Justin Bieber’s Purpose Proves That He Is Not Just Another One of Pop Music’s Pretty Faces
Celebrity artists who become famous as teenagers have to navigate that tricky stage when they emerge from those teenage years and assert themselves as adults to their adoring fans. There have been many successful transitions from Donny Osmond to Michael Jackson to Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears. But there are also those who have disappeared into oblivion, never to be heard again. As I said, there is no guarantee that the fans will stick with the celebrity once they become adults so the product that the artist releases is very important. For Justin Bieber, that means an album where he can show his adult chops and say bye bye to his “Baby” days. He has to show that he matured musically from My World to My World 2.0 to Believe (where he was still a teenager) to this album Purpose (when he turned 21). Based on the fans’, the critics’ and the Recording Academy’s response – the answer has been a resounding yes, with Bieber getting a coveted Album of the Year nomination for this work. Although he snubbed the ceremony, for me, it is still a big deal that the Recording Academy voters heard what we all heard – a strong album with great songs. Not all critics though agree and have made some snide comments about Justin’s opus, but for me – this album ranked as one of the best in 2015 – and one of my most favorite albums of all time!