Last week at the MTV Video Music Awards, Justin Bieber turned in an emotional performance, to say the least. Singing and dancing his way through his new hit single, “What Do You Mean,” the singer received a standing ovation from the audience, and proceeded to break down in tears following the warm reception. Now, the Canadian pop star has spoken out about why he was so affected by the experience.
Appearing on NBC's The Tonight Show, host Jimmy Fallon asked Bieber about his performance, and the emotions he felt during the process. After a few jokes about their mutual disdain for harness work – it “pulls on the junk” after all – Bieber revealed that he understood just how much he had at stake appearing at the MTV Video Music Awards. He acknowledged some flaws that he caught in his own performance, as well as the generally negative public perception of his high profile behavior. Last time Bieber appeared at an award show – in his own words – he was booed, so the standing ovation he received proved personally overwhelming. Bieber went on to explain that he feels like he has matured a great deal recently, pouring all of his efforts into his work, and that he does not want his career to be marred by his decidedly high profile mistakes.
Justin Bieber’s career has experienced more than one set back over the last few years. Despite a rabid fan base, the singer has become something of a punch line among many sectors of the internet, as well as many members of the comedy community – Bieber was even the guest of honor at the most recent Comedy Central Roast. He has had numerous run ins with the law for reasons ranging from vandalizing a neighbors house to drug use. His antics have become so widely publicized that a petition calling for his deportation gained some serious traction online – on the basis that he could prove a serious danger in how he influences the behavior of the nation’s youth.
Overall, Bieber seems to have an acute understanding of his recent missteps, and is going about rectifying them – while not forgetting about them. At the end of The Comedy Central Roast of Justin Bieber, he made a promise to fans to change for the better, and has generally stayed out of headlines since then. He is also slated to appear in the upcoming sequel to Zoolander, which seems to show a certain self-awareness that could aid in the ultimate recovery of his image.
Only time will really tell if Justin Bieber’s newfound sense of responsibility will stick, or if he goes back to his old ways. His new single “What Do You Mean?” is currently number one on iTunes, and his new album is expected to drop on November 13 of this year.
