Whenever I hear that someone is going to Stratford, I always say, “That’s the home of Justin Bieber! Say “Hi” to him for me if you see him!”
I am so proud of our Canadian music hero. For he is just that.
At the ripe old age of his early 20’s, he has been through more than most of us who have been here for decades.
And yet he is continually getting the shade.
He has just been shown on our national broadcast station, the CBC, arriving in Ottawa for a concert tonight, being dogged around as he tours the great city.
And this is hot on the heels of his announcement via social media this week that he is done taking selfies and photos with his fans.
Can’t the kid catch a break?
His reasoning is that people treat him like a piece of meat, a zoo animal. They don’t say hello, don’t even acknowledge his existence, yet expect he should pose with them for a photo.
Well, I’m with JB.
His good Canadian sensibilities have got him this far. And to his credit, despite some setbacks along the way, he is still alive and going strong.
Sure, his setbacks include some bad decisions, and I say some bad peerage.
But he has redeemed himself, and to that I say, hooray!
Give the kid a break!
For anyone to have risen so quickly to his echelon from a teenager, and surviving all the temptations and hangers-on and fair weather friends and people who emerge out of the woodwork to be part of his rising star, I say kudos!
And no matter what he does, there are nay sayers and haters. I don’t know how he doesn’t have a complex!
Taylor Swift says it best in her song, “Shake It Off”.
Because it seems the higher a star rises, the more people are hell bent to take it down. What does that say about our human nature? Not much.
He is a Canadian born kid who comes from a not-so-great family, it seems. And yet he has managed to take his songwriting and singing talents to a degree and level that many of us can only dream about. He should be applauded and praised!
Instead, it seems, he never smiles anymore.
He used to, in his old videos and photos.
Now, he seems so sad.
He has shaved his head. (That I can understand, as those dreadlocks must have been hell to maintain).
He is always pouty. (Although that worked for James Dean and Marlon Brando).
He has now banned photos, and he has previously sworn off the meet and greets after his concerts, because they drained him.
I say, more power to him!
At least this young person knows what makes him tick; what helps him, and what doesn’t help him.
And if his entitled fans are suffering bruised egos just because their hero needs his space to regroup and regenerate, and keep his soul together, then they can just take a flying leap!
I hope that JB can find it within himself to smile again soon. To show some happiness. I hope that his fans haven’t taken that from him.
Because that would be a shame.