Will YouTube Star Maxine Ashley Become the Next Justin Bieber?
Pharrell Williams has reportedly signed YouTube star Maxine Ashley to a record deal with Star Trak / Interscope. The announcement has since created comparisons between Maxine Ashley and Justin Bieber, who only a few years ago launched his career via YouTube after catching the attention of Usher and Justin Timberlake. Bieber, who is widely known as a teen heart-throb and pop sensation, ultimately signed with Usher. Maxine Ashley has what it takes to get noticed by the likes of Pharrell, so will she become the next Justin Bieber?
Maxine Ashley, who hails from the Bronx, credits hip hop, rap, pop, and soul music among her influencers on her official YouTube page. She’s turned heads with her covers of songs by the likes of Rihanna, Beyonce, Drake, Bruno Mars, and, yes, even Justin Bieber. To look at her is to know you’re dealing with a force to be reckoned with. She breaks conventions with her edgy style, which boasts half a head of bright pink hair and a plethora of jewelry. And she rocks it. In the summer of 2010, Ashley lent her vocals to Italian DJ Alex Guadino’s hit, “I’m in Love.” The song went to #1 on the UK Upfront Club Charts and earned its share of play in clubs all over.