Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez – Pop's perfect tween power couple or straight up publicity stunt?

He was every teenage girl’s dream crush, and she was the perfect Disney princess, but all that pressure sure didn’t lead to any diamonds for Jelena.

The meteoric rise of Canadian popstar Justin Bieber became the blueprint for a new kind of fame: plucked from obscurity thanks to home videos posted on YouTube, Justin became a best-selling sensation overnight. It’s the dream, right?

Maybe... if your dream is to be completely unrelatable, to grow up under the scrutiny of millions, and for nearly every adult in your life to rely on you to make their living. At least Justin’s first serious girlfriend, Disney star Selena Gomez, had a cohort of famous friends who’d grown up in the same circumstances and knew what a toll that spotlight could take.

Selena was probably the first person who truly understood what Justin was experiencing. So, it tracks that his notorious string of public mishaps – including leaving his pet monkey at a German airport and drag racing while under the influence – began not long after the pair’s first breakup.

Did Justin need Selena more than she needed him? Or did his astronomical fame help shed Selena’s wholesome teen actor reputation?

In this episode of Hooked, Hitched & Hung Up, Britt and Laura turn the spotlight on America’s pop power couple, who started out sweet as pie and ended up brawling in Instagram comments and thinly veiled song lyrics.

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Hooked, Hitched & Hung Up is an iHeartPodcasts Australia, Deadset Studios and the KIIS network.

Hosted by Laura Byrne and Britt Hockley.

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