Justin Bieber: The Next Michael Jackson? [PHOTOS]

In an exclusive Maclean's magazine interview, pop superstar Justin Bieber expressed his desire of being nothing less than the next Michael Jackson. It seems that being a heartthrob is not enough for the 18-year-old Canadian singer but can he step up to the plate?

"That's where I want to be. I don't just want to be a teen heartthrob. We use Michael as a template. The things that he did for his career, a lot of the times it was good, some of the times it was bad but he was successful from being young to being old. That's what I want to get to. I don't want to grow up and lose my young fans singing inappropriate music," Bieber stated.

With a solid confidence and ambition to succeed, Justin Bieber admitted his awareness on how uncertain teenage stardom can be for his music career.

"Now I'm at the top. There's only one way to go and it's down. That gives me the motivation to stay on top and keep pushing. I grew up with a really competitive side, playing sports like basketball, hockey and soccer. I don't want to be second-best, third-best or fourth-best. I want to be the best. That takes a lot of dedication and hard work. You gotta have plans," Bieber explained.

"We have this running thing called What Would Michael Do? It's not that Justin wants to be Michael Jackson. But his thing is, if Michael was the greatest, then why not look to him? You're supposed to study the greats, their successes and failures," Justin Bieber's manager, Scooter Braun, said.

Singer Usher produced Justin Bieber's album "My World" which made him the first ever music artist to chart seven singles on the Billboard's Hot 100 with a debut album. In 2011, the biopic-concert movie "Justin Bieber: Never Say Never" earned $73 million at the North American box office record for the concert film. With his third studio CD "Believe" released, Justin Bieber has already sold 15 million albums. In February 2013, Justin Bieber will release a song that will shock his fans. "Think of the wildest thing you can think of and think: more," Braun said.