Fourteen year-old superstar Dom Innerella rose to fame on TikTok after posting clips of his song “Bout Me.” On March 23, that hit single reached just over a million streams. This sudden rise in popularity has many comparing him to Justin Bieber, but is it only how their voices sound?
Justin Bieber gained traction in 2009 when he was only 15 years old. Bieber went from being a normal hockey player in Canada to an overnight sensation. Bieber was discovered by talent manager Scooter Braun, and quickly started working with many other big names in Hollywood, one of the most renowned being Usher.
Gaining recognition so young, Bieber has faced many challenges, including substance abuse and mental health disorders. Recently, many fans have been worried about Bieber’s state of mind and safety due to absurd posts on his Instagram. With fans worried and watching how his story played out, many have focused on Innerella to see if these patterns will repeat themselves.
Sean John “Love” Combs, also known as Diddy, worked closely with Bieber and other big artists, including Usher in the late 2000s and early 2010s. Combs was arrested in Sept. 2024 and charged with multiple offenses, including sex trafficking and racketeering.
Combs worked with Bieber primarily at a young age, much like the current age of Innerella. Now that the information about Combs is public, this is another reason people suspect Bieber is publicly spiraling.
On March 3, Innerella posted a TikTok of him singing for Usher in a studio setting. Knowing the history Bieber has with Usher, fans are wondering why Innerella would decide to work with someone who was associated with Combs.
If Innerella continues to work with artists that Bieber has worked with, I think that Innerella could follow a similar path. While being a star so young is inspiring, where is the line drawn? When do parents need to step in to make sure their kids are given the opportunity to have a normal childhood? I think fame is something that everyone wants, but not many can handle the pressure that comes with it.
I will be interested to see how Innerella handles the fame and what he does with it. What is going to be done going forward to protect young artists and make sure that history doesn’t repeat itself?
The opinions desk can be reached at opinions@ubspectrum.com
