Justin Bieber: Coming of Age in the Lime Light (Photos +Videos)

These police booking mugs made available by the Miami Dade County Corrections Department show pop star Justin Bieber, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2014. Bieber and singer Khalil were arrested early Thursday for allegedly drag-racing on a Miami Beach Street. Police say Bieber has been charged with resisting arrest without violence in addition to drag racing and DUI. Police also say the singer told authorities he had consumed alcohol, smoked marijuana and taken prescription drugs. AP Photo/Miami Dade County Jail

This is a road walked down by too many in the past: Britney Spears (till she got her act together), Lindsay Lohan, Miley Cyrus, and now, Justin Bieber. 

His talent as a kid was undeniable. When his mom uploaded to YouTube home videos of him singing at the age of 12, he took the Internet by storm.  

This is how it looked like then. 

But fame came with a price. As the number of “true Beliebers” grew, a certain yellow liquid rose up to Bieber’s head, making him think he was invincible. Scroll down for a full photographic timeline of Justin Bieber’s coming of age in the lime light.  

 His early performances had a certain naivete and childish purity to them. It was adorable.

  

 And then everything became bigger. 

And bigger. 

 

 And then things went downhill ...

to the point that  he looked like a poor imitation of himself, or a Michael Jackson wannabe. 

 

And then, well, this happened...