Justin Bieber is getting used to the sound of screaming. Every time this 17-year-old Canadian pop sensation steps out of his front door, he is swamped by an army of shrieking girls – or Beliebers as they are called – who are just crazy about the young star and his catchy tunes. Whether you are a Belieber or not, there’s no doubt you would have heard of this teen sensation, but not everyone is aware of the incredible journey that, in a few short years, catapulted this youngster from afternoons spent playing ice hockey with his friends to spending an evening at the Grammy Awards as a double nominee.

It was in 2007 when Bieber, a small boy of 12, entered a local talent contest for a bit of fun. After winning second place, his proud mother posted a video of his performance on YouTube. Despite his obvious talent, singing was never a serious hobby or a life-long ambition. “Singing was something I did just for fun,” Bieber said in a recent interview for the Graham Norton Show, a popular comedy talk show, in the UK. Gradually, more and more of his singing clips were posted onto the Internet and the youngster with a good voice started to attract more than just his curious family. While searching for another artist, talent manager Scooter Braun stumbled across Bieber’s music and was intrigued.

After tracking Bieber down, he invited the youngster to record a demo. The fairytale doesn’t end there. Braun introduced young Bieber to two huge international stars: Justin Timberlake and Usher, who both caught a glimpse of star-quality in the talented kid, and began a bidding war for representation! Usher came out on top, and soon the youngster from Canada was on his way to super stardom. As Bieber arrives in Malaysia later this month for a special concert as part of his My World tour, there are plenty of local Beliebers who are very excited to have their idol here in person.

When tickets went on sale in January, fans queued up from the early hours to be the first to get their hands on them. Beliebers who miss out will be comforted by the upcoming release of his new movie, a part documentary/ part concert entitled Never Say Never, which is in 3D! It’ll give fans a glimpse of the boy behind the music as it charts the extraordinary rise of this young but talented star.

Justin Bieber’s My World Tour
Stadium Merdeka
21 April, 8.30pm
Tickets RM98 – RM498
www.airasiaredtix.com and www.ticketpro.com.my