It's no secret that Justin Bieber is looking to take his music in a more mature direction - starting with his new album 'Believe' - though his manager Scooter Braun is still reluctant to concede that Bieber is now a heavyweight of the pop world.
Speaking to Billboard magazine, Braun addressed Bieber's more mature sound, though explained "Adult artist? Just because he's legal now doesn't mean he's an adult.He still needs guidance; he's still finding his way. He's no longer a boy, but he's definitely not yet a man". Later in the interview, Braun claimed that Bieber is under far more pressure than other pop stars because he's essentially a one-man band, saying, "No one in the history of the world has ever grown up with the pressure that he has, being a solo artist that young, that famous, in a world with technology that exposes us 24/7.He was literally going through puberty in front of the entire world." The exposure is unlikely to wane in the coming months, with Bieber facing a heavy promotional schedule for 'Believe', which hits shelves on June 19, 2012. He's already made stops in Oslo, Norway, Paris and Mexico City, though will travel back to New York City this week to appear on the 'Today Show'.
Bieber himself recently opened up about his public image, claiming he "can't trust anyone", telling the June issue of GQ, "I mean, I keep my guard up a lot, because you know, you can't trust anyone in this business.That's what's sad".