Justin Bieber is turning over a new leaf. He is trying to shake the douchey image he made for himself over the past few years and taking responsibility for his mistakes. He started his apology tour with an appearance on Ellen, and he's even stepping up to get roasted on Comedy Central later this month. So who better to cover Men's Health's Reinvention Issue than the Biebs.
In his cover story, he told the magazine, "It's time for me to grow up."
"This has really been a big year for me, as far as figuring stuff out," Bieber said. "This is almost like a full 180 from how I was. Yesterday — a year from yesterday — I was in jail."
Bieber says the becoming an overnight celebrity at 13 and having his every move play out in the public eye is partly to blame for his poor decisions of late.
"I had to grow up so quick and it was almost like I grew up for the public but I didn't necessarily grow up," he says. "There were things I had to do, as far as the way I had to make relationships, and conversation, but as far as actually growing up, there were a lot of things I missed out on."
However, his newfound sense of maturity doesn't mean he wants to act like a jaded adult.
"There's a part of me that I don't ever want to grow up," he said. "I want to always remain ... to have that sense of purity inside of me where I don't ... I don't want to lose that sense of purity."
One thing that inspired him to make a change was wanting to be a better role model for his younger brother and sister.
"What makes me a better man [is], I think, watching my little brother and sister grow," he said. "It makes me want to be better for them."
Although he has the reputation of being a player, Bieber is actually more interested in relationships than shallow flings.
"I'm very much a relationship guy," he said. "I like to bounce ideas off the person that I love. I like having a real connection."
Don't let his tatted body fool you either.
"The tattoos and stuff? Maybe that's like a cover for me being a softy," he said.
Elsewhere in the feature he talks about his hidden Rubik's Cube skills, his bromance crush on Ben Affleck, what makes a woman sexy, what his next tattoo will be, his new body, and more.
The April issue hits newsstands March 17 (digital March 10).
