Singer Justin Bieber continues to talk about his road back to stability after a period when he was far better known for his bad-boy ways than his music.

“I felt like people were judging me all the time,” he recently told Billboard magazine for a cover story. “I came out alive. I came out swinging. But I was close to letting (fame) completely destroy me.” He credits his faith, in part, for seeing him through, saying he starts every day with a prayer and goes to church every week.

Scooter Braun, Bieber’s manager, says the singer’s turnaround is deeply gratifying. “I see people pointing, saying what a great job I did orchestrating his comeback,” Braun told Billboard. “I’ll be frank. I failed for a year and a half. He shut himself off and went into a dark place. Every single day, I tried to help him turn it around, and every single day I failed—and I tried desperately. The only person who deserves credit for this is Justin.” (Billboard)