Bieber’s superpower was his face’

‘Bieber’s superpower was his face’
L.A. Reid thought Justin Bieber was as "beautiful" as a woman when he was first introduced to the singer and admits his looks played a major role in him getting signed to Island Records in 2008.

Credit: AFP

Singer Justin Bieber and L.A. Reid at the Island Def Jam Spring Collection party at Stephen Weiss Studio on May 20, 2009 in New York City. Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Island Def Jam/AFP

The 59-year-old music mogul signed the 'Baby' hitmaker to Island Records in October of 2008 when Bieber was just 14 years old after being introduced to the Canadian pop star by Usher.

And in his new book 'Sing To Me', Reid recalls that first meeting with Bieber and admits he was as struck by his famous haircut and looks as he was his singing.

In the memoir, Reid reveals: "At four on the dot, Usher walked into my office with this adorable fourteen-year-old boy. This kid was beautiful, like a woman can be beautiful and men rarely are, and he turned it on as soon as he stepped into the room.

"I could see immediately that Justin's hair would be every bit as important as his songs, his voice, his face, or his presence. Justin was simply beautiful - his superpower was his face."

Reid is not the only person who has commented on Bieber's androgynous beauty.

'Orange is the New Black' actress Ruby Rose has noted the 21-year-old singer has a similar face to her own.

She said: "I hear that Justin gets asked a lot if he is Ruby Rose. It must be very frustrating for him."

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Eat Vegetarian, Live Longer?

People who eat a vegetarian diet live longer than those who eat meat, according to research published this week.

Researchers from Loma Linda University in California followed 73,308 members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which encourages a vegetarian diet, for almost six years. There were 12 percent fewer deaths among vegetarians over that period compared to meat-eaters, the researchers reported in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

Other studies have pointed toward similar connections, but this research analyzed a larger group of people. Specifically, researchers found that vegetarians were less likely to die from heart disease, diabetes and kidney failure.

“We can’t tell from this current paper with certainty, but one of the most plausible potential reasons contributing to this beneficial association is perhaps the absence or reduction of meat intake,” lead author Dr. Michael J. Orlich told TIME.

Or it could be that the consumption of certain plant foods has a protective effect, he said. Vegetarians also tend to be thinner. The total number of calories consumed in this study, however, didn’t appear to be linked to living longer.

So should you trade in that hot dog for a tofu variety? Perhaps, especially if you’re a man. The association between a vegetarian diet and death risk was much stronger for men than women, the researchers reported.

“People are confronted with all sorts of nutritional information, but the bottom line is, ‘How will your diet pattern affect your risk of dying?”‘ Orlich told The Wall Street Journal.

Image: iStockphoto

9/11: Your Stories and Ours

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Check out more personal stories from our readers, or add your own memory here: 9/11: What You Remember.

Bieber holds off RiRi on Billboard chart

Justin Bieber has again this week topped the US Billboard Artist 100 chart, beating out Rihanna who stormed to second place following the release of her new album 'ANTI' and accompanying lead single 'Work', featuring Drake.

Credit: REUTERS

Beck, Justin Bieber and Joan Jett watch the Saint Laurent fall collection fashion show at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California on February 10, 2016. Photo: REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

The chart measures artist activity across some of Billboard's most influential charts including Top Album Sales, the Social 50 and the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, blending data measuring album and track sales, streaming, radio airplay and social media fan interaction.

This is the sixth total week Bieber is at the summit of the chart, having remained in the top two since November 28 of 2015 when he first reached the top spot. Streaming gives him his biggest slice of Artist 100 points (25%) whilst radio airplay lands him 22% of his points and social reaction and song download sales gain him 21% of his points a piece.

Rihanna goes from 16 to find herself at number two, having previously found her peak at number 11 with 'ANTI' opening at number one on Top Album Sales, with 124,000 sold in the tracking week according to Nielsen Music.

Those sales account for 58% of her Artist 100 points, with digital sales at 30% and single 'Work' jumping by 23% to 156,000 downloads sold.

Adele has gone from two to three this week, whilst Drake holds strong at number four and Kevin Gates vaults 543% up from number 61 to number five, with album 'Islah' debuting at two on Top Album Sales (93,000).

ZAYN sits at number six, with twenty one pilots at seven, The Weeknd at eight and Sia at nine. Charlie Puth rounds out the top 10 in the 10th position, jumping from his position of 31 last week.

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