To Bieber or not to Bieber
Posted on February 15, 2011
I have had quite a number of responses to my commentary on the Grammy Awards, many of them regarding Justin Bieber. There are those who now believe in God because Esperanza Spalding beat him out for the Best New Artist Award. Others believe a great wrong has been done.
I come back to the fundamental question: Do you buy his act?
Bieber’s act is one we know well. He is the latest in a long line of teenage pop stars and, as we well know, some are flash in the pan (Kesha anyone?), others go onto long successful careers (Justin Timberlake), others flame out after some success (Brittany), and others reach the heights of absolute greatness (Michael Jackson). Okay, so that last one got a little wierd towards the end, I admit.
It is just too soon to tell where Bieber will fall. Those who have seen his new concert/biopic, Never Say Never, (a biopic at age 17?) seem won over even if film critics are not. His rags to riches story and generally “seeming like a good kid” qualities make him hard to dislike. The 17-year-old looking and acting like a 14-year-old , to the delight of prepubescent girls worldwide, seems a tiny bit sketchy, but I guess it’s only a three year difference.
Anyway, I buy his act in the sense that it is as legitimate as any other in pop culture and he is traveling down a well worn path. Buying it doesn’t mean I am a fan (I’m not), but I wish him well. Did he deserve best new act? The best often loses out to the popular in pop culture, so Bieber fans can be forgiven their dashed expectations and disappointment, but Spalding was a deserving winner. Don’t feel too badly for Bieber — he will make more money next week than she will likely make in her whole career.
Music commentaries seem to get more responses than anything else about which I opine (and really, the beauty of a blog is that one can opine about anything, actual knowledge or lack thereof being no impediment). My favorite comment from today:
“For an almost 60’s guy HE ROCKS!”
Hey! I’m 53!
Later this week when you see my shiny black hair, you can thank “Askmen” and the writer of the above comment……
Esperanza’s win seems to be the result of voting strategies stemming from an anti Bieber backlash. More interesting to me is that Twitter had to rework there trending system to keep it from being totally Bieber dominated.
If we want to question any part of the act, the crux of the YouTube discovery stems from his posting of videos and getting discovered. It would be neat to know exactly when the discovery happened vs. steady stream of home made YouTube postings. If that story holds water, than he is the real deal, that is a teen who makes music for younger teens and pre-teens.
Thank God the cookie cutter, pop wanna-be, anybody can sing and dance, Bieber did not win. Millie Vannillie anyone? Pop stars are generally formed by the record companies just like, Brittany and Timberlake. (do get me started Justin…..you lied to the entire planet, wardrobe malfunction? You are a liar and therefore scum)
Thank God a person who writes, plays an instrument and performs those songs won the Grammy. Esperanza is a true artist and a valid winner. Bieber is a media marvel yes but that is it. Wait and see about him. Odds are he will fall just like all the other media made pop stars. Trying to sing the National Anthem at the Superbowl then we’ll talk. Sorry Christina…..