DUBAI: There are just two days to go before Justin Bieber descends on the Autism Rocks Arena in Dubai for his second concert in the city following his sold-out 2013 gig here. Although the pop icon has not been able to whip up the kind of frenzy he did the last time, most tickets to the show are sold out with only Regular Stand and Golden Circle remaining.
“We’ve seen a slight shift in Justin Bieber’s audience compared to last time. While the young fan base is there, we have noticed a lot of 20-plus adults buying tickets for the show and seem equally excited,” says Thomas Ovesen, CEO at 117Live.
The shift has been a gradual one effected by Bieber himself as he began collaborating with other popular artists such as Drake, Skrillex, DJ Snake and Major Lazer.
New fan base
“Like most people my age, I couldn’t connect with Bieber when he started out, but my children obviously loved him,” says Alina Reenol, 36, a resident of Dubai.
“However, lately I’ve been addicted to his tracks” adds Reenol who will be attending the concert with her entire family. It was just her children who attended the show fours years ago.
Bieber has not just leaned on collaborations but has also tweaked his genre. “His experimentation with tropical house, EDM and hip hop – much before Rihannas and Beyonces – has got us playing his tracks on loop,” says Eyas Najem, 28, a resident DJ at Sofitel Abu Dhabi.
The blockbuster anthem Sorry from his 2015 album Purpose was the fourth most watched video on YouTube in 2016. Love Yourself has been the second bestseller in the world according to the Global Music Report 2016. The global sensation has also bagged a slew of prestigious titles, including 12 American Music Awards and 14 Billboard Music Awards over the last few years.
Despite his megastardom, Justin has had to grapple with his vocal transformation as he got older. In fact during a show in 2012, Bieber said, “My voice cracks like every teenage boy, and we have to lower the key when I am singing live. There are some notes I am unable to hit now. I am working on it.”
Conversely, there are some young fans who miss that phase. “His songs in the first album were so much nicer, now they’re same as everything else on the countdown,” says Chirag Vaidya, 15, a resident of Dubai. Chirag has chosen to skip the concert this time. “It won’t be like before,” he adds.
New look
Yet another thing that seems to have changed is the way he dresses at concerts. “He used to wear the unbuttoned Kendall Jenner-style shirts earlier, but I don’t see him in that anymore, he doesn’t wear sneakers also,” says Sheena Khalil, 17, a student at Repton School. “Last time we waited to hear As long as you love me, and this year it’s Cold Water,” she adds.
The singer who came into the limelight at the age of 13 has already faced a fair share of scandals, controversies and career bumps. But now 23, Bieber has proved he is here to stay. Yes, the ‘Baby’ has come a long since a talent manager discovered him on YouTube in 2008.
