Let’s discuss a violation that earned attention about the recent Coachella event around the Golden Rule.
Justin Bieber Allegedly Violates The Golden Rule as the Headliner of Coachella
Justin Bieber got fined for his Coachella performance because he allegedly violated the Golden Rule! That’s insane if true. You build up a resume like that and assume that fundamentals will never be the thing that makes your reputation take a hit. I’m sending a label rep specifically that has a sole job of making sure this is an area we’re covered in.
The Golden Rule Applied to Live Performances
For those unaware of what the golden rule, it means to do for others the same thing that they would do to you. It’s one of the core foundational principle of success.
We learn to apply this in our lives individually among each other, but what about when you’re sharing a stage with several other artists?
I believe the concept is the same, but there’s a slightly unique circumstance that happens in where you have to scale and even parallel the point.
I’m going off speculation and the muscle of my memory, but I recall Justin Bieber selling a portion of his catalog (masters specifically) to some of his greatest hits.
If that’s how it really went down then that’s where integrity should kick in.
I’m not saying Justin Bieber doesn’t have that by the way.
It’s simply judging things from a fair perspective. Put it this way: a label paid something close to $200 million and ultimately acquired the rights to songs he made. You don’t perform them then! He’s made music after that point, so give the new sounds a chance to get some spotlight.
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The golden rule applies here because you’re honoring the value of fund you acquired. That an equivalent exchange that should be honored.
I’ve came to the conclusion that it had to be that issue or not honoring the rules of the venue.
I’m going off the fact he headline, so there wasn’t anyone going on after him, but the location itself has what I’d believe to be strict guidelines. Your set has to end on time.
That’s another demonstration of exercising the golden rule. If you were putting on an event and wanna keep everything running smoothly, set times have to end as scheduled.
Fundamentals shouldn’t have to go out of style
It’s like Chucky said in the Bride of Chucky, “a true classic never goes out of style.” And that’s a quote I’ll mix into this message here.
Fundamentals are the basics and typically are the things that captivate prospects into a genuine interest in whatever was displayed. If we apply it to Bieber here with this Coachella performance, we’re discussing another artist here that has about 2 decades worth of history that many would easily label as successful.
I got a chance to watch the performance live on YouTube with my Music subscription. And could confirm that he shared his earlier work that revealed some of what’s considered the basics of success. He showed clips that included him working with mentors. The focus of the music proved he stayed concentrated on his own material. Love. That’s what I got out of it, and clearly the Coachella production team got that too. There were a few shots of him singing to his wife in the crowd.
I don’t wanna yap, but if this would be a direct message to Justin Bieber, it would be to stick to the methods that got him to Headlining such a prestigious event. You sold that work which you performed, so you have to let it go.
I’ve mentioned on other platforms how intellectual property can easily be leveraged.
That’s where some of your greatest work should be cherished, but incorporate more of that forward motion mindset. If you need insurance in that it’ll work again, let’s take a moment to reflect on Pareto’s Principle: that earlier work got you up to that point. It’s your job as an A list celebrity to find the time to revisit what sparked that fire and duplicate it (if you got it in you to do it again).
Final Thoughts
Justin Bieber is an incredible artist that even my Aunt would likely agree with as being my “+1” for that live Coachella event.
There’s things that might not be public about this claim exactly, but once a success rule got alleged to be violated, I felt compelled to speak up.
Call this criticism if you want, but at least allow me to add that it’s constructive too!
If there was a lesson out of this, I’d want it to be that it’s much more trickier to apply the Golden Rule when you have an individual that’s a brand combined with the likes of a high end event. There has to be a happy medium that could be satisfied in a situation like this, but these are my thoughts. And as an artist myself, this was one of the toughest things I had to do yet.
Interesting topic that highlights how even top performers are still expected to follow basic principles and standards. I’ve seen that talent and success may open doors, but respect, discipline, and accountability are what help sustain long-term success. In my opinion, rules should apply to everyone equally, no matter how famous or accomplished they are. Do you think high-level performers face harsher consequences because of their visibility, or should they be held to an even higher standard?
This article raises an important point about how even highly skilled performers can struggle when they ignore fundamental principles that contribute to long-term success. I found the discussion especially interesting because it shows that talent alone is often not enough without consistency, discipline, and accountability.
One question I had while reading is whether you think these kinds of setbacks are more often caused by external pressure and stress, or by overconfidence after reaching a certain level of success. It would also be interesting to hear whether the same patterns tend to appear across different industries and professions, not just among high-level performers in competitive fields. Thank you for sharing such a thought-provoking article.
Great article. I really appreciate how you connected high-level performance with basic success principles like respect, discipline, accountability, and the Golden Rule. It’s easy to assume that once someone reaches a certain level of fame or success, the fundamentals no longer matter as much — but in reality, those basics become even more important because more people are watching.
I also like the point about honoring agreements, timing, ownership, and the overall structure of an event. Whether someone is an artist, entrepreneur, athlete, or leader, long-term success is not just about talent. It’s about character, consistency, and respecting the people and systems that helped create the opportunity.
This was a thoughtful reminder that no one outgrows the principles that helped them succeed in the first place. Thanks for sharing such a helpful perspective.
You made a good point about fundamentals still mattering even when someone reaches the top level. A lot of artists probably think success gives them more freedom to ignore basic rules, but audiences and event organizers still expect professionalism. I also think your point about selling music rights was interesting because most people never think about that side of the business.
Do you think fans care about those ownership issues though, or do they just wanna hear the classic songs no matter who owns them? And if an artist sells their catalog, should there actually be limits on performing those songs live later on?