23 Rare Photos Showing Pop Stars Before Their Fame

Pop stars live in such a special bubble that it is almost hard to see them as actual human beings. They seem to have limitless money, infinitely cool jobs, flawless skin, and a smile that blinds the cameras. How can we ever live up to how they are? Well, have no fear. With a little bit of digging for dirt we managed to find 23 shots of our favorite pop stars from before they were famous. These photos will humble them as much as they will remind you of the origins that they came from. Keep on reading, listed below are 23 rare photos showing pop stars before the fame.

Adam Levine

Adam Levine may currently be the biggest male popstar on the planet. His work with Maroon 5 as well as his solo stuff has been blowing fans away for years. His fame got even larger with a media crossover into television as he became a beloved member of the judging crew on The Voice. It’s nice to see that this famous heart throb came from at least mildly more humble circumstances. On the left we can see that Adam Levine was once just a regularly ultra handsome 20 something year old like we…wished we could have been.

Gwen Stefani

Gwen Stefani may have left doubters in the past with her musical prowess and stunning good looks, but things weren’t always so simple for the pop star. This photo showcases a more natural Stefani showing off blonde hair with highlights, a white tank, and a backwards ball cap. It’s hard to imagine that such a world wide star could come from such normal beginnings.

Britney Spears

Britney Spears, for a moment in time, was the biggest star on the planet. Her evocative music videos mixed with her Disney ‘girl next store’ chic was enough to make every woman want to be her and every man want to be with her. This photo showcases Spears looking every bit the normal girl next store, albeit with world sensation good looks. Now Spears is still going but she’s definitely tamed herself down a little bit.

Shakira

Her hips never lied but her new look definitely doesn’t tell the whole story! This photo showcases a rare, all natural, completely different looking Shakira. We honestly had to do a spit take when this photo popped up, it’s almost hard to believe that they are the same person.

Drake

Drake is probably the coolest dude on the planet right now but there is no denying that this old photo does not do him any favors. Drake looks a little bit like a less cool young Obama on the left. Whatever, those looks got him to television and now he’s got Views from the top for miles and miles.

Amy Lee

Amy Lee is the lead singer of the rock band Evanescence and this is one of the rare times that the celebrity looks exactly the same in both pictures. Of course, on the right we have a spruced up Amy Lee but we can definitely see where her past would lead her too. Total rock star chick from beginning to end.

Katy Perry

Katy Perry went from a dyed blonde gospel singer to the world wide sensation famous for I Kissed a Girl. The transformation was palpable and now Perry is living on killer hooks and sex appeal. Can you blame her?

Celine Dion

Celine Dion may have sung about her heart moving on, but there is no moving on from this before/after picture. Young Celine Dion is filled with that goofy, lovable charm that would slowly be erased in favor of the pop star essence that she oozes today. What a transformation!

Kylie Minogue

From 80s glam hair to modern day alt rock chick, Kylie Minogue looks as good as ever — if a little more Hollywood. The 80s and 90s were a terrible time for fashion and these photos will live on forever.

Enrique Iglesias

Enrique Iglesias can still make hearts melt just by flashing a smile so it doesn’t surprise us that he was a scene stealer as a kid. This photo shows an adorable Enrique chilling out on a beach, probably no older than 10 – 12 years old. Man, those genes!

Ozzy Osbourne

On the left we have a rock star and on the right we have a rock star after a ton of drug usage. We love you Ozzy, but drugs are bad. Stay away from them kids!

Avril Lavigne

Avril was your stereotypical teenage girl on the left and on the right she is a million dollar, award winning pop star. Lavigne must have drank whatever is in that Canadian water (we’re looking at you, Drake) to age so well.

Eminem

Eminem is the poser child for humble beginnings turned to golden endings. Eminem grew up in the notorious 8 Mile block in Detroit and it was there that he found his voice and became a rapper of legendary note. This photo shows a young Eminem though no less driven. In fact, old Eminem looks almost the same age. That’s one rapper that has grown up well.

Madonna

Madonna went from looking like a child nun to turning into the biggest sex icon on the planet during her heyday. Madonna is still going strong and this photo just proves further more how far she has

Elton John

The more things change the more they stay the same. Young Elton John may have a few less wrinkles but he is ostensibly the same guy we see on the right, plus a few million dollars and a couple of pretty alright songs. John is still going strong as he routinely makes his voice heard on various huge albums, including Fall Out Boy’s Save Rock and Roll.

Snoop Dogg

Snoop Dogg went from looking like a potential MBA grad to looking like the dude who deals you pot under the table at TGIF. Still, the dude on the right is worth more money than we can actually understand. Snoop is one well preserved looking individual, that’s for sure.

Christina Aguilera

This picture is almost hilarious in its juxtaposition. Christina went from the girl who flirted by pulling your hair into the girl that you couldn’t even make eye contact with because she was so gorgeous. Seriously. Aguilera has enjoyed one heck of an ascent in the world of pop culture and she now sits right beside Adam Levine on The Voice, thus pushing her fame to even higher limits.

Arianna Grande

Arianna Grande is our favorite pop star today thanks to her Celine Dion level vocal range and stunning good looks. This photo shows that Grande had that smoldering beauty from her days in high school all the way to Hollywood, no change required.

Rihanna

Ri Ri is lookin’ adorable as a teenager with braided hair and a wide smile on her face. Rihanna is aging like a fine wine, getting prettier with each passing year.

Beyonce

On the left is an adorable almost Disney Kid level Beyonce and on the right is the Yasss Queen that we know her as today. Beyonce is all that is good. No doubt.

Lana Del Ray

Lana Del Rey was a looker from the beginning so we’re not shocked to see how much she’s blossomed under the public eye. Here we see Del Ray chilling in front of an old barn in a classic country dress. Gorgeous.

Justin Bieber

We don’t know whether to laugh or cry. There is no denying the fact that Bieber is a handsome dude now, but this old photo is definitely not the kind you want to be floating around the internet. Oh well, as long as you love me Bieber.

Cher

Young Cher makes us feel some kind of way. Older Cher makes us feel a different kind of way, one that isn’t exactly pleasant. In her glory days Cher was one of the most beautiful women in the world of entertainment and this picture clearly shows it. Age and excessive surgery has stripped away those natural good looks which is really a shame. Still, Cher looks good but just not like she did way back when.