Justin Bieber (21 page)

The XL Center is rockin’ with noise and energy. The Stunners light it up, and Sean Kingston burns it down. Backstage in my dressing room, I’m drumming my hands on my lap. The words to my latest single keep playing in my head.

Ryan says, “It’s time.”

My team gather in a tight huddle. Mom thanks God for all the blessings that have poured out on us. Mama Jan prays that my voice will be empowered with love. I pray for the safety of me and my dance crew and everyone above and below the stage. Dan leads us in ancient Hebrew prayer Scooter taught us.

“Sh’ma Yis’ra’eil Adonai Eloheinu Adonai echad.” (Hear, oh Israel, that the Lord is our God, the Lord is One.)

We head for the stage entrance, Kenny and Scooter blazing the trail. Mom is two steps behind us. Even when I can’t see her, I know she’s there. Usher walks beside me, one strong hand on my shoulder. He leans in close to my ear so I can hear him over the jet-engine scream of twenty thousand fans.

“First step to forever, man.”

And then my music begins.

This is just the beginning. Thanks for making a small town kid’s dreams come true. Never Say Never. Love you.

Born in Stratford, Ontario,
Justin Bieber
is a multi-talented pop/soul singer and a self-taught musician. After spotting his performances on YouTube, music manager Scooter Braun introduced Justin to the music industry and later joined forces with superstar Usher to sign thirteen-year-old Justin to a record deal with Island Def Jam Music Group.

His first album,
My World
, was certified platinum within three months of its release and went on to be the first debut album ever to have seven songs chart on the Billboard Top 100. His latest album,
My World 2.0
, debuted at #1 on the charts and has gone on to sell more than five million copies worldwide and still counting. This #1 debut made Justin the youngest male solo artist to top the Billboard chart since Stevie Wonder in 1963.

Visit Justin Bieber online at

www.bieberfever.com.

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Justin Bieber: First Step 2 Forever: My Story

Text copyright © 2010 by Bieber Time Books LLC

Photography copyright © 2010 by Robert Caplin

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.

www.harpercollinschildrens.com

EPub Edition © September 2010 ISBN 978-0-06-203975-0

Library of Congress catalog card number: 2010936048

First U.S. edition, 2010

COMMON DENOMINATOR Written by Justin Bieber & Lashaunda Carr. Published by Bieber Time Music/Universal Music Corporation (BMI) and G2G/Script Squad Music Publishing/Bughouse Music Inc. (BMI). All rights reserved. Used by permission.

UP Written by Justin Bieber, Nasri Atweh & Adam Messinger. Published by Bieber Time Music/Universal Music Corporation (BMI), Trey Ball Music / Sony/ATV Songs LLC (BMI). All rights reserved. Used by permission.

U SMILE Written by Arden Altino, Justin Bieber, Jerry Duplessis & Dan Rigo. Published by Bieber Time Music/Universal Music Corp. (BMI); Big R Music/EMI April Music (ASCAP); Te Bass Music/EMI Blackwood Music Inc. (BMI) and Sony/ATV Songs LLC (BMI). All rights reserved. Used by permission.

DOWN TO EARTH Written by Carlos Battey, Steven Battey, Justin Bieber, Mason Levy, Waynne Nugent & Kevin Risto. Published by Apartment Four Publishing/ Bieber Time Publishing/Universal Music Corporation (ASCAP); Artist Publishing Group West/Mason Levy Productions/WB Music Corp. (ASCAP); Break North Music/ Waynne Writers/Sony ATV Tunes LLC (ASCAP). All rights reserved. Used by permission.

LOVE ME Written by Nina Persson & Peter Svensson. Published by Universal Songs of Polygram International, Inc (BMI). All rights reserved. Used by permission.

ONE LESS LONELY GIRL Written by Sean Hamilton, Shin Hyuk, Ezekiel Lewis, Bale Wa M Muhammad & Usher Raymond. Published by EMI Blackwood Music Inc., Ezekial Lewis Music/Songs of Universal Inc. (BMI); Adrawn Music Publishing/LA Reid Songs/EMI April Music Inc. (ASCAP). All rights reserved. Used by permission.

NEVER SAY NEVER Written by Nasri Atweh, Justin Bieber, Thaddis Harrell, Adam Messinger, Omarr Rambert & Jaden Smith. Published by Colpix Music Inc./O Banga Music/Tre Ball Music/Sony ATV Songs LLC (BMI); Bieber Time Music/Universal Music Corporation (BMI) and New Columbia Pictures Music Inc./ Sony/ATV Tunes (ASCAP). All rights reserved. Used by permission.

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