The media tends to dismiss Justin Bieber as a "tween heartthrob" singing
throw-away lyrics in a high-pitched voice that will deteriorate as he
matures.
They couldn't be more wrong.
Justin Bieber is here to stay. Barring any tragedies, he will enjoy a long, influential career. Here's why:
1) Justin Bieber is intelligent. Sure, he's probably not an academic
genius but one needs only an average to above average traditional IQ to
succeed as a musician, singer, or actor. And I suspect his "academic
intelligence" (as measured by traditional IQ tests) is probably above
average anyway.
In addition to traditional IQ, which measures vocabulary, mathematical
skills, spatial reasoning, processing speed, and the like ("academic
intelligence"), Justin also enjoys exceptional "rhythmic/musical" and
"interpersonal/emotional" intelligences.
Justin's musical intelligence is evident in his ability to not only sing
on key but also his skill on the drums, piano, and guitar. He wasn't
forced into music lessons by his parents. Rather he was internally
driven to perform and understand music from the age of two. His mother,
to her credit, accommodated his interests, despite a limited budget as a
single mom in public housing. This is a guy who has music in his bones.
Justin also possesses an innate ability to understand his own emotions
and harness them toward achievement of a goal. Of course, I'm
speculating here since I don't know him personally but based on all I've
read and watched, Justin appears to possess a high degree of
self-awareness and emotional self-regulation. Although the concept of
"emotional intelligence" is highly debated in academia, I doubt many
would argue that it's not an asset to possess personality traits such as
agreeableness, extroversion, openness, and conscientiousness, all of
which Justin exhibits.
Justin Bieber also perceives and understands other people very well.
This "interpersonal intelligence" is a significant asset for a person
whose success relies in large part on his ability to relate to the
public, particularly to his fans. Justin demonstrates this intelligence
in the strong relationship he has developed with his fans via YouTube
and Twitter. It's no accident that his name is one of the top trending
topics on Twitter almost every day.
His interpersonal intelligence will also help Justin to anticipate,
understand, and respond to his fans' emerging maturity as they age along
with him. In other words, as Justin's pre-teen and teen fan base grows
up, he will be growing up with them and appreciating, for example, his
fans' increasing capacity for more complexity, nuance, and variety in
his song writing and performances.
2) Justin Bieber magnetically attracts and appeals to a cross-section of
people. A great early example of this appeal was his ability to earn
$3000 busking at the age of 12. How many 12-year-old kids can sit in a
public area playing the guitar and singing and earn $3000 in donations?
Of course, his summer-time performances in Stratford, Ontario also speak
to his discipline and determination, two traits essential to long-term
success.
While there's no doubt that Justin's strongest appeal is with pre-teen
and teenage girls, it's a mistake to assume that his music doesn't
appeal to boys and adults. There are a number of boys on Twitter who
follow Justin and participate in discussions about him (most of them
declare "I'M NOT GAY" in their profiles, which speaks to why so many
boys who like Justin's music won't admit it).
A recent poll on PopEater.com revealed that over half of the website
visitors who said they "Can't get enough" of Justin's music were over
age 18--with one quarter of the respondents being over 40. I suspect
that there are a large number of "silent fans" of Justin Bieber who
purchase his songs or albums, enjoy listening to his music, but are
simply not very vocal about their appreciation of him.
The article in which that poll appeared highlighted the appeal of
Justin's music to mothers. Or, as adroitly put by a teen girl on
Twitter:
JBieberLoviees: jtlyk [just to let you know]: my mother loves
@justinbieber. she just won't admit it. mom, when i catch u singin "u
smile" its time to just admit it. u blew ur cover.
3) Justin has chosen to associate with strong role models, notably Usher
and Scooter Braun (and, of course, his parents), and to accumulate an
entourage of smart, successful, and supportive people. Scooter Braun
deserves a good deal of the credit for helping Justin and his mother
navigate the treacherous waters of labels, contracts, and publicity and
for recruiting a team of advisers and supporting staff for the young
star. Nonetheless, let's not forget that it's up to Justin to work with
his team effectively, which from all reports it appears he does.
The old saying, "We are who we associate with" applies to Justin. In
other words, he has accepted his mother's, Mr. Braun's and others'
advice to associate with good people. People, such as Usher, who provide
the social modeling, emotional support, guidance, and caring that
almost all successful people need.
4) Justin understands the current trans-media environment and he
utilizes it quite effectively. He has a strong narrative, which he
articulates often, e.g., "To come from a small town in Canada, post some
videos on YouTube, and achieve this kind of success is a blessing".
5) Justin is competitive. He's one of those boys, that we all know from
our childhood and adolescence, who is constantly challenging himself to
learn and conquer new skills and excel at a new game. Whether it's
basketball, skateboarding, golf, bowling, or a half dozen other athletic
and skill-based pursuits, Justin Bieber plays to win. This is not a guy
who gives up when the going gets tough. He just works harder.
6) Justin Bieber has poise, in particular with regard to this definition of the word:
"a dignified, self-confident manner or bearing; composure;
self-possession: to show poise in company."
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/poise)
You need only watch him interacting with adults on television shows such
as Chelsea Lately, the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Ellen, and The View
to see how self-contained, self-confident, and prepared for almost
anything is Justin Bieber.
Conclusion
Justin Bieber's intelligence (intellectual, musical, emotional, and
interpersonal), universal appeal, strong social support, media savvy,
competitiveness, and poise all suggest that he will enjoy a long and
prosperous career as a singer, musician, songwriter--and perhaps more.
