How Justin Bieber Boosted And Busted Iceland's Economy

In 2015, Justin Bieber released a music video for the track "I'll Show You." The footage features him performing at the Fjadrárgljúfu canyon in Iceland, which provides a stunning cinematic backdrop to the song. Bieber is seen walking on the canyon's towering dark rocks, running through its vast, lush fields, and taking in the beauty of its waterfall by swimming in his briefs as he reflects on the pressures of fame.

With more than 4.7 million views and counting, the music was a big draw, but it was the video's landscape that arguably stole the show. Iceland Environmental Ranger Oskar Ljundsen told NPR's The Indicator From Planet Money that Bieber "kind of" triggered the overcrowding at Fjadrárgljúfur. The canyon reportedly saw an uptick of about 1 million visitors after the release of "I'll Show You." Even after the canyon was closed, tourists continued to arrive, often disregarding signs and fences to get that perfect picture. According to Elle, the desire to walk the same ground as Bieber even prompted some fans to try bribing rangers to gain access.

When Bieber jetted off to Iceland to shoot his music video, he probably didn't imagine he was starting a new era at Fjadrárgljúfur — one measured in Before Bieber and After Bieber years, or B.B. and A.B, as Planet Money producer Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi joked.

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