Selena Gomez (A to Z )

A former fixture in the Disney universe of TV shows, movies and music, Selena Gomez has since made a name for herself as a solo artist and philanthropist.

Synopsis:

Born on July 22, 1992, in Grand Prairie, Texas, Selena Gomez got her start in show business with a two-year run on the kids' show Barney and Friends. After a few bit parts in movies, Gomez guest starred on the Disney Channel's The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and Hannah Montana. In 2007, she was cast as the lead for Wizards of Waverly Place, and in 2009 she released the pop album Kiss & Tell. Other projects over the years include the 2013 film Spring Breakers and the 2015 album Revival, with single "Good for You."

Early Life and Acting Career:

Selena Marie Gomez was born in Grand Prairie, Texas, on July 22, 1992, to Amanda Cornett and Ricardo Gomez. Her mother, commonly known as Mandy, gave birth to Gomez at the age of 16.
Gomez began her career in show business in 2001 when she performed on the popular children's program Barney & Friends as Gianna. Dropped from the series after two years, Gomez auditioned for other shows without much success. She landed a small role in the movie Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over in 2003 and a bit part as Julie on Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire in 2005. She also signed on to play Emily Grace Garcia in Brain Zapped in 2006, and even recorded a song for the show.
In 2006, Gomez guest starred as Gwen in The Suite Life of Zack & Cody on the Disney Channel. Earning more work from Disney, Gomez was tapped to play the evil Mikayla for the Hannah Montana series. She then landed her first starring role when the channel cast her as Alex Russo in the show Wizards of Waverly Place in 2007. The hit series ran until 2012.
In 2008, Gomez made her first animated movie, Horton Hears a Who!, and starred in the ABC Family movie Another Cinderella Story with fellow Disney Channel actor Andrew Seeley. Selena filmed two projects for the Disney Channel Original Movie franchise as well. The first was Princess Protection Program, released in 2009 and also starring Demi Lovato. Later in 2009, she starred in Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie.

Growing Music Career:

Along with her acting, Gomez focused on her burgeoning music career by recording a cover of "Cruella de Vil" for DisneyMania 6 in 2008. She also recorded three tunes for the soundtrack to her movie Another Cinderella Story and a song for the animated movie Tinker Bell. Other feature film contributions included the single "One and the Same" for Princess Protection Program as a duet with Lovato, as well as four songs for the soundtrack to Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie.
In 2008, Gomez signed a record contract with Hollywood Records and began working on her debut album, Kiss and Tell, which was released in September 2009. Gomez also had a cameo in the Jonas Brothers' music video for the single "Burnin' Up," released in 2008.

Recent Projects:

In 2012, Gomez performed the voice of Mavis in the animated film Hotel Transylvania. She then starred alongside James Franco and Vanessa Hudgens, among others, in Harmony Korine's comedic crime thriller Spring Breakers (2013). That same year, Gomez co-starred with Ethan Hawke in the action thriller Getaway. She also continued to pursue her musical career, releasing Stars Dance in 2013 and a greatest hits collection, For You, in 2014. That same year Gomez was featured in the comedy Behaving Badly, with Mary-Louise Parker.
Gomez returned to the charts with the single "Good for You" in the summer of 2015, and in October of that year released her fifth album, Revival. She also contributed vocals to Hotel Transylvania 2, released that fall as well, and joined the cast of Season 9 of The Voice as a mentor for Gwen Stefani's team.

Personal Life:

Outside of acting and music, Gomez has served as a spokesperson for Borden Milk, appearing in the organization's advertising campaign and print ads. She also worked on a campaign that encouraged teenagers to learn more about the 2008 presidential candidates. A longtime supporter of UNICEF, Gomez became one of the organization's ambassadors in 2009, and works to help the world's children through her C.A.N. (Charity, Action, Now) initiative.
In early January 2014, it was reported that Gomez had been battling Lupus—an autoimmune disease that can cause facial swelling, fatigue, headaches and joint pain—for more than two years. She was officially diagnosed with the disease in 2012.
After first meeting in 2009, Gomez eventually entered into an on and off again relationship with fellow pop star Justin Bieber.

Justin Bieber ( A to Z )

Justin Bieber is a Canadian pop star who was discovered via YouTube. His debut album, My World, went platinum in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Synopsis:

Born in 1994 in Stratford, Ontario, Canada, to a single mother, Justin Bieber took second place in a local talent competition at a young age and later turned into a YouTube phenomenon. He signed a record contract with Usher and became the first solo artist to have four singles enter the Top 40 before the release of a debut album. His album My World has gone platinum in several countries, though he later experienced a ton of media exposure resulting from offensive activity. He nonetheless made his comeback in 2015 with his first No. 1 song, "What Do You Mean?"

Childhood:

Born on March 1, 1994, in the small town of Stratford, Ontario, Canada, Justin Bieber was raised by a single mom. Bieber, whose debut album, My World, hit stores in November 2009, is a true overnight success, having gone from an unknown, untrained singer whose mother posted YouTube clips of her boy performing, to a budding superstar with a big-time record deal, all in just two years.
Bieber always had an interest in music. His mother gave him a drum kit for his second birthday and, as he tells it, he was "basically banging on everything I could get my hands on."

YouTube Sensation:

But it was an obscure talent contest in his hometown, in which the 12-year-old Bieber finished second that put him on the road to superstardom. As a way to share his singing with family, Justin and his mom began posting clips of Bieber performing covers of Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson and Ne-Yo on YouTube.
Within months, Justin was an Internet sensation, with a large following of fans and an eager manager arranging for the teenager to fly to Atlanta to consider a record deal. There, Bieber had a chance meeting with Usher, who eventually signed the young singer to a contract.

Hit Album: 'My World':

Bieber's first single, "One Time," went certified platinum in his native Canada shortly after its release in May 2009. His album My World matched that success, selling more than 137,000 copies within a week of hitting stores. Bieber broke into the Billboard Top 10 in early 2010 with "Baby," which also featured rapper Ludacris. Bieber soon released My World 2.0 (2010), which offered his growing fan base ten new songs.
In 2011, Bieber took to the big screen in the concert documentary Never Say Never. His fans crowded movie theaters to catch him in action on stage and get a glimpse of his life behind the scenes. The movie, which eventually earned more than $73 million at the box office, also had guest appearances by Kanye West, Miley Cyrus and Bieber's musical mentor Usher. That same year, Bieber released an album featuring his own take on such holiday classics as "All I Want For Christmas Is," his duet with Mariah Carey.
Bieber had another hit single in April 2012 with "Boyfriend," which appeared on his album Believe.

Courting Controversy:

While still only in his teens, Bieber survived his first public scandal. A woman filed suit against Bieber in 2011, claiming that he was the father of her child. But a DNA test proved that the young pop star was not the father and the woman dropped her lawsuit. Bieber sang about the scandal in the song "Maria."
That was only the beginning of a string of scandals, bad behavior and unfavorable press for the young pop artist, though he did manage to have another Top 10 hit with the party anthem "Beauty and a Beat," featuring Nicki Minaj. In March 2013, Bieber's neighbor accused the singer of spitting on him, in addition to making threatening comments. Two months later, denizens of Bieber's neighborhood in Calabasas, California, complained about that he was driving too fast in a residential area.
On April 15, 2013, Bieber visited a museum in Amsterdam that paid tribute to Anne Frank. Upon writing that the young journalist "would have been a Belieber," he faced more backlash from the public. On July 9, 2013, his image was scrutinized once again after he was recorded urinating in a janitor's bucket and yelling "F--- Bill Clinton," holding a photo of the former president. Although he later apologized, his previously squeaky clean image began to tarnish even more.
On January 14, 2014, Bieber's home in California was searched after he was accused of egging a neighbor's house. Nine days later, Bieber was arrested for suspicion of drag racing and driving under the influence. After a Breathalyzer test showed that Bieber wasn't sober, he was taken into custody where he stayed until he posted bail, which was set at $2,500. The charges however were reduced to only resisting arrest.

First No. 1 Single and Grammy:

After being featured in a prominent Calvin Klein ad, Bieber was able to make a big comeback in 2015, nailing a summer Top 10 hit with the Diplo and Skrillex collaboration "Where Are Ü Now." Then in October, Bieber landed his first No. 1 single with "What Do You Mean?," with both tracks helmed by R&B songwriter Poo Bear. The following year, Bieber landed his first Grammy, winning for "Where Are Ü Now" in the category of Best Dance Recording.

Personal Life:

Teen idol Justin Bieber broke the hearts of many of his young female fans in 2010 when he started dating television actress and singer Selena Gomez. It wasn't easy for Gomez to be Bieber's girlfriend, as she was accosted by some of his devoted followers. There were even death threats posted against her on Twitter after the pair was photographed kissing while on a 2011 vacation. The couple ended their relationship in November 2012.