Justin Bieber has said he frequently feels like a “fraud” as he told his followers about his struggles with imposter syndrome.
The chart-topping Canadian singer shot to fame aged just 16 with singles including “Baby” and his debut album, My World 2.0, in 2010.
Since then, he has become one of the most successful pop artists of his generation, receiving a string of Grammy Awards and nominations, as well as achieving a series of No 1 records such as 2015’s Purpose and 2020’s Changes.
His latest album, Justice, was released in 2021 to positive reviews. It also topped the charts in several countries, including the US.
Despite all these achievements, however, Bieber made it clear to fans that he has “always felt unworthy” in a post to Instagram.
“People told me my whole life, ‘Wow Justin u deserve that,’” he wrote, “and I personally have always felt unworthy. Like I was a fraud.
“Like when people told me I deserve something, it made me feel sneaky like, damn if they only knew my thoughts… how judgemental I am, how selfish I really am, they wouldn’t be saying this.”
He continued: “I say all this to say, if you feel sneaky welcome to the club. I definitely feel unequipped and unqualified most days.”
Bieber soundtracked the Instagram Story with the song “Sneaky Sneaky” by Gold-Tiger.
Last month, the singer’s representatives addressed what they branded “exhausting and pitiful” rumours about his health, as some fans online speculated that he was using hard drugs.
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Bieber has been frank about his past struggles with substance abuse, revealing in 2020 that he would “start his day” with ecstasy pills and cannabis joints at the height of his addiction.
In February, photos were published showing him looking slightly dishevelled and tired, leading to unsubstantiated claims about alleged substance abuse.
Speaking to TMZ, a spokesperson said that, in fact, Bieber was “in one of the best places of his life” and the dark circles under his eyes were a result of him working hard on new music.
“The recurring narrative that Justin is using hard drugs is absolutely not true,” the spokesperson said.
The past year has been “transformative” for the “Peaches” singer, they added, revealing that he had “ended several close friendships and business relationships that no longer served him”.
“Despite the obvious truth, people are committed to keeping negative, salacious, harmful narratives alive,” the representative said.
Bieber previously described drugs as “escape” from the pressures of being one of the most famous musicians in the world: “My experience was in front of cameras and I had a different level of exposure,” he said.
Aged 18, he had “millions in the bank” and access to “whatever [he] wanted” but “no skills in the real world”, leading to disillusionment and the abuse of “some pretty heavy drugs”.
“I became resentful, disrespectful to women and angry,” he said.
He credited his wife, Hailey Bieber, and a supportive network of family and friends for helping to change his life for the better, as he called marriage “an amazing crazy new responsibility”.
“You learn patience, trust, commitment, kindness, humility and all of the things it looks like to be a good man,” he concluded.
The couple announced the birth of their first child, a son named Jack Blues Bieber, last August.
If you or someone you know is suffering from drug addiction, you can seek confidential help and support 24-7 from Frank, by calling 0300 123 6600, texting 82111, sending an email or visiting their website here.
In the US, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration can be reached at 1-800-662-HELP
