As a 23-year-old guy, I would not be considered in the core demographic of Justin Bieber's fanbase. And to be clear, I am not necessarily a fan. But neither am I a hater and dislike him either (I am neutral). As the Bieber Guy, I will explore the Justin Bieber phenomenon and understand why he may have lasting power in the biz.
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I've added a new feature to the Bieber Guy blog. Starting today, you can buy all of your Justin Bieber products in the Bieber Guy Store, powered by Amazon.com.
The easiest way to access the store is by clicking on the 'Bieber Guy - STORE' tab at the top of this blog. Or click HERE to be taken directly there.
As of right now, the below products are what you can find in the store. They are all official Justin Bieber products (CD's, book, and DVD's).
MTV aired the 2011 Video Music Awards last night. Katy Perry won the top award, Video of the Year, for "Firework." Other winners included Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, and Adele; Adele by the way gave a beautiful performance on the stage last night.
And Justin Bieber won Best Male Video for "U Smile." He competed against Eminem, Cee-Lo Green, Bruno Mars, and Kanye West.
MTV will be re-airing the award show many times in the coming days. Check your local listings for the times and station in your area if you still want to check it out.
I've got two songs to review this time around. And the reason for two is because these songs were both iTunes promotional singles for My World and released within about a week of each other. The two songs are "Love Me" and "Favorite Girl."
I mentioned last week that single #2, "One Less Lonely Girl" was the song released closest to the EP release date. And while technically true in terms of official singles, LM and FG were, in general, the songs everyone got to hear closest to the release. These were what were going to be used to promote the album. And they were definitely great choices to release as these iTunes promo singles, especially "Love Me."
As a single, I didn't particularly think that "One Less Lonely Girl" was a standout in terms of people remembering it. But that's not a problem at all with LM and FG.
"Love Me" is my favorite of the two, mainly because of how catchy the song is (and if you've been reading my previous reviews, you know how important a factor I think that is). The chorus, especially, stands out: "Love me, love me, say that you love me / Fool me, fool me, oh how you do me / Kiss me, kiss me, say that you miss me / Tell me what I wanna hear, tell me you love me." The arrangement of the beat and tempo is excellent, in how the vocal emphasis is on "love," "fool," and "kiss" in each of those lines. Whenever Bieber gets to those lines again, I look forward to it. At the time of this writing, I have listened to the song quite a few times. And those parts of the song are stuck in my head on a loop now.
Even though the record company is certainly focused on money, this repeat mode is what they want to hear, because that's a good indication that listeners will come back for more. A catchy song = money for them. And for the fans, a catchy song = so much enjoyment, listening over and over again, and just getting lost in the music. That's what music listeners are looking (or rather, listening) for. So it's a win-win.
Of the two iTunes promo singles, a music video was made only for "Love Me." And the video wasn't released until about nine months later, August 3, 2010. That makes more sense, because I when watching the video, I was wondering why he was performing in that huge of a stadium. Now, I obviously don't know what his popularity level was at the end of 2009, but I doubt he would have been doing that well yet (wait 'til 2010, right?). So reading after the fact that this was in mid-2010 made more sense.
Anyway, the majority of the music video contains footage of Bieber performing to an enormous crowd at one of his concert stops. Other shots are interjected of backstage moments, meeting the fans, and choreography practice. We also see that Usher is there at the practice. I believe this is now the second time (out of three music videos so far) that Usher has made cameos. I haven't seen any of his other ones, but is this a recurring appearance?
Bieber has said that this music video is a "tribute to his worldwide fans, thanking them for their support." And it's a good way to do a tribute of sorts. It's also a great glimpse into what his concerts are like, as well as seeing what goes on backstage (and to let you know, I'm a big fan of seeing behind-the-scenes of things).
"Favorite Girl" is another great song choice to promote the album. Just as "Love Me" has a catchy hook (with the vocal emphasis on "love," "fool," and "kiss"), so does "Favorite Girl." For this song, the hook, what makes the song catchy, is the parts in the chorus when the vocals go up at the end of the phrases and lines. An example is with "My prize possession, one and only / Adore you girl, I want you." The vocal emphasis where the notes go up are on "possession," "only," "you," and "you." It does something different to those lines. If they are sung without those little bounces, I guess I could call them, not only would the chorus not stand out, but neither would the song as a whole either.
So again, as I said, both great choices to promote the song with leading up to the release. "Love Me" received great reception and reviews from music critics, and it's no wonder why. If I had to choose a favorite song out of the four I've reviewed so far, I might go with "Love Me."
To find out the latest TV, movie and entertainment news, visit Bieber Guy's partner sites, TV Watch Online (and follow T.W.O. on Twitter HERE) and the TV Watch Online BLOG.
The next review is currently scheduled for Monday, September 5, which will be my overall thoughts of the My World EP, including the remaining tracks I haven't reviewed yet.
To stay updated on everything related to Bieber Guy and when the next blog will be online, follow me on Twitter @Bieber_Guy.
MTV's celebrity prank show, Punk'd, will be returning to the airwaves, this time without Ashton Kutcher at the helm. Previously, Kutcher served as host and prankster, as well as creator and executive producer of the series. This time around, he will still serve as producer. But in a revamped format, each episode will feature a different celebrity in charge of pulling a prank on their celeb peers.
Filming began on the premiere episode last Friday (Aug. 26) with Justin Bieber as that episode's host. According to Access Hollywood, Bieber's target was none other than his recent "Baby" duet partner, Taylor Swift. Specific details have not been released regarding how the prank went down.
Songwriter/Producer Kuk Harrell recently tweeted that Bieber and Swift have co-written a song together. No word yet on if the song will make Bieber's next original album, which he is currently in the studio working on.
As if Bieber isn't busy enough, he is also planning on releasing a Christmas album this holiday season. No release date has been set.
Even though I never watched the original Punk'd on a regular basis, I enjoyed watching them in reruns when I could. And I can't wait for this updated version (and I'll be reviewing the Bieber/Swift episode here on Bieber Guy). It should be a blast to watch!
Justin Bieber already has released an EP, a debut album, an acoustic album, and remixes. If you think a follow-up to My World 2.0 will be next, think again. According to E! Online, Bieber is currently in the studio working on a Christmas album, set to be released later this year.
On Twitter, Bieber has been requesting suggestions for album titles. Some of his fans have been sending him funny responses, including "Santa's comin Just(in) Time!"
Also on Twitter, Bieber has revealed that money from the holiday album will go to charity. No word yet on what charity or how much from each unit sold will go towards it.
Here at Bieber Guy, I now know what I'll be reviewing come December!
At a recent Taylor Swift concert at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, she surprised her fans when Justin Bieber showed up. They took to the stage to perform Bieber's hit "Baby" together.
Check out the video below. The audio quality isn't the best, but you can tell that Bieber, Swift and the audience were all having a blast.
Here's another video from a different angle showing the entire song (though in even worse audio quality):
A special Director's Fan Cut of the highest-grossing concert film in the United States, Justin Bieber's widely successful concert film, Never Say Never, is now available to buy exclusively in Target stores starting today. Along with the extended theatrical version, the product also comes with a Justin Bieber necklace and keepsake box.
The film itself consists of 30 extra minutes not seen in the original theatrical run. (This Director's Fan Cut received a limited theatrical release). The special features in this package run over an hour, and includes "tour rehearsals, sound check parties, fan footage, special performances, and even day-in-the-life insight on Bieber himself" (GantDaily).
Below is a full list of what's included in the 2-disc DVD:
Disc 1:
-Justin Bieber: Never Say Never Director's Fan Cut
Disc 2:
-Evolution Of A Tour: A behind-the-scenes look at the tremendous effort that went into mounting Justin Bieber's My World Tour including footage of the rehearsals, dance training and more. -Day Of The Concert: Follow Justin as he prepares for the biggest concert of his career. -More Less Lonely Girls: Justin sings to lucky fans across the country. -Life On The Road: Hang out with Justin in this unique peek at what his life is like on a daily basis. -Sound Check Parties: An all-access look at the exclusive pre-show parties. -The Dougie: A montage of Justin and Team Bieber doing their best Dougie-dances. -The Rocket Ship Girls: A closer look at some of Justin's biggest fans. -Can You Sing "Baby"?: Justin performs "Baby" for his golden ticket-winning fans. -White Chocolate Interview: Justin hangs out with his friends. -The Director: Jon M. Chu discusses his process in bringing Justin's life to the big screen. -Digital Copy
Justin Bieber: Never Say Never - Director's Fan Cut sells for $29.99 exclusively in Target stores.
*NOTE: I tried searching for this product on Target.com, but could not find it anywhere. It seems that the only way to buy it is to actually go to a physical Target store.
A week ago, I started up the main act of the Bieber Guy blog with a review of Justin Bieber's very first single, "One Time." And at the end of the week, I gave an updated review after listening to the song a few more times. Now it's time for "One Less Lonely Girl." If any of you are wondering why I'm going song by song at the moment and not reviewing the whole album, it's because these songs were released as singles in the months leading up to the EP release in November 2009.
"One Less Lonely Girl" was first released about a month and a half before the EP came out. Since this was the single that was out there closest to the EP release, it seems to me that this would be the song that people pay attention to and see if this is someone we should keep an eye on. And since there were no other official singles from the EP, this is an important one, just as important as the debut.
In my "One Time" review, I mentioned how a debut song needs to be catchy and sharply grab people's attention. Follow-up singles have challenges as well. Not only do you have to capitalize on the possible success of the debut, but also have to keep that momentum going with the second go around. That second song should be just as good, to put it simply. Or at least good enough and well-received enough to have an impact.
Since Bieber's fan base consists primarily of tween and teen girls, "One Less Lonely Girl" I'm sure succeeded on those fronts that I just mentioned. The achievement of this song lies in the lyrics, what the song is conveying. You have this in the chorus: "I'm comin' for you, one less lonely girl." The words really are directed right at the girls listening to his music. You see, the record company's not dumb; they know what sells. There's other lyrics like "I'm gonna put you first, I'll show you what you're worth" that tell girls that when you're in a relationship, your boyfriend, girlfriend, partner, significant other, whoever it is, should treat you right. When you have a teen heartthrob, in this case Justin Bieber, saying those words, girls will listen. And Justin said at one point that "I think it's really important these girls have something so they can be one less lonely girl." Having someone special in your life versus being all alone. Another message it's sending. But not just having someone in your life. It's having someone in your life that means something, that treats you right, etc.
I keep stressing the importance of having a catchy song. And when it comes to that, I personally think that "One Time" significantly succeeds more on that front than "One Less Lonely Girl." That's not to say the song is bad. But if I had to choose a song (of the two) to put on repeat, it would be "One Time." I just don't think that the melody, the hook, the beat, the tone, everything I mentioned in my updated review on Friday, stands out in the crowd as much. But as I said, there is success to be had from this song. And that is what I've mentioned above with the lyrics and how his fan base can connect to it.
The music video, like the one for his debut, features a girl he likes. In this one, there's a girl doing her laundry at the laundromat and drops a scarf for him, so he can pick it up and talk to her. The rest of the video is about Justin putting up signs and such so she can find him. Is it just me, or is anyone wondering why she would be going to a laundromat by herself as a teen? Are there teens in big cities who do that? I would assume she'd be around the same age as Justin (a teenager). She looks more like a college student to me? Is it just me? Maybe? Oh well...moving on. Anyway, the similarity to his first video I'm sure had that same reaction from girls, that they wish they were in that girl's position where Justin is seeking her out. To find out the latest TV, movie and entertainment news, visit Bieber Guy's partner site, TV Watch Online (and follow T.W.O. on Twitter HERE), and the TV Watch Online BLOG.
As you have noticed, I had other blog posts between my first review and this one (a news article and an updated review). Who knows, other posts like those may show up throughout the upcoming week. But my next official review will be for the iTunes promotional singles "Love Me" and "Favorite Girl." Yes, I realize that by then, I will have already reviewed a majority of the EP. But I will still put out a review of the overall EP as well.
To stay updated on everything related to Bieber Guy and when the next blog will be online, follow me on Twitter @Bieber_Guy.
After I posted my initial review of Justin Bieber's debut single, "One Time," on Monday, I listened to the song at least a few more times to see if my reaction changed at all. And I will say that yes, my reaction did change somewhat. But for good or for bad, you might be asking? My feeling about this song is even more positive now than what I wrote on Monday.
I started off my review saying that debut singles are extremely important, because you want to come out of the gate on a strong enough level to have that traction needed for a chance at longevity. But I wrote that "'One Time' is certainly an adequate enough debut." Adequate is not the word I would use now. I want to retract that statement and replace it with this: "One Time" is a strong debut that is very much catchy. There are two areas specifically where I want to make this case. The first is here: "Your world is my world / And my fight is your fight / My breath is your breath / And your heart." What I love about this part is how his voice changes key quite a bit. There's this back and forth, normal to higher note, back down and back up again. If all the notes here had been sung in close proximity to each other, it wouldn't have had the same impact.And the other area that stood out to me is part of the chorus: "You're my one love, my one heart / My one life for sure / Let me tell you one time." When I say that the mark of a good song is how catchy it is, I mean it. Because this part of the chorus is solid on that front. For any song, it doesn't necessarily have to do solely with the lyrics themselves, but the melody, the tone, the beat, etc. Justin Bieber is a teenager, and singing words like this are very appealing to his peers (aka his fans). So what I'm saying is that the strength here is the combination of the lyrics and the beat. The two together provide us with a song that succeeds on pretty much all fronts in terms of selling it to the masses.
Also in my initial review, I gave my thoughts on the acoustic version of "One Time," and said I wasn't sure if he had done other acoustic arrangements. Since then, I have done some looking around and discovered his My Worlds Acoustic album. So now, whenever I review a track that is also on that album, I will refrain from reviewing the acoustic version until I get to the point where I will review that album itself.
To find out about the latest TV, movie and entertainment news, visit Bieber Guy's partner site, TV Watch Online.
My next review will be of "One Less Lonely Girl." To stay updated on everything related to Bieber Guy and when the next blog will be online, follow me on Twitter @Bieber_Guy.
People magazine recently released a list of the richest teen entertainers, and Justin Bieber came out on top. Bieber, at only 17-years-old, earned a reported $53 million in 2010. Where did all that money come from? Beliebers, you guessed it! From his hugely profitable concert film, Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, which is "the most successful concert-themed film in U.S. history, with more than $73 million earned to date," according to MTV.
Miley Cyrus came in second with $48 million. Other teens on the list include Taylor Lautner, Nick Jonas, the Smith kids (Jaden and Willow), and the Fanning sisters (Dakota and Elle).
Well, here it is. My first Bieber Guy review. I'm starting off at the beginning, with Justin's debut single, "One Time." As someone who hasn't devotedly followed his music over the past couple years, I have to say I don't think I have heard this song.
Debut singles are extremely important, because if you can break out on the music scene with something that is catchy, you've got something going for you. Now, obviously a catchy song isn't everything. But it's a strong factor. And even though "Baby" is probably his most catchy song, "One Time" is certainly an adequate enough debut.
On my first listen-through, I had a lukewarm reaction to it. What bothered me just a little bit (and it wasn't the biggest deal) was the heavy use of Auto-Tune and synthesizers on his voice. It's one thing to edit a voice in post to make it perfect for the album, but it's different when you can actually hear the computer influence. Was that on purpose? Who knows. He actually does have a good voice, especially when you compare him to other teen singing stars like Miley Cyrus or the Jonas Brothers.
What opened me up to him and the song more was watching the music video for "One Time" (click HERE to view it for yourself, or play the below video). Well, I guess it wasn't so much the song, but in a way seeing his start as a teen heartthrob. The way that the video was created, it catered, obviously, extremely well to his core demographic of teen girls. And, of course, why shouldn't they do that? For this first music video ever of his, it involved him hosting a party at Usher's house while Usher is away. By the end, he receives a kiss on the cheek by a girl. This, I'm sure, got the girls swooning, wishing they could be that girl kissing Justin Bieber. There you go right there - part of the key to the success of this. Part innocence, part charm, part talent, part relate-ability, etc etc. The whole package.
Before I sign off on this first review, I want to mention a different version of this song that I came across. While searching "One Time" on YouTube, I found an acoustic version of the song that Justin sang (click HERE for that, or play the video below). I said earlier that my initial reaction to this song was a tad lukewarm. But I have to say, I love this acoustic version. When you look at these young teen singing stars, sensations, and heartthrobs of today, it's one thing to grab a hold of that key demographic, but a completely different ballgame to have actual, real talent.
For me personally, I don't think that Miley Cyrus or the Jonas Brothers have the best live singing voices. But when Justin Bieber first came onto the scene and I started seeing and hearing him on TV, I thought, he actually can sing! And no matter what, to this day, people think of his appeal or whatnot, he does have talent. And when you listen to this acoustic "One Time," I got the chance to really hear his voice without the Auto-Tune, without the faster-paced studio version. Just pure, sweet, simple. And I enjoyed listening to his voice this way. I'll admit it. Since this is the first song I'm reviewing, I have no idea if he has sung other acoustic arrangements. If he has, I look forward to that.
To find out about the latest TV, movie and entertainment news, visit Bieber Guy's partner site, TV Watch Online (and follow T.W.O. on Twitter HERE). I also blog and write for the TV Watch Online BLOG and OMGWire.com.
My plan is to review next his second single, "One Less Lonely Girl," then either the two iTunes promo singles or the debut EP as a whole. To stay updated on everything related to Bieber Guy and when the next blog will be online, follow me on Twitter @Bieber_Guy.
