Austin Mahone is the new rising star in the music world. The 16-year-old San Antonio native has been posting youtube videos since he was 14 to show off his singing talents. He  sings a variety of  songs from “I’m Yours” by Jason Maraz to Justin Bieber. He became famous in 2011 and released his first single “11:11.”

One of his newest songs, “Say You’re Just a Friend” featuring Flo Rida, shows a suave quality. The song is catchy, upbeat and has good lyrics. During the chorus Mahone shows off by singing higher, which makes him sound like Kidz Bop. In the parts featuring Flo Rida, the lyrics really didn’t make any sense. After looking at the lyrics, the song makes a little sense, but it is hard to decipher what he is saying in the context of the song. Nevertheless, Mahone has swept up a following of teenage fans called Mahonies.

It is easy to make connections with Mahone’s music. The melody or lyrics trigger a feeling that opens one’s ears. If you are happy, listen to a song that makes you happy, if you are sad, you sometimes listen to a song that reflects your sorrow. Music is like looking in a mirror. It reflects our emotions. The lyrics: “I wanna be your everything, I want to be the one you need, So tell me where ya’ been all my life, Gonna make you mine tonight,” can make any girl feel special. When girls hear this, they start dreaming of Mr. Perfect. The song has a pop/hip-hop feel, alternating between Mahone’s boyish singing and Flo Rida’s rap. It’s a light song that is just fun to listen to.

Many comparisons can be made between Mahone and Justin Bieber. First of all, they both started posting youtube videos of themselves singing, and that is how they got discovered. Secondly, in the video for “Say You’re Just a Friend,” he dresses very similar to JB with his wide brim cap and earrings.

The only difference is that Mahone a breath of fresh air for some people. Justin Bieber has made two careers for himself, before his voice change and after. But now, Bieber is 19 and all grown up in the eyes of some, Mahone could be the next big thing. According to  Wikipedia, Mahone has been called the “second coming of Justin Bieber”. Who knows, maybe the two will record a song together.