Justin Bieber is setting the record straight.
In a new interview with Us Weekly’s Ian Drew, the singer addressed the tide of ‘diva’/’bad boy’ headlines claiming he is on the brink of a major meltdown.
The 19-year-old said : “The biggest misconception about me is that I’m a bad person. I get upset about that. I have a big heart. I want to be a good role model, but some people want me to fail.”
This is a familiar theme for the Canadian star.
After a laundry list of dramas on the London leg of his Believe world tour that included going shirtless in public, the wrath of UK parents after a late stage showing at the 02 Arena, fainting, a “worst birthday,” gas mask outings, and an expletive filled row with a paparazzo, Bieber follows up his previous social media blasts about “fake stories” with frank reasons for most of these incidents.
On his penchant for going shirtless and exposing his underwear, the pop star explained that snaps of him in state of undress in London was a candid freeze-frame of him rushing back to his hotel after a concert while wearing his tour wardrobe.
His recent shirtless Lodz, Poland airport sighting isn’t mentioned as it occurred after Us Weekly’s interview.
Revealing that his fainting episode was down to the flu, Bieber says rather than disappoint his fans he decided to finish the show then go to the hospital. “The show must go on,” he said, using an endearingly quaint performers’ mantra.
Of the gas mask mystery, the “Boyfriend” singer said he only wore it as “a joke with my friends. I wanted to hide my face from all the cameras. They got it as a joke. My friends and I like messing around.”
Bieber does, however, admit that some of his recent behavior has pushed the envelope. “I’m young and I make mistakes. That’s part of growing up,” he said. “I mess up sometimes. It’s part of growing up.”
With the bulk of his 125-date world tour still to come — fittingly it ends August 10 in Atlanta — the pop star reiterates that he knows who he is and isn’t going to let negativity bring him down.
“I’m a positive person and I plan on staying that way,” Bieber declares. “This business can break you down, but I have a strong team around me, and my family and all the fans … I’m not perfect but I’m growing and trying to be better everyday. That’s part of life.”
To his detractors, the embattled singer said: “I’m young and I want to have fun,” adding, “I don’t think there is anything wrong with that.”
On a lighter note and perhaps heeding those around him who may be advising a future time-out from the fray, Bieber signed off saying :
“I’m thinking about my next album, next tour. Or maybe I’ll take a break. I’m figuring it out. Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do at 19?”
[Image via Jaguar PS / Shutterstock.com ]
