YouTube Originals today announced it is partnering with global superstar Justin Bieber on his first-ever docuseries, “Justin Bieber: Seasons,” to premiere on Monday, January 27 at 12:00 p.m. ET / 9:00 a.m. PT. The series will bring Justin Bieber back to YouTube, where it all started, to give fans a full circle look at his life. Fans can tune in to “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2020” on ABC after the ball drop tonight for a preview of the series and a special message from Bieber himself.
“When I was getting started, YouTube provided me a platform and a community where I could share music, experiences and moments with my fans,” said Justin Bieber. “It feels great to partner with YouTube for this original documentary series. I want my fans to be part of this journey.”
“Justin Bieber’s courage as an artist is truly admirable and we are grateful he continues to share his inspiring story on YouTube,” said Susanne Daniels, Global Head of Original Content for YouTube. “As we aim to spotlight authentic struggles and real-life triumphs in our YouTube Originals, we are thrilled to add this special project to our 2020 slate.”
“Justin Bieber: Seasons” is an all-access, 10-episode original documentary series chronicling the making of Justin Bieber’s first album in four years. The show is a raw, powerful and intimate look at Bieber’s process of creating new music and the motivation for this new album told through the lens of his closest confidants, friends, collaborators and Bieber himself. The series will also feature a behind-the-scenes look at Bieber’s private life, including never-before-seen footage of his wedding to Hailey Bieber and his day-to-day alongside those in his inner circle. With brand new music scoring the episodes, Justin reflects on the highs and lows of growing up in the public eye as he invites his fans on the journey leading up to the release of the highly-anticipated and most personal album of his career. “Justin Bieber: Seasons” will premiere on Monday, January 27 at 12:00 p.m. ET / 9:00 a.m. PT, with new episodes premiering free with ads each Monday and Wednesday at noon ET. Fans can sign up for YouTube Premium to get early access to new episodes and watch the series ad-free.
“Justin Bieber: Seasons” is directed and executive produced by OBB Pictures’ Michael D. Ratner with photographer Joe Termini set to direct additional episodes. The documentary is produced by Bieber Time Films, SB Projects and OBB Pictures. Justin Bieber will serve as an executive producer. Scooter Braun, Allison Kaye and Scott Manson will serve as executive producers for SB Projects and Michael D. Ratner, Scott Ratner and Kfir Goldberg will serve as executive producers for OBB Pictures.
Susanne Daniels is Global Head of Original Content for YouTube. Alex Piper, Head of Unscripted, YouTube Originals and Cara Casey, Development Lead, YouTube Originals will oversee “Justin Bieber: Seasons” for the global platform.
The YouTube Originals docuseries will serve as a homecoming for Justin Bieber, who skyrocketed to fame in 2007 after he was discovered on the global platform. He is currently the most subscribed artist on YouTube (47.8 million subscribers), appears in six videos with over one billion views and has over 19 billion views on his Official Artist Channel.
As part of YouTube’s previously announced new programming strategy, for the first time, YouTube’s audience of 2 billion logged-in monthly users will have the opportunity to enjoy new YouTube Originals series and specials, including “Justin Bieber: Seasons,” for free with ads. YouTube’s subscription service, YouTube Premium, will continue to offer ad-free access to all YouTube Originals with all episodes available at once to binge. The news follows record growth for YouTube Originals, with total views of the full 2019 slate growing more than 40% compared to the year before.
The YouTube Originals partnership with Justin Bieber joins a robust slate of music and personality-focused original series and specials including “Coldplay: Everyday Life – Live in Jordan,” “How to Be: Mark Ronson,” “Almost Ready” with Shay Mitchell, “Taylor Swift – Lover’s Lounge (Live),” “Kevin Hart: What the Fit,” ”Liza on Demand” starring YouTube’s Liza Koshy, “MALUMA: Lo Que Era, Lo Que Soy, Lo Que Seré,” “Ariana Grande: Dangerous Woman Diaries” and “Demi Lovato: Simply Complicated.” Upcoming 2020 projects with top personalities include documentaries with Paris Hilton and Dude Perfect as well as season three of the hit scripted series, “Cobra Kai.” YouTube is also investing heavily in learning-driven original programming.
About Justin Bieber:
Grammy-winning global superstar Justin Bieber has amassed more than 50 billion streams and more than 60 million album equivalents worldwide over the course of his career. Justin’s Grammy-winning 2015 album PURPOSE sold over 21 million copies worldwide. As he looks ahead to the 2020 arrival of his 5th studio album, Bieber is once again ruling the airwaves and dominating the charts, as his recent collaboration with Ed Sheeran “I Don’t Care” hit #1 in 26 countries worldwide, Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy” – pushed over the top by a Bieber remix – reached #1 in the US, and “10,000 Hours” with Dan + Shay became the highest charting debut for a country song in the history of the Billboard Hot 100. In 2017, the Justin-led global smash “Despacito Remix” broke streaming records and became the most-viewed video of all time. Justin made chart history with “Despacito” and the DJ Khaled-collaboration “I’m The One” as the first artist ever to tally new No. 1s on the Hot 100 in consecutive weeks, Bieber’s fourth and fifth No. 1 singles. IN 2015, PURPOSE debuted at #1 in over 100 countries around the world, and garnered a Grammy nomination for Album Of The Year. PURPOSE shattered global streaming records and yielded three consecutive #1 singles in the US – “What Do You Mean,” “Sorry,” and “Love Yourself,” which received a Grammy nomination for Record Of The Year. In late 2015, all three tracks landed at #1, #2 and #3 on the UK singles chart, surpassing a record previously held by the Beatles and making Justin the first artist ever to accomplish such a feat. In February 2016, Justin won his first Grammy: Best Dance Song for the PURPOSE track “Where Are You Now.” Justin Bieber, whose career launched in 2009, with the RIAA 5x-platinum worldwide hit “One Time,” is the first artist to reach over 10 billion views on VEVO. In 2014, he was ranked by Twitter as the #1 most tweeted about musical artist of the year. He has released five #1 albums to-date, and has starred in two films: Never Say Never (2011) and Believe (2013). In 2011, he was nominated for the Best New Artist Grammy. In 2013, Justin received the RIAA Diamond award in recognition of his 2010 single “Baby” (12x-platinum in the U.S. alone) as the best-selling digital single of all-time.
About YouTube Originals:
YouTube Originals are award-winning, creative and engaging scripted and unscripted series and films across music, personalities and learning for fans all over the world. Spotlighting both YouTube creators alongside Hollywood’s biggest stars, YouTube Originals provide an experience that only YouTube can offer. By tapping into the platform’s growing global community, fan engagement capabilities, and innovative content mixed with pioneering live streamed specials, there is truly something for everybody. Fans experience YouTube Original content through ad-supported YouTube as well as YouTube Premium, a subscription service that offers access to YouTube Original series and movies, a streaming music platform, and an uninterrupted, ad-free experience across all of YouTube. YouTube Originals are available in nearly 80 countries worldwide.
About OBB Pictures:
Founded in 2016 by Michael D. Ratner, OBB Pictures is the TV, digital, and film arm of OBB Media. Ratner, alongside co-founder Scott Ratner and a team of talented storytellers, create scripted and unscripted projects for many distributors, with a portfolio of work spanning comedy, drama, sports, and music. The company’s most recent hits in 2019 alone include Netflix’s “Historical Roasts”; Kevin Hart’s “Cold As Balls”; ESPN+’s “The Harder Way” and many others. The Emmy award winning full-service production company has its offices and post-production facilities headquartered in West Hollywood, California. OBB Media is also the parent company to OBB Sound, OBB Branded and OBB Cares.
About SB Projects:
Founded by Scooter Braun, SB Projects is a diversified entertainment and media company with ventures at the intersection of music, film, technology, brands, culture, and social good. In addition to managing a roster of some of the biggest names in entertainment, including Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, J. Balvin, Idina Minzel, Demi Lovato, Karlie Kloss and Tori Kelly, SB Projects has grown their film and television division to include a robust slate of projects including the forthcoming comedy series “Dave” for FXX/Hulu, CBS’ “Scorpion,” “The Giver,” and “Never Say Never,” which remains one of the highest grossing music documentaries in domestic box-office history. The company also has several projects in active development including “Anna K” for HBOMax, an untitled K-Pop film for Fox, and the film “A Taste of Power” with award-winning filmmaker Chinonye Chukwu, among many others. In addition, SB Projects recently signed a multi-year, first-look television deal with Amazon Studios to develop scripted and unscripted projects.
