Shannon Dorr, age 18, may be one of the world's biggest Justin Bieber fans. She has been supporting him since his initial claim to fame, and she has remained a constant fan throughout his various stages and music shifts. She has seen him multiple times, but his concert on March 15th in Sacramento is an experience she will never forget.
Dorr represents a fraction of the young adult Beliebers who love him for his good looks, upbeat, feel-good music, and his journey to fame. Dorr––who incidentally wears a tee shirt from his concert––was eager to discuss her experience.
Q: What initially drew you to Bieber?
A: "The face, the hair, the voice, it was just all so intriguing."
Q: How many times have you seen Justin Bieber, Shannon?
A: "Overall, l have seen him 10 times. I've seen him at seven concerts, two trips to the Ellen show, and once at the world premiere of his movie."
Q: What were those individual experiences like?
A: "The very first time I saw him was in 7th grade. He played at my radio station before his first album had actually been released and I went to see him. I always thought he was adorable, but I really hadn't anticipated how over time his music would inspire me and how I would grow to really support him.
The next time I saw him was on My World Tour. I was lucky enough to be able to see the concert twice! I went once in San Diego and again in Los Angeles. At the time, I was in 8th grade, and I was just so inspired by him. The tour happened just after he had released his first book, and so I had just learned about his struggles and the concert was a great experience to cement that.
After this, I saw him on "Ellen" twice. I won tickets from my local radio station to see him, and when I found out I was completely shocked! The experience was overwhelming; I cried the entire time, and it was extremely surreal. At one point he walked over to my area of the crowd and touched my hand. I couldn't breathe. Then I did not wash my hand for 13 days. When I showered I had to put a plastic bag over my hand to protect it.
When his Christmas album came out I decided to go crash the Ellen show as I knew he was appearing again. Somehow I got in, and again it was amazing, but no hand touch. Still unBeliebable.
Then the "Believe" tour happened, and there were two legs of the tour. In the first leg he didn't perform in San Diego, so I went to LA and saw both shows. It was amazing; I'll never forget it. I saw the second leg in San Diego. It was a little different but still... Mind-blowing.
And the most recent time was obviously last night in Sacramento! I danced a lot and screamed a lot! I was slightly disappointed he didn't play some older songs, but I love his new music and his new image that he has created since his last tour."
Q: The "Purpose" Tour itself features a lot of modern dancing, light shows, and super excited fans. What is something people don't know about Justin Bieber that you find interesting?
"A lot of people don't know that he actually plays the trumpet! He's all-around very talented."
Q: What inspires you about Justin?
A: "The way that he turned his life around. He overcame poverty, he makes me believe that I should never say never. His music is all about staying positive and strong through hardships, which is exactly what he himself has done throughout his life and career. He makes me believe that anything can happen, and of course, he has an incredible story."
Q: How long have you been a Belieber?
A: "Since I was in 6th grade, so it's been about seven years."
Q: What was last night's concert like for you overall?
A: "It was a very surreal experience, about every five minutes I would look back at myself and say, 'Wow, this is the real him' and I would pinch myself. As we drove into the arena, I looked at the ground and said to my friends, 'Wow, Justin Bieber actually rode on this road. Isn't that incredible?'"
A lot of people believe that Bieber's fans just love him for his looks or that all his fans are either middle-aged women and/or 12-year-olds. Dorr, however, represents a fraction of his fans that is rarely focused on. She loves his music because he inspired her and made her feel like there was a genuine connection between herself and Bieber through his music. Fans like Dorr will forever remain as a testament to his success in the music industry.
