According to E!, it looks like Justin Bieber is the newest popstar to join the ranks of The X Factor. No, he won’t be a judge, but rather Bieber will appear as a celebrity mentor to the folks hoping to make it big as the next winner of the show.
E! goes on to say that multiple sources confirmed the news to them, and we’ve reached out to Bieber’s rep for comment, but the biggest piece of evidence seems to come from a tweet Biebs sent out to his 27 million followers (jeez this kid is popular, huh?) late on the 27th of August.
long day but great day. @la_reid @scooterbraun just like old times! thanks
— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) August 28, 2012
So what does this mean, really? Well as a celebrity mentor, Bieber will use his experience in the industry to guide the star-hopefuls into smart choices that will increase their odds of going far in the competition. Each of the main judges on the show is given a group of four contestants to oversee and advise, and this season sees the addition of the celebrity mentor (much like The Voice) to assist the judge during their house rounds with the competitors. By the sound of it, Bieber would be joining judge LA Reid‘s team. There is also talk of a Disney dynamic duo that would see Nick Jonas joining forces with Demi Lovato, though nothing is confirmed at this time.
The addition of Bieber is an interesting one. There’s no doubt that the kid knows how to handle his growing fame in the social media age, but his inexperience in the industry (no matter how many records he’s sold, he’s barely gone through puberty and only got into the big leagues a few years ago) could work against him.
That said, pop superstardom in the 21st century has a lot to do with handling the hyper-scrutiny one faces in the media (something judge Britney Spears knows a thing or two about, as hers is a cautionary tale), and Bieber’s handled that fairly well, all things considered. The real test will be how constructive and smart his musical critiques are when he meets with the contestants. It’s an interesting choice, but no doubt a smart one on the network’s part, as Bieber’s fans are known to be (putting it lightly) a bit rabid. And when you’re thinking about ratings, well, obsessive fans are always a good thing to have.
What do you think of Bieber as an addition to The X Factor team? Will you be tuning in this season? Sound off in the comments!
[Photo Credit: DailyCeleb]
Follow Alicia on Twitter @alicialutes
More:
New ‘X Factor’ Judges Britney Spears, Demi Lovato Show Their Teeth
‘Glee’ Star Kevin McHale Under Consideration for ‘The X Factor’ Host
