In the middle of a nude photo scandal and a recent awkward encounter between the pop singer and his Norwegian fans, Justin Bieber sat down to explain just how difficult it is to be a child star, why people should be nicer to young celebrities and of course, his everlasting love for ex-girlfriend Selena Gomez.
The 21-year-old "What Do You Mean?" singer recently told Billboard, "I wouldn't suggest being a child star. It's the toughest thing in the world." The "Sorry" singer has made 2015 his year of retribution, seeking forgiveness from his many childish antics and uncalled for behaviors through a stretch of personal apologies, talk show appearances and enduring a verbal beating on Comedy Central's The Roast. Bieber is fully aware of how his time in the spotlight changed his character and most specifically, all the ways stardom effects young people.
"I want people to be more kind to young celebrities," he explained, using Kylie Jenner's life in the spotlight as an example. "She has been living on TV since she was a kid. Every time she's looking around she sees a camera, and that's affecting how she's thinking and how she's perceiving people and why she has to do certain things."
The "Girlfriend" singer continued to explain that the idea of being famous is oftentimes more desirable than the harsh reality of living in front of cameras. "Certain things broke my trust with people," he said. "Situations happen that taint your mind. I started going through the motions. I felt like people were judging me all the time. I came out alive. I came out swinging. But I was close to letting [fame] completely destroy me."
Tugging at different emotions, Bieber switched gears to talk about "Good For You" singer Selena Gomez and how he can't bring himself to give her latest album, Revival, a listen. "I know I had a lot of play in that one. I don't know what she's saying about me," he admits. Part of the reason is that the wound is still fresh, "When you love someone that much, even if something comes between you, it's a love that never really dies."
According to Rolling Stone, Bieber will release Purpose, his first album in three years on November 13, trailing the debut of album tracks "Sorry," "What Do You Mean?," "Where Are U Now" and "I'll Show You."
