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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The song was released the other day. And now, Justin Bieber has now premiered the music video for his Christmas single, "Mistletoe."
Check it out below:
"Mistletoe" is now available to download as an MP3 single. To buy your own copy, click on the Amazon product link at the end of this post.
And "Mistletoe" will be featured on Bieber's upcoming Under The Mistletoe, which will be released on November 1 and is available to pre-order online in both standard and CD/DVD Deluxe editions. To pre-order a copy, below are the Amazon product links (or pre-order them directly from the Bieber Guy STORE).
One of the other songs to be featured on Under The Mistletoe will also receive a music video. "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" will be attached to the upcoming film, Arthur Christmas.
Song: "Baby" (Single #1) From Album: My World 2.0 Release Date: January 18, 2010
During these past several weeks, I have been reviewing songs from Justin's My World EP. Last week, I capped it off with an overall review of the entire EP. Now it's time to venture into My World 2.0, his full-length album. And it's only fitting to start with the first single from the album - "Baby."
"Baby" is the song that put him on the scene. It's his signature song, his highest charting song to date, and the song that got people to pay attention to him. This is when he really hit it big. Before "Baby," he certainly had a huge following already. But "Baby," in a way, introduced Justin to the masses, a wider audience. If you didn't know about Justin Bieber before this song, you certainly did after. And I would include myself in that statement. I didn't know who he was. But all of a sudden, "Baby" was playing everywhere on TV, and I got introduced to him as an artist that way.
And of his three official singles so far ("OneTime," "One Less Lonely Girl," and "Baby"), "Baby" is by far the best. The storyline of the song is that a girl has left him. And Ludacris makes a cameo near the end with some rapping.
Is the song catchy? Oh sure, you betcha! It's extremely memorable, can get stuck in your head, and has a catchy hook: "baby, baby, baby, ohhhh (I thought you'd always be mine)." It's not just the repetition of the word "baby," but in the way it's repeated, the beat, the tone, and the addition of his voice going into a high register for "ohhhh." On a related note, I read that when Justin's voice began changing, he had to start singing these parts of the song in a lower register. Yeah, I can imagine he would have to, considering how high his voice would have to go there.
Whenever I have heard this song on TV or wherever, I don't think I've ever heard the Ludacris interlude. And I hate to say this, but I wish I hadn't now. So hear me out first. When it comes to rapping, I'm not the biggest fan. But having said that, I'm not always against it, depending on how it's included in a song. And Ludacris' rapping in "Baby" wasn't the best use of it, in my opinion. But I can certainly see why it's included. In fact, they were smart by putting it in the song. And why is that, you might ask? Well, it's because the inclusion of this R&B/Hip Hop gives the song more "street cred," for lack of a better term. It's not that the song was bad before the rapping, but people might take Justin more seriously after listening to a song like this, that it's not just teen pop; there's R&B and Hip Hop influences in his music.
"Baby" received great reviews from the critics, saying it surpasses his previous work. And they also said that having Ludacris featured props the song up to a new level.
In the UK, "Baby" was released as a remix featuring Chipmunk (That's Chipmunk the rapper, not to be confused with the animated animal characters). Check out the remix here...
...Actually, on second thought, I think I prefer the Ludacris cameo. But, hey, that's just me.
The music video for "Baby," released February 19, 2010, plays out the storyline in the lyrics of the song. Justin is trying to get the girl back after they split up. It takes place at a bowling alley. The girl and her friends are bowling. Justin and his friends show up and are bowling a few lanes down from them. They notice each other, and try to one up each other by bowling strikes. Did they eventually get back together? You'll have to watch the video to find out; as if you haven't already, right? And I'm sure teen girls everywhere were thinking, "how could she leave him? Who would ever want to break up with Justin Bieber?" Am I right? Well, am I?
Speaking of this vid, the Guinness World Records 2012 book was recently released, and Justin Bieber's "Baby" music video broke the world record for the most popular online video. Bieber Guy reported on the news last week.
I've said in previous reviews that singles are important, because they should be an indicator of what the album as a whole will sound like. And just as important are lead singles, because it's our first ever taste of the new music. Now, I may have only heard a few of the songs from My World 2.0 over the past year or so, but even so, "Baby" is a perfect single to lead the album off with for promotion.
The next review will be for the first promotional single from My World 2.0, "Never Let You Go." So stay tuned for that next week.
On a final, closing note: If you are a Bieber fan and would like to share your story of why you're a fan of Justin Bieber, your thoughts on his music, have you ever met him in person or been to a concert?, etc., I want to hear from you. And you just might have your story featured here on Bieber Guy. Also, I particularly want to hear from male Bieber fans, aka other Bieber Guys. Click HERE to contact me (and put Bieber somewhere in the subject line so I know what it's about).
To stay updated on everything related to Bieber Guy and when the next blog will be online, follow me on Twitter @Bieber_Guy.
The Guinness World Records 2012 book was released in stores today. And with it, we found out that some pretty high-profile people are featured in the book, having earned world records themselves.
One of them is none other than Justin Bieber himself. According to MSN Music, "Bieber's 'Baby' was the Most Popular Video of Any Kind Online, with 463,820,304 views asof Feb. 16, 2011." Considering how "Baby" is considered to be his most well-known song from his catalog, it's no surprise that the video for said song reached such epic proportions. And we all know by now that Beliebers know how to come out in full force for their idol, right?
Lady Gaga's also featured in the 2012 edition. She's got the most followers on Twitter with over 11.2 million. J.K. Rowling's the first billionaire author. Other celebs included in the compilation are Willow Smith, Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding, Adele, and Bieber's friend Taylor Swift.
Congrats to everyone who shattered world records in the past year!
Since this world record is for the "Baby" music video, here's the YouTube video below:
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.
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.
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.
