Musician. Born March 1, 1994, in Ontario, Canada, Justin Bieber was raised by a single mom in the small town of Stratford. Justin Bieber, whose debut album My World hit stores in November 2009, is a true overnight success, having gone from an unknown, untrained singer whose mother posted YouTube clips of her boy performing, to a budding superstar with a big-time record deal, all in just two years.

Justin Bieber always had an interest in music. His mother gave him a drum kit for his second birthday and, as he tells it, he was "basically banging on everything I could get my hands on."

But it was an obscure talent contest in his hometown, in which the 12-year-old Justin Bieber finished second that put him on the road to superstardom. As a way to share his singing with family, Justin Bieber and his mom began posting clips of Justin Bieber performing covers of Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, and Ne-Yo on YouTube.

Within months, Justin Bieber was an Internet sensation, with a large following of fans, and an eager manager arranging for the teenager to fly to Atlanta to consider a record deal. There, Justin Bieber had a chance meeting with Usher, who eventually signed the young singer to a contract.

Justin Bieber's first single, One Time, went certified platinum in his native Canada shortly after its release. Justin Bieber's album matched that success, selling more than 137,000 copies within a week of hitting stores.

Justin Bieber now lives and works in Atlanta.