Justin Bieber V Interview: He REALLY Wants To Be Michael Jackson
It’s hard to tell exactly what is going through Justin Bieber’s head as he gives this interview with V Magazine for its first Music Issue (really, are the pickings that slim now?) The singer turns 18-years-old in March, so one gathers this notably-long profile is supposed to be about his coming-of-age. Excerpts show the singer to still be a brat, conceited, detached from reality to some extent, somewhat hypocritical (about sex and religion) and obsessed with Michael Jackson in an interview where Bieber declares himself the singer’s obvious successor over the likes of cohorts Kanye West and Lil Wayne (and, presumably, Usher).
On whether he can live normally, after hearing an anecdote about Taylor Lautner living like a hermit: “I don’t really feel that. I just kind of do whatever.”
On his rapid ascent to fame: “Yeah. I went to watch Taylor Swift perform at the Garden with [longtime manager] Scooter [Braun], and everyone was waving their arms back and forth; she was getting everyone to do it. I said, I want to be here and make everyone wave their arms back and forth. And Scooter was like, someday. And two years later I sold it out in twenty-two minutes [making him the youngest performer ever to sell out the venue].”
On his future career goals: “My goal at the end of the day, right now, I want to be successful and be great at what I do. But eventually, I want to become the best at what I do. I want to be the best. In the world. I want to be better than anybody that’s ever done it. And in order to do that, I need to strive to be the best, be good to people and treat people with respect, and work as hard as I can. Because for me, I work so hard and this consumes my life, and it’s not worth it if I’m not the best.”
On the best entertainer ‘right now’: “Right now? I mean, I consider Michael Jackson the best. If I could be at his level… But I’ve got a lot of work to do. I’m not saying it’s going to happen within the next three years. But hopefully by the time I’m 30, people will remember me. I think people will remember me at this point, but I don’t want people to just think of me as a teen sensation. Because I could probably just sell out, and then in two years not put out another album, and just become Justin Bieber the teen superstar. But I don’t want to be that. I want to transition, and become the greatest.”
On transitioning into an adult star when he turns 18 in March: “Here’s the thing: I think that I don’t need to try to do anything. There are people who try to grow up too fast; they’re 18, so they’re like, I’m not a kid anymore. People need to know I’m not a kid anymore. But at the end of the day, I’m not completely grown-up. I’m still learning. I’m going to grow up how I grow up. I’m not going to try to conform to what people want me to be or go out there and start partying, have people see me with alcohol. I want to do it at my own pace. But I’m never going to make myself so the kids and the parents don’t respect me.”
More on coming-of-age as an artist: ”There’re some artists that [parents won’t] let their kids go and see because they think they’re a bad influence. I want to be able to do what Michael did, he always sang clean lyrics, and it was always that little kids loved Michael and grandparents loved Michael. I don’t want to start singing about things like sex, drugs, and swearing. I’m into love, and maybe I’ll get more into making love when I’m older. But I want to be someone who is respected by everybody. Because right now, the young people are who make society. Young people determine what’s cool. Young people determine what’s going to be in style. So I always stick with the young people, that’s what I say.”
On his healthy childhood: “Michael had a really bad childhood. I was blessed with a great childhood. My mom loved me. My dad loved me. I’m now a teenager and I don’t feel like I’ve missed out on anything in my life. I’ve gotten to experience everything I possibly could. I don’t look back and think, Ugh, I wish I would have been able to do that. Maybe [Michael] missed out on a lot, so he tried to [re-live] his childhood when he was older. But I’ve got such good people around me, I’m not worried.”
On artists he works with having lyrics he wouldn’t sing himself, like Lil Wayne and Kanye: “I can’t say I look up to them, but I definitely like what they do. I think that they’re amazing. But are they on Michael’s level? I don’t think they’re on Michael’s level.”
Specifically Kanye… oh dear: “Well, Kanye is on a different level. I mean, Kanye is probably my favorite producer. He’s a musical genius. But, he’s not on Michael’s level. I think that in order to be on Michael’s level you have to reach as many people as Michael reached, and Kanye doesn’t reach as many people. No one really does.”
On not being religious, despite saying so and getting a huge Jesus tattoo: “I don’t think I’m religious. I am spiritual. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins. I believe that he put me in this position, and that I have to always give him the glory he deserves for putting me here. But I don’t consider myself religious. A lot of people who are religious, I feel like they get lost. They go to church just to go to church. I am not trying to disrespect them at all, you know, whatever works for you; but for me, I focus more on praying and talking to Him. I don’t have to go to church. I haven’t been to church in a long time, but I know I have a relationship with Him. People can be like, ‘If you don’t go to church, what do you mean, how are you a Christian?’ But I am. I talk to Him, and that’s all.”
On how he’ll take over the world because God told him so: “You know, my ma has always had God around me, has always made it really apparent. She never pushed it on me, but she always brought me to church and she put me in Sunday school. When I was little, I did these things: ‘prophetic words,’ which is sort of like fortune-telling, but from God. They said in one of those tapes, when I was really young, that I was going to be the voice of the new generation. So, I don’t know what that means. It could just mean that I’m here to make music and inspire people. That’s all I know. I just want to be able to be a good influence on people. I know I’m going to make mistakes, because I’m young and I still love to have fun. I’m not perfect. I think everyone makes mistakes, and that’s what life’s about, you know?”
On being an easy target and the fear of losing his fame: “Yeah, I mean, when I was coming up, trying to get to where I am now, people were so happy [for me]. They were rooting for me. Now that I’m on top, everyone wants to bring me down. Everyone’s trying to tug at me and take my spot.” – via V Magazine.