Justin Bieber has 10 minutes. The biggest little pop star in the country is in a car, en route to an airport in New York City. After a couple of weeks of trying, I’ve finally snagged precious phone time to talk about his sold-out RodeoHouston debut alongside Disney star Selena Gomez (who Bieber calls “one of my good friends&rdquo ;).
The Sunday show will play to 70,000-plus fans and likely shatter a few records.
Not too shabby for someone discovered on YouTube, where Bieber’s mom posted grainy videos of her pre-teen son singing popular R&B hits.
Bieber’s new disc, My World 2.0, is online and in stores Tuesday, a follow-up to last year’s million-selling My World.
The new material is edgier and more mature: the electro-bump of Somebody to Love, the pleading Stuck in the Moment, the doo-wop swoop of U Smile, the Prince-by-way-of-Usher-inspired Up.
First single Baby with Ludacris is his first top 5 hit. (He’ll also perform April 10 on a Tina Fey-hosted episode of Saturday Night Live.)
We talked about the 16-year-old superstar’s new music, his dominance of Twitter and traveling to Texas:
Q: This seems like a crazy time. What’s been the biggest obstacle?
A: Everything’s challenging, but I still gotta do it. Waking up early is definitely a task for me. I’m not a morning person.
Q: RodeoHouston is going to be massive. What’s the most people you’ve played for to date?
A: The biggest I think was, like, 20,000. So 70,000 — that’s a big number, man. Wow. That’s crazy.
Q: What pops in your head when you hear the word “rodeo?”
A: I think about cowboys. I think I might ride in on a horse.
Q :Do you deal with nerves or stage fright at all?
A: I don’t really get nervous. It’s just something that I love to do.
Q: My World 2.0 is different from its 2009 counterpart.
A: I wanted to do something that was a little bit more R&B and that could reach out to everyone. I just wanted to be able to show my vocal abilities. Up is one of my favorites on the album. I like everything about it.
Q: You’re heading out on a massive tour this summer. What can fans expect?
A: I want to show that I love to perform. There are going to be some cool tricks, some electronic things that haven’t been seen before, for sure.
Q: How does it feel to be the king of Twitter? Your name is a daily trending topic.
A: It’s pretty crazy to think about and just to have all the fans’ support. Everything’s just been wonderful.
Q: My World 2.0 pairs you with Ludacris, Sean Kingston and you’ve worked with Usher (who helped sign Bieber to a deal). Who’s your next dream duet partner?
A: I would love to work with Beyoncé. She’s super-hot. She is gorgeous. She has a great voice. She’s an excellent performer.
Q: What’s been the coolest thing you’ve been able to do?
A: Probably perform for the president (Obama). And I got to present at the Grammys, which was amazing.
Q: Texas is newish territory for you. What do you know about the Lone Star State?
A: Chuck Norris. The answer is Chuck Norris. Never ask the question — because the answer is Chuck Norris.