TORONTO — How does a 17-year-old pop star who gets mobbed by fans everywhere he goes keep his feet firmly on the ground?
“I have my mom around me all the time to keep me humble,” Austin Mahone said Friday. “She’s with me every day so she reminds me where I came from.”
Only three years ago, the Texas-born teen was posting homemade music videos on YouTube from his bedroom.
“The more I posted the more it just grew really, really big,” Mahone said on Global’s The Morning Show. “YouTube is a good way to show your talent because everybody’s watching and there are so many people who are looking for new talent out there.”
Now, with several hit singles to his name, he is working on his debut album and touring as opening act for superstar Taylor Swift. He’s followed by close to 3 million fans on Twitter and Facebook.
“I love it,” Mahone said of the attention he gets from fans — or Mahomies. “It’s amazing. It’s the best.”
Mom Michele is taking her son’s fame in stride.
“It doesn’t scare me because I’m with him and we have a great team around us,” she said. “So I’m not worried.”
She recalled nurturing Austin’s talent early on.
“He’s always been musically inclined, since he was six years old,” she said. “I encouraged it. I felt it was a great creative outlet for him. Never in a million years did I ever think that it would be where it is now, but it’s been a huge blessing.”
The young star — who lists Michael Jackson, Ne-Yo and Trey Songz as inspirations — is frequently and understandably compared to Justin Bieber. But Mahone said he looks up to another Justin.
“I definitely like Justin Timberlake,” he said. “I think he has that longevity that I want as well.”
Indeed, Mahone has big dreams for his future.
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