LOS ANGELES - Justin Bieber didn't betray any signs of disappointment after losing out on his first two Grammy nominations.
The 16-year-old from Stratford, Ont., bounded backstage and crashed Usher's session with the assembled media, jumping on the elder singer's back while clad in a white tuxedo and black bow-tie.
He had been nominated for best new artist and best pop vocal album, failing to win either award. But he was entirely upbeat afterwards.
"What's up everybody? Sorry to interrupt!" the energetic, mop-topped Canuck said.
Wasn't he upset to be going home empty-handed?
"I had a great night, we performed, I got to perform with my mentor, which is amazing, and yeah, that's really all I got to say," Bieber said.
Some of Bieber's notoriously fervent fans, however, might not be so forgiving.
His fanatical followers were already in a tizzy all day about his nominations -- in fact, "#grammerforbieber" was a trending topic worldwide on Twitter before the pre-telecast even began.
They got their Bieber fix about an hour into the show when the singer took the stage sporting a slightly more grown-up look -- no purple anywhere to be found, he instead wore black head-to-toe, with a leather jacket, a long chain around his neck and shiny boots.
Bieber began his segment strumming an acoustic guitar while Usher watched a few feet away -- exactly mimicking a 2007 archival clip shown overhead, in which a 13-year-old Bieber (proudly clad in a Toronto Maple Leafs sweater) serenaded Usher with his own song, "U Got It Bad."
The teen sensation then strutted through a performance of his "Never Say Never" (also the title of his new 3D documentary, which hauled in millions upon millions of bucks at the box office this weekend), joined by "Karate Kid" star Jaden Smith, before Usher took over with his stomping hit "OMG."
Bieber wasn't done. He joined his hero for the climax of the tune, with the pair showing off some co-ordinated dance moves before posing together for the finish.
But then came the losses.
First, Bieber lost to Lady Gaga for best pop vocal album. Then, a relatively unknown -- compared to Bieber, anyway -- jazz singer from Portland named Esperanza Spalding provided one of the evening's surprises by claiming the best new artist award.
Still, Bieber wished her well after the show.
"I'm really happy for her," he said. "Hopefully she has a good year."
Usher -- himself a two-time Grammy winner this year -- similarly handled Bieber's loss in stride.
"I would have preferred if Justin Bieber had won best new artist, but I've been here before and didn't win, and I thought I might have won that year but didn't," said Usher, who signed Bieber and has helped steer his career.
"But it's a testimony to continue to be an incredible artist and make great music, and he will.
"His fans define who he is as an artist. His musical journey is a part of his story and as he gets older, he'll tell it and hopefully we'll be back here again."
When Spalding got backstage, she was asked about incurring the wrath of Bieber's fans after she beat out the young artist.
"I didn't beat him," she corrected. "He sold more records than me -- did he beat me?
"We're doing our thing in our respective fields and he's unquestionably a talented young man ... so his fans will be getting lots more CDs to sink their teeth into."
"And he has great hair and I have great hair."
Typically, artists don't bother coming backstage unless they win a Grammy -- and even then, many still don't venture back unless they win ALL the awards for which they were nominated.
But Bieber seemed to be in a social mood. He stuck around and decided to field a range of questions, and he offered one tidbit that will prove tantalizing for his fans north of the border.
He was asked about a rumour that he had purchased a house in L.A., which he denied. He was then queried on what exactly was keeping him in Atlanta, where he is based.
"I have a lot of friends now in Atlanta that I've made, but I don't really know," he said.
"I think that I might move back to Canada."
He was ushered out before he could provide specifics on his plans, but not after answering a bevy of other questions.
What does he do with his money?
"I have a business manager. That just basically sums up that question."
Does he think the "Bieber fever" still exists?
"It's an epidemic -- no, I'm just kidding. ... I'm not the one that made it up, so talk to my fans."
Where does he picture himself in 10 years?
"I'm going to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of you asking me that question."
But he didn't want to stop at such a pithy response. He said he was just kidding, then answered the question more politely.
"In 10 years, I see myself still doing music and still being musical and making songs and pleasing my fans."
