Justin Bieber sure can keep a secret. The 20-year-old and teen star Austin Mahone have been working on new music together.
The news was revealed via an Instagram photo of Bieber, Mahone, Cash Money founder Birdman, and YMCMB president-rapper Mack Maine in a recording studio together, posted earlier today.
All of the crew — Birdman, Bieber, Maine and Austin’s manager Rocco Valdes — stamped the picture du jour with personal messages.
“New music #YMCMB,” Bieber captioned his photo, while Birdman trilled, “Studio flow with tha yung future of music get ready YMCMB,” before linking to the others.
Maine wrote , “Young kings in the building… @austinmahone and@justinbieber #AYC.”
Hours later, Mahone enthused on his accounts , “What an amazing song last night..The world isn’t ready!@justinbieber.”
While on Twitter and Instagram , Valdes shared,
In the studio making hits @AustinMahone x @justinbieber http://t.co/fubChcgeTT
— Rocco Valdes (@RoccoValdes) April 2, 2014
Needless to say, Twitter erupted as Beliebers and Mahomies tagged the picture across the social network amid speculation about the collaboration, inevitably sending Bieber’s “New Music #YMCMB” soaring on Twitter’s worldwide trending topics .
We’ll admit here at IQ we had to check the date on our computers to make sure it wasn’t still April Fool’s Day.
But, apart from tabloid rumors about Mahone getting up close with a certain Selena Gomez , which would have certainly nixed any kind of musical meet with Bieber, the “ Baby ” singer’s relationship with the YMCMB family goes back.
As per MTV , when Busta Rhymes signed with Cash Money he recorded a Christmas song with Bieber in 2011. A year later, it was Nicki Minaj who featured on his 2012 Believe album with the hit “ Beauty and a Beat.” Come 2013, rapper Lil Wayne jumped on “ Backpack ,” and Tyga lent his deadpan charms to “ Wait for a Minute .”
For a New York minute it looked as if Mahone might have posted a snippet of whatever was being brewed up between him and Bieber when Austin tweeted a series of messages last night.
“I have a surprise for you guys… I know you guys are excited for my album… So I wanna give you guys 1 song off of it to give you a little taste of what you’re gonna hear!” he teased, before sharing a link to a YouTube video.
As it turns out, it was an April Fools as Mahomies soon discovered when 80’s Brit star Rick Astley’s tenor tones on the 1987 hit “ Never Gonna Give You Up ” played.
What an amazing song last night..The world isn’t ready! @justinbieber http://t.co/ICxqXKW589
— Austin Mahone (@AustinMahone) April 2, 2014
For the moment not much is known about the session. But, among our fevered questions, there are these:
Was Bieber there as a singer, or a songwriter as his manager Scooter Braun’s tweet hints — or both? Did Austin spontaneously break out into song and dance because he finally got to work with the artist he’s long admired, and just how much swag can one studio take?
I had a dream last night that I met @justinbieber and we hung out and then I sang for him, then we became best buds and he became my mentor.
— Austin Mahone (@AustinMahone) December 4, 2011
We want answers Bieber and Mahone . And yes, the “world probably isn’t ready!”
(Photo: Birdman, Maine, Mahone and Bieber in a recording studio.)