Justin Bieber launches charity effort, holiday album

Teen sensation Justin Bieber kicked off a new charity drive coinciding with Tuesday's release of his Christmas album, Under The Mistletoe.

The 17-year-old's holiday record, released around the world, features the festive single Mistletoe, alongside collaborations with Mariah Carey, Busta Rhymes, Usher, Boys II Men and The Band Perry.

An early review from Billboard Magazine's Kerri Mason, said Under The Mistletoe was Bieber's most musically mature work to date. Writing for entertainment website TheWrap.com, Chris Willman noted the singer's voice has lost some of its falsetto range and is now relative baritone.

Prior to the album's debut, Nielsen SoundScan figures showed Under The Mistletoe pre-selling a strong 164,000 copies, according to The Hollywood Reporter, which should put it high on pop charts this coming week.

The singer's The Believe Charity Drive directly benefits charities that are making a difference in the world, Bieber said in a statement, urging fans to donate whatever time or money they could afford.

He said he wants to raise millions of dollars by the release of his new album in 2012, titled Believe. Bieber's initiative will benefit seven organizations with which he has worked before, including Pencils For Promise.

(Reporting and Writing by Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)