How a few disgruntled Billboard attendees at the back of the MGM Grand will only succeed in making the global superstar stronger.
Last night Justin Bieber collected 3 awards at the Billboards. The first for Top Social Artist (not presented) the second for Top Male Artist and the third for the (fan voted)Milestone Award. After showing the world why he’s a top class performer with outstanding performances of Take You and #thatPOWER (in collaboration with will.i.am) one would indeed say Justin was deserving of the recognition. In fact, the cheers and screams from the crowd both when he performed and when he collected the Top Male Artist award can attest to this. However, the final award had a different effect. His name was called as the winner of the Milestone Award and as he humbly hugged his friend and manager and made his way up to the stage, a low rumbling of (essentially adult male) voices could be just about heard booing from somewhere in the back. Were these Taylor or Bruno’s fans (the other two finalists for this award?). Somehow I doubt they were Taylor’s and regardless of whether they were Bruno’s the fact remains it was undeserved and was certainly cowardly since they were a long way from the stage. Would these people dare to do that to his face? I doubt it.
Justin was clearly taken aback but fans and the majority of the room continued to cheer for him and perhaps this bolstered his courage as he remained remarkably controlled and took a stand:
““I’m 19 years old … I think I’m doing a pretty good job and basically for my art I really just want to say it should really be about the music, it should be about the craft I’m making …This is not a gimmick, I’m not a gimmick. I’m an artist and I should be taken seriously. And all of this other bullshit should not be spoken of …I’d like to thank my manage Scooter Braun. I want to thank my family at home. I want to thank my mother, my father. I want to thank Jesus Christ … Mom I love you so much. Dad I love you. Little brother and sister I love you so much, thank you guys so much … Fans, you’re incredible.”
Making reference to his family, his beliefs and the fans, I think he found strength in the knowledge that an enormous amount of people are backing him to go all the way in his art. He is 19. he stood up on that platform and held his own against not just last night, but all the hate he has received in the last few months. It may have felt dreadful at the time but something changed with it.
Justin is nothing short of extremely gracious in victory at all times, the people who booed were not gracious in defeat. It is fair to say that this makes him the entirely bigger person but here’s the deal with Justin; the more you push him, the harder he works. This is an ARTIST who spends all his downtime working in the studio, and writing. This is the MUSICIAN who taught himself to play guitar, drums, piano. This is the PERFORMER who won’t cancel a show no matter how sick he may be and this is the PERSON who uses his POWER to help others (whether it be charity, friends, family or other artists).
Such a lack of respect for him shows something about society not Justin. Some people will always want to bring the successful down, but Justin shows the utmost respect for others (despite what the general media will have you believe). The secret to his ability to remain true to all of this lies in the fact he remembers what it’s like to be a fan. He was and always will be in awe of Michael Jackson and let’s face it, MJ had his fair share of haters too.
What Justin needs to remember is that a person’s personal opinion on whether he does or doesn’t deserve an award will never change the fact he won it and he won it because people know full well this is no gimmick, he’s a true artist.
Always listen for the cheers and screams Justin, those are what matter.
Lucy. J.
@LucyBieberF1
