Nick Jonas has broken out of the brotherly band and introduced “The Administration” to the world, this band, not involving Disney. Now an innocent young boy, it is just a matter of time before the corruption of the music industry distorts this naïve artist. Oh, hold on. Usher is in Bieber’s film clip “One Time” and Ludacris collaborates and rap’s on hit single “Baby”. Already singing about girls and ‘love’, it seems this adolescent boy is growing up a little too prematurely for his time.

I didn’t receive the memo but apparently bangs are back in? Forget actual talent, having hair that resembles Zac Efron or a lesbian (http://lesbianswholooklikejustinbieber.tumblr.com/) is really all you need to have a successful career in the music industry. Just wait until his voice breaks...