Justin Bieber waves to the fans down below at the Edge radio station in Ponsonby. Photo / NZME.
Justin Bieber waves to the fans down below at the Edge radio station in Ponsonby. Photo / NZME.
Two passionate Tauranga Justin Bieber fans and their mums have been rewarded with a glimpse of their pop idol, following a wild all-day Bieber chase.
Mel Fisher, Michelle Penn Mitchell and their 15-year-old daughters Jade Fisher and Ella Mitchell travelled from Mount Maunganui in Tauranga for the occasion. When firstinterviewed yesterday, the group was staking out MediaWorks headquarters in Flower St, following a rumour that the young star was there to film an interview with Jono and Ben.
"We've driven up from the Mount, since we knew he was coming," said Ms Fisher.
"We've been here for two-and-a-half hours."
The girls had been "Bieber fans for years", she said, and they had attended his Vector Arena concert in 2013.
Said Ms Penn Mitchell, "Dedicated mothers man, we're taking work off to drive up here."
The group had visited the Victoria Park skate park - which Bieber visited and allegedly tagged in 2013 - as well as his rumoured accommodation at the SkyCity Grand and the MediaWorks studios.
Jade Fisher, left, 15, and Ella Mitchell, 15, went to Auckland just to get a glimpse of Justin Bieber as he made an appearance at Mediaworks studios in Ponsonby yesterday afternoon. Photo / NZME.
While on the hunt, the enthusiastic Bieber fans had even managed to make a few friends - who were all helping one another locate their idol, who appropriately has a recent song called Where Are U Now.
"We've been swapping numbers and making friends with all of his fans so they can text us from different locations," Ms Fisher said.
Chasing the pop star across Auckland had been "fun for the most part, but more for the kids than the mums", she said. But when the hunt seemed to be fruitless she was feeling "a little despondent".
However, the girls finally got their lucky break when they were tipped off that Bieber would be appearing at The Edge radio station in Ponsonby for an interview.
A crowd of around 150 mostly female fans was also lying in wait outside the studio - many of whom seemed to recognise one another from various locations around town.
When he finally arrived in a silver Audi, his heavily tattooed arm reaching into a box of sushi, the crowd went wild - but not too wild, thanks to Bieber's Snapchatted instructions on how best to approach him for a photograph.
As a glass-backed elevator carried him up to the studio, Jade and Ella finally got the glimpse they'd been waiting for.
And there were tears of joy all around, as fans got within centimetres of their idol.
"My heart's beating like a million miles an hour, like oh my god", said Ella with tears in her eyes. Said Jade: "He was just right there. There was only glass between us ... Oh my god.
Ella added: "I don't care what the security guards say, I'm going to go see him and touch him."
Due to the excitement of the moment, the conversation quickly degenerated into a series of "oh my gods", as both girls processed what had just happened.
Devonport boy Ben Fitchett, 14, who the girls had met at Victoria Park skate park, agreed their time had been well spent. "I can't believe we just saw him," he said. "I'm shaking."
Although they had all just met, they might meet up again at further Bieber-themed events, he said. "If they come up again, maybe we'll meet again for a little Bieber reunion."
And while they might have been a bit despondent at times, it was all worth it for the two dedicated mums at the end of the day.
"It was just amazing to see them experience something like that for the first time. It makes it all worth it," said Ms Penn Mitchell.
Bieber arrived in Auckland on Wednesday night in a private jet, and was later spotted enjoying a meal with his entourage at Sean Connelly's The Grill restaurant in Federal St.
Yesterday Bieber was photographed leaving an Auckland radio station, where he pulled a peace sign to waiting fans down below.
