K-pop
Taemin 'saw himself reflected' in Justin Bieber’s emotional Coachella display
Taemin really wants to "root for" Justin Bieber as he believes it would have been "hard" for him to revisit his struggles growing up in the spotlight at Coachella.
Taemin says Justin Bieber’s Coachella appearance struck a deeply personal chord, revealing he “saw himself reflected” in the pop star’s emotional performance.
The SHINee singer — who has spent more than half his life in the spotlight — explained that watching Bieber duet with footage of his younger self brought up memories of his own early career and the pressures that came with it.
He told Billboard: "As I watched [the performance], I felt like I would be reacting to it differently than anyone else. I really saw myself reflected. Of course, the language and the country are different, but I also look back at my younger self through videos. I can't say anything, but I watch on the sidelines.
"I think Justin Bieber likely felt those similar emotions and portrayed them on stage. I just really want to root for him. I thought that it must've been so hard. All that attention, as grateful as you are for it, was probably really difficult for one person to shoulder. And despite this, through good music, he has continued to inspire. I want to thank him for that."
Taemin also opened up about the artists who shaped his own ambitions, saying he grew up wanting to follow in the footsteps of icons like Michael Jackson and David Bowie.
Speaking about comparisons to Jackson, he said: "I dreamed of becoming a musician like him. I was very influenced by him — you follow what you like, and it becomes part of you… What fan is as successful as me? To have our stage outfits be displayed together feels like a dream."
And on Bowie’s multi‑disciplinary legacy, he added: "Whether it's an artist like David Bowie or with fashion, art is something you experience with all five senses… I want people to think about me — to say this, this feeling, is like Taemin."
