You love Jay Chou's songs and you can sing some quite well. So you make a video of your performance and post it online for your friends to see. But what if this led to something beyond your wildest imagination--a career in music? Canadian teenager Justin Bieber, 16, has just had the magical experience: He posted homemade videos of his versions of songs by American singer Chris Brown online for his relatives. He received a phone call from Brown, telling him how much he liked his performance. His singing eventually earned him a fan base and a record contract. After releasing a popular record in November 2009, his album My world 2.0 came out last Tuesday. Bieber sings ballads and songs about puppy love. But is he just another gooey   teen idol? David Malitz, a columnist with the Washington Post, doesn't think so. "If we truly want the best forAmerican children, let us pause and give thanks for Justin Bieber," he writes. "After years of humdrum bubblegum   from Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers, the 16yearold has thrown a candycoated wrench   into Disney's heartthrob   assembly line by giving young fans something worth screaming their lungs out for lovable pop songs." From a boy who grew up below the poverty line with his divorced mom to a star who caused nearriots   in shopping malls, even Bieber himself can't believe his overnight fame, although his kind of success is becoming more and more common in the Internet era. Interested in hockey, the national sport of Canada, the boy once put up pictures of players on the walls of his bedroom. He dreamed of being a hockey star and used to practice signing his autograph. He doesn't need practice now. He signs autographs, if the girls can get close enough, as a music star. What did Chris Brown think of Justin Bieber's singing?
He didn't like it. He liked it very much. He didn't say anything. He supported Justin Bieber.