That time Justin Bieber almost died

Sure, Justin Bieber has been having a pretty great 2015 — what with his well-reviewed new album, naked Instagram shenanigansand apparent career comeback — but it turns out thattwo years ago things we a lot more dire. And to hear manager Scooter Braun tell it, we don’t know how close we came to losing Bieber for good.

Braun tells the New York Times that he was worried the stress of Bieber’s schedule and life on the road could prove fatal, especially after the release of the “Journals” album. “He wanted to tour, and I honestly at that time felt, if he toured, he could die,” Braun says.“It was far worse than people realize.And when he is ready, he will tell what he was going through. But it’s a hard thing to watch someone you care [about] and genuinely love go through that. I’m really, really happy that’s over.”

OK fine, but while we wait for Bieber to feel like the time is right to cash in on his near-death experience, can we at least entertain ourselves with some good old baseless speculation about what exactly it was he was getting himself up to? All that drag racing, maybe? Or perhaps a crippling Go-Gurtaddiction. My money’s on a secret underground YouTube-created star fight club, where his fierce rivalry with Rebecca Black nearly destroyed him. What do you think?

Follow Ned Ehrbar on Twitter: @nedrick