Justin Bieber is growing up. Not artistically, but literally: The singing sensation turns 18 tomorrow.
Now a man, at least according to the Canadian government, Bieber has a lot to celebrate this year. He’s rich, he’s famous and he’s the heartthrob of millions of tween girls. He should treasure the success because every Bieber is one bad album away from becoming a Leif Garrett.
Much has been made of the talents of this generation’s teen idols. Bieber sings, dances, plays guitar and drums; Taylor Swift and the Jonas Brothers write their own songs. But the emotional and artistic range of their pop mirrors their audience — simple stuff for those in double digits, even simpler stuff for those younger than 10.
Kiddie stuff is a ticking time bomb of obsolescence.
Bieber does have role models who can inspire him, but he needs to look beyond the Disney/Nickelodeon stable. Prince celebrated his 18th birthday with a record contract that gave him complete artistic control. Before he was 20, Bob Dylan had written “Blowin’ in the Wind,” “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” and “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right.” Before he was a man, a teenage Steve Winwood was singing his tune “I’m a Man” with the Spencer Davis Group. Adele wrote her debut “19” when she was, well, 19.
Bieber needs to look to these artists.
The Jonas Brothers are finished. Miley Cyrus is struggling (although her Dylan cover of “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go,” released last month, is killer). Swift, at 22, thinks her tell-off song “Mean” is mature and clever. She should know better.
None of these young adults has figured out how to grow artistically. Maybe because they naively think 11-year-olds are forever faithful. They aren’t. They will all grow into Adele, Lady Gaga or Black Keys fans.
Haters who think Bieber can’t transition into an adult star have short memories. Who could imagine the Beatles could go from “Love Me Do” to “Happiness Is a Warm Gun” in five years? Who thought ’N Sync would prepare Justin Timberlake for an amazing acting turn in “The Social Network”?
With his artistic future at stake, Bieber needs to man up.
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