Britney Spears All Over Again?
By Bubbleboo
Wow. Just wow. I cannot believe I’m actually here. I always wanted to visit Lapland!
*Gazes around in wonder*
I just realised I’m within firing range of that reindeer up there. If that thing decides to crap on me, I’ll be really pissed, Heather! I dressed up special to come here – straightened my hair and everything. Just letting ya know.
Actually, that’s a lie. I can never be bothered to straighten my hair, it takes too damn long! But I still don’t wanna be crapped on. I’m watching you, Rudolf.
It’s so clean and pretty in here. Not at all like my place. (I know. That was shameless. I apologise). I’ll try not to touch anything. Knowing my luck, if I do it’ll break – and then Heather will be really mad. And she won’t ask me back again. Of course, the likelihood is that she’s already regretting her decision to ask me to guest post here, and has no intention of asking me back again anyway. In which case, I will go play!
*Pokes around a bit*
Ahem.
Later. After I blog for all of you lovely people, obviously.
Ok. So I was sitting here with zero inspiration wondering which of my many ideas I should talk about today, and a commercial came on the TV. Nothing major about that, right?
Wrong.
The ad was for Justin Bieber’s new album, and as I watched it, I was really shocked. Which doesn’t happen very often, actually.
Now, I don’t know much about Bieber. No, I haven’t been living under a rock for the last few months, I’m just not that into tweenie music, ok?! Obviously I had heard of him, and was aware he was pretty popular, but this was the first time I’d actually sat and looked at him, and listened to a 30-second snapshot of his music.
It was enough, believe me.
How old is this kid? Sixteen, right? But he looks about 12, maximum. I’m not saying that’s his fault, but it’s true. And he sings about love and stuff. Calls girls ‘baby’. Acts as if he’s a hardened R&B star rather than a baby-faced schoolboy. To me, it just looks wrong. Fake, yes. Uncomfortable, yes. And just plain wrong. It’s watching a child sing and act like an adult. It reminds me of those horrific beauty pageants where little girls are paraded around looking like tiny whores. I’m sure there are some people who think it’s cute. I just think it’s weird. It’s like Britney Spears all over again, and look how that turned out.
According to his Wiki entry (yes, I did some research before ranting. What? Wiki is legitimate research material!) he flew to Georgia from his native Canada at 13, to record a demo and get signed. Thirteen. If he was that good, why couldn’t they wait until he was an adult? With responsibility for his own decisions? I mean, I’m sure everyone will say he wanted to do it – but what kid isn’t going to accept money, fame and success if they’re offered it on a plate? I’m not suggesting that he’s some little angel – really, what sixteen-year-old boy is these days? But I doubt very much if a child as cosseted as he has been is really the kind of streetwise kid he portrays in his videos.
If the world was a better place, if we were still in a more innocent age, then maybe it would be ok. But we know from experience that, no matter what the excuses, these kids are indulged rather than protected. Spoiled instead of disciplined. Given unlimited freedom instead of boundaries. As far as Bieber is concerned, I very much hope that he manages to avoid the pitfalls that have befallen so many of those who have gone before him. I hope his mother has retained enough influence to guide him. I hope the adults around him really do have his best interests at heart.
And I wish he would stop trying to be something he isn’t, and just be a cute kid singing pop songs with that lovely voice of his.
But maybe that’s just me
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I am a writer. Always working to better my craft and be published one day!
The Thought Bubble is basically about one Mum (that would be me), one Chipmunk (that would be my 7 yr old son), one bonkers kitty and the ups and downs of a life living with autism. Sometimes funny, sometimes sad – often completely off-topic! My blog is always honest, always real and always from the heart. Please come and see us, let me know you stopped by. Return visits are very much encouraged 
I'm Heather, an expat Brit living in Kuusamo, northern Finland.
Totally agree. But alas the marketing men have got their grubby little fingers all over him. He'll regret it later when he discovers grunge, crack cocaine and the joys of growing your hair long and never washing it (ah those halcyon days of my teens). I think I'd like… er, well, maybe not “like”… er, respect him better if he sang about his love of Power Rangers or Bakugan. I'd at least find it a little more believable.
I confess I had never heard of The Bieber until I really got into Twitter – my goodness, he has a lot of fanatical followers, doesn't he?! I totally agree with you though – you do wonder how the poor kid is going to turn out. There are enough child stars out there that serve as a lesson in how not to live your childhood. Here's hoping he proves an exception, rather than the rule.
I thought I was the only one who thought it was weird and not 'super cool' to hear those kind of lyrics out of someone his age! I know a 12 going on 13 year old girl who acts the way the girls in the videos of the Beatles early years do every time his name is mentioned. Then I wonder…is it really so different than Sean Cassidy, or Leif Garret?
I had no idea who he was! Thankfully neither of my young girls are even vaguely interested.
My 8 year old son is not impressed by him (first time I heard of him) and gets cross at all the girls in his class swooning over the marginally older CHILD! It all boils down to money, it always does. Jen.
It's not just you! I have also been under said rock and saw his advert and my jaw hit the floor! He does look very very young, I'm not a big fan of his music either though so there's no redeeming feature for me!
I do know what you mean, I worry about child stars like him too.
He does seem like he's having a good time at the moment; but the chances are he will fall out of favour at some point, and that will of course be very difficult for him to come to terms with. Hopefully, as you say, he does have some adults around him who have his best interests at heart, and can support him.
I just wanted to say a great big thank you to everyone who commented on my post – you made me feel really welcome
And great big smooches once again to the lovely Heather, for allowing me to squat here briefly
I just wanted to say a great big thank you to everyone who commented on my post – you made me feel really welcome
And great big smooches once again to the lovely Heather, for allowing me to squat here briefly
Agree with you here makes me laugh when teenagers sing about life and love when they have not really lived long enough to experience these things yet! They grow up too fast x
Agree with you here makes me laugh when teenagers sing about life and love when they have not really lived long enough to experience these things yet! They grow up too fast x