The 2011 TIME 100

From the minute I met Justin, I knew this kid possessed a certain confidence that only a star could have. He was born a star. He knew what he wanted to accomplish; all he had to do was get everyone else to believe it. Now, looking back at his incredible run, the reality of who he is and what he's accomplished far exceeds anybody's expectations of him. What's interesting and will keep the world watching is that at the same time he's having this incredible success, he's like any other kid living a normal life. It's like our vocal coach "Mama" Jan Smith tells us: You gave up normality a long time ago for spectacular — not many people can be that, so enjoy it. And you know what? Stay tuned, because his story will get even better.

Usher is a Grammy-winning recording artist