The late 2000s were defined by two things: screaming fangirls and lots of hair.

I remember flipping through the pages of “J-14” magazines, passing pictures of the Jonas Brothers, 5 Seconds of Summer and One Direction, to get to my favorite: Justin Bieber. After finding these treasured photos, I would plaster them all over my bedroom walls to show my love for the creator of the “Bieber hair flip.”

Elementary school lunch was when I would spend my time defending Bieber to the masses of other kids that didn’t see what I saw in my teenage heartthrob.

Bieber was brought into stardom with his debut album “My World” in 2009, quickly making the Canadian YouTuber a household name. During his first few years in the limelight, he quickly tackled controversy after controversy, from drag racing to egging houses to very public relationship issues according to The Guardian. It was clear that Bieber has had his fair share of drama and criticism.

Through all of his trials and tribulations, I supported him, even while many of his fans understandably stopped backing him.

I wanted to be Bieber’s “One Less Lonely Girl” that he brought onstage at concerts. I feel like I grew up alongside Bieber, as different pivotal moments in his career would also affect my own life. From the debut of his hit single “Baby” that broke Vevo records with hitting one billion views in 2014. To the release of the best album Bieber has ever created, “Journals,” which is not up for discussion, to forcing my roommates to watch his low budget YouTube documentary in 2020.

Even as the boy band craze of the late 2000s started to sweep the nation, Bieber remained my No.1love.

I recall feeling betrayed when he snipped his beloved “Bieber flip,” but soon realized he could do no wrong in the looks department. No matter the era, Bieber never fails to impress when it comes to his iconic style. From his dog tag necklace, to his full leather ensembles, to the trendsetting Drew fashion line, the popstar seems to always know how to get all eyes on him. Time after time, Bieber released top hits, proving both his talent and longevity in the music world, even to this day.

Another facet of Bieber’s career that kept his name in the spotlight was his highly publicized relationships. His most public and tumultuous relationship was with the Disney Channel sweetheart Selena Gomez, which was on and off for several years.

Gomez was living my dream during this time, of course, until Bieber was publicly exposed for cheating on her. I remember feeling heartbroken when this news hit the media, and personally, I don’t know if I’m over it quite yet. Still, this Earth shattering news didn’t stop me from blasting “That Should Be Me” through my neon blue iPod Shuffle. Bieber’s music was just too good to stop listening, even after he broke the hearts of super fans everywhere.

Most recently Bieber has found himself settled down with super model Hailey Bieber. Backlash has always followed Bieber’s relationships, and it certainly did not stop when he married Baldwin. From fans bringing up his past relationship with Gomez, to constant criticism, it certainly hasn’t been an easy road for the married couple. Aside from relationship struggles, Bieber has faced many health setbacks. From his diagnosis of Lyme Disease in 2020, to his most recent bout of the partial facial paralysis caused by Ramsay Hunt syndrome, it hasn’t been an easy couple of years for Bieber.

Many people still consider Bieber to be a questionable celebrity, but I don’t believe that anyone can deny him of his exorbitant talent and killer looks. I mean, who could forget that cheeky mugshot? He clearly has had both high highs and low lows throughout his fruitful career, but through thick and thin, I stayed a true “Belieber.”

I’ve always imagined what I would say if I were to meet my teen idol in person, but I’ll just leave it at this: “Bieber, I would never say never.”