Justin Bieber. Theo Wargo/Getty Images
Justin Bieber has faced his justifiable share of hardships since skyrocketing to fame after being discovered by Scooter Braun in 2007.
Upon breaking onto the scene along with his debut album, My World 2.0, the two-time Grammy winner was beloved by the world over for his boyish charm, famous hair “swoop” and age-appropriate love songs.
Nevertheless, within the years that followed, Bieber’s partying ways became the topic of much scrutiny and worry — from his fans, parents and Braun himself.
“I used to be fearful every night that I used to be going to lose him. I assumed he was going to die,” Braun shared on “The Red Pill” podcast in 2018. “I assumed he was going to sleep one night and that he would have a lot crap in his system that he wouldn’t get up the subsequent morning.”
Bieber’s romantic life also made frequent headlines — namely, his high-profile romances with Selena Gomez and future wife Hailey Bieber.
Keep scrolling for Justin’s highs and lows throughout the years:
Shooting to Fame
Braun discovered Justin on YouTube when the singer was only a young teen within the early 2000s. The “Baby” singer released his debut album, My World 2.0, in 2010 following his My World EP. The record ultimately went 4x platinum.
N-Word Scandal
In 2014, Justin handled two racism scandals in a single week. Within the videos shared online, one clip showed the singer telling a racist joke five years prior, while the opposite piece of footage featured a young Justin singing a racist parody of his song “One Less Lonely Girl.” The parody replaced “girl” with the N-word and made references to the KKK.
“I’m very sorry,” Justin said in an announcement to the Associated Press on the time. “I take all my friendships with people of all cultures very seriously and I apologize for offending or hurting anyone with my childish and inexcusable behavior.”
He added: “I assumed it was alright to repeat hurtful words and jokes, but I didn’t realize on the time that it wasn’t funny and that in truth my actions were continuing the ignorance. Due to family and friends I learned from my mistakes and grew up and apologized for those wrongs. Now that these mistakes from the past have turn into public I would like to apologize again to all of those that I even have offended.”
Substance Abuse Issues
In his 2020 documentary, Justin Bieber: Seasons, the Canada native got real about his struggles with substance abuse.
“My security and stuff would come into my room at night to envision my pulse. People don’t know the way serious it got. It was legit crazy scary,” he recalled. “I used to be waking up within the morning and the very first thing I used to be doing was popping pills and smoking a blunt and starting my day. It just got scary. I principally said to myself, I’m like, ‘God, in the event you’re real, you get me through this season of stopping these pills and stuff, and in the event you do, I’ll do the remaining of the work.’”
Mama Drama
Justin and his mom, Pattie Mallette — who was only a teen when she gave birth to her only son in March 1994 — were all the time extremely close. Nevertheless, their relationship soured as Justin struggled with drugs.
“I used to be distant because I used to be ashamed,” he later reflected to Billboard in 2015 about his relationship along with his mom. “We spent a while not talking, so it takes time to rebuild that trust. She’s living in Hawaii now, so it’s hard, but convalescing. She’s an incredible woman and I really like her.”
Selena Gomez Relationship
Justin and Gomez went public with their romance on the 2011 Vanity Fair Oscars party, breaking up for the primary time one 12 months later. Because the duo continued to be on and off over the subsequent several years — with each stars dating other A-listers of their “off” periods — they ultimately called it quits for good in 2018, several months before Justin proposed to Hailey.
Hailey Bieber Marriage
The long run couple initially met in 2008 after being introduced by Hailey’s dad, actor Stephen Baldwin. While Justin and Hailey became friends — and on and off romantic partners — within the years following, the “What Do You Mean?” artist got real about not wanting to harm the model while he focused on himself.
“What if Hailey finally ends up being the girl I’m gonna marry, right? If I rush into anything, if I damage her, then it’s all the time gonna be damaged,” Justin told GQ in 2016. “It’s really hard to repair wounds like that. It’s so hard. … I just don’t need to hurt her.”
Two years later — after his final split from Gomez — Justin and Hailey tied the knot in a courthouse ceremony in Recent York City. In 2019, they threw a bigger ceremony attended by their families and friends.
Health Problems
Justin got real about his battle with Lyme disease in 2020.
“While plenty of people kept saying Justin Bieber looks like s—t, on meth etc. they failed to appreciate I’ve been recently diagnosed with Lyme disease, not only that but had a serious case of chronic mono which affected my, skin, brain function, energy, and overall health,” he wrote via Instagram on the time.
Two years later, Justin canceled his tour dates amid one other health scare — this time: Ramsay Hunt Syndrome.
“It’s from this virus that attacks the nerve in my ear and my facial nerves and has caused my face to have paralysis,” Justin said in an Instagram video on the time, showing his followers that he couldn’t move half of his face. “As you’ll be able to see this eye isn’t blinking. I can’t smile on this side of my face. This nostril won’t move.”
As for his canceled concert dates, “I’m just physically not able to doing them,” Justin noted. “That is pretty serious as you’ll be able to see. I wish this wasn’t the case. But obviously, my body is telling me I would like to decelerate.”
Together through all of it. Justin Bieber and his wife, Hailey Bieber, have each experienced their justifiable share of health battles through the years. “Desired to share a bit little bit of how I’ve been feeling. Every day has gotten higher and thru all the discomfort, I even have found comfort within the one who designed me […]
Dropping Scooter as His Manager
In August 2023, a source exclusively told Us Weekly that Justin “officially let Scooter go as his manager” amid reports that Demi Lovato and Ariana Grande also parted ways with the music executive.
The insider added that it was Hailey who “led the charge that led Justin to go away him for one more manager.”
A separate insider, nonetheless, told Us sooner or later prior that “all of Scooter Braun’s clients are under contract and negotiations have been happening for several months as Scooter steps into his larger role as Hybe America CEO.” The source elaborated: “Persons are spreading rumors based on what they know, but they’re off. Scooter’s team at SB Projects are still handling each Justin and Ariana as they work through what this latest structure looks like.”
A Recent Chapter
Justin kicked off his fatherhood era with wife Hailey in August 2024, welcoming son Jack Blues.
The Ongoing Speculation
Rumors began swirling in January 2025 that Justin had unfollowed Hailey on Instagram, sparking speculation in regards to the status of their marriage. Justin was quick to set the record straight, claiming “someone went on my account and unfollowed my wife.”
Fans continued to specific concern for the singer, and his reps spoke out claiming that any rumors about Justin using drugs were “absolutely not true.” They slammed “exhausting and pitiful” speculation noting that “despite the apparent truth, persons are committed to keeping negative, salacious, harmful narratives alive.”
Debunking Debt Rumors
The Hollywood Reporter posted an article in April 2025 resurfacing the concerns about his mental health and claiming that Justin was thousands and thousands of dollars in debt after the cancellation of his 2023 Justice World Tour.
“That is just clickbait stupidity based on unnamed — and clearly ill-informed — ‘sources,’ upset that they now not work with Justin,” his team shared in an announcement to Us. “As Justin forges his own way forward, these unnecessary stories and inaccurate assumptions will proceed. But they won’t deter him from staying committed to following the suitable path.”
