It's a moment of sweet respite for the teen idol, who in two short years went from busker in his native Stratford, Ontario, to one of the top pop artists in the world. The tale of his meteoric rise -- the discovery of his persona and voice on YouTube, the early tutelage by Usher, plus his multi-instrumental talent and self-driven work ethic -- has become its own kind of pop culture fairy tale, a creation myth for the social media generation.
Announced Oct. 27 in a YouTube video message to his fans -- "His version of a press conference," Universal VP of marketing David Grant says -- the Believe Charity Drive enlists Bieber's faithful to help raise millions for a collection of philanthropic organizations-like City of Hope and the Boys & Girls Club -- by the time his next studio album drops in 2012. (The date is still TBD.)
