Sting hopes Justin Bieber will "survive" stardom.
The 61-year-old musician has enjoyed a lengthy career, starting out with The Police in the '70s.
In 2007 he reunited with the band for The Police Reunion Tour and he's also had success as a solo artist.
However, he's pleased he's not starting out in the industry right now.
Young stars such as Justin, 19, who has hit headlines with his controversial behaviour recently, worry Sting.
"Oh, I'd love another hit! It's fun to have a hit. But that hit would have to reflect me as a 61-year-old man. I'd find it demeaning, otherwise," he mused to British newspaper The Guardian.
"Fame and ego and money can do terrible things. I know it's a cliché, but you still see people going through it. Look at Justin Bieber – it's like he's in freefall. I just hope he survives it because a lot of people don't.
"If I could give any advice to young musicians, it would be this: just try and enjoy it, because that truly explosive bit doesn't last forever."
Sting is under no illusion about how far he's made it in showbiz.
He knows people would cater to his every whim, but also isn't shy about how hard he's had to work to get there.
"I'm given the licence to do things by previous successes. Those successes meant I could walk into my record company and say: 'I'm making a record of 16th-century art songs on a lute,' and they say, 'Yes, Sting,'" he deadpanned.
"But it hasn't been easy at all. I worked f**king hard to make this all happen. I did the psychological work as a child dealing with unhappiness, insecurity and fear. And then that bore fruit."
