Scooter Braun has long been known as one of the managerial masterminds that bolstered the careers of some of music’s hottest talents, like Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber. But with the rumored news that he and Bieber may go separate ways, the Canadian pop star could be just another name in a long list of performers who are cutting ties with Braun.
Who is Scooter Braun?
A music manager, entrepreneur and confidante of some of Hollywood’s biggest names, Braun got his start planning parties while a student at Emory University. Soon, he took the leap into music management, and eventually went on to launch his entertainment and marketing company, SB Projects. After discovering Bieber on YouTube, he rose to notoriety and became famous for representing stars like Grande, Bieber, Carly Rae Jepsen, Demi Lovato, and several others.
Who has already parted ways with Braun?
Braun’s company, SB Projects, has lost a series of big-name clients recently.
J Balvin: Back in May, “Qué Locura” singer J Balvin, 38, left Braun and signed on with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation.
Demi Lovato: Lovato, 31, announced her departure from working with Braun was announced earlier this week, Billboard reported. While neither party commented on the split, sources told Billboard it was “time for Lovato to go in a new direction.”
Ariana Grande: Early last week, Billboard confirmed that Grande, 30, was no longer working with Braun. It’s rumored that was due to the fact that she was displeased with Braun’s meddling in her personal life, Yahoo Music reported. “This decision has been a long time coming and was well thought-out by Ariana,” a source close to Grande told Puck.
Carly Rae Jepsen: On Friday, it was announced that Jepsen, 37, had split from Braun. Representatives for the “Call Me Maybe” crooner confirmed to the Associated Press that the duo haven’t been working together for a while.
Idina Menzel: In the same AP article in which Jepsen’s departure was cited, it stated that Menzel, 52, is no longer managed by Braun but was not authorized to speak publicly.
Justin Bieber: Last week, a report in Puck claimed Braun and Bieber, 29, are on the outs after 15 years together. While the story claimed that Bieber hasn’t officially fired Braun, it did note that they “haven’t spoken in months” and are preparing for a formal split. However, both parties denied the claims with a source telling ET, “Justin and Scooter are still working together. Justin is not taking meetings to look for new management. The two recently worked on something together.” Despite the denial, Yahoo Music reported “there is some truth” to the claims, and that Bieber and Braun are no longer speaking and are “kinda done.” “Their relationship is definitely strained,” the source told Yahoo Music. “They may not be parting ways right now, but Justin’s exit is around the corner.” Despite this, Billboard pointed out that Bieber is under contract with SB Projects until 2027.
Why is everyone leaving Braun?
There have been several rumors about the root cause of Braun losing some of his biggest clients. However, Braun has remained pretty mum on the rumored departures, only chiming in on social media earlier this week to make a joke by posting a tweet that read “Breaking news… I’m no longer managing myself.”
However, the story behind the sea of recent departures could have much more to it, depending on who you talk to.
The simplest version is that Braun is tired of dealing with the ins and outs of his celebrity clients, and instead is focusing on the bigger picture. Some say Braun is just moving away from day-to-day management of pop stars to hone in on his new job as CEO of HYBE America, an entertainment lifestyle platform company. A Variety article has sources close to the manager stating that “People are spreading rumors based on what they know, but they are off. Scooter’s team at SB Projects are still handling both Justin and Ariana as they work through what this new structure looks like.”
Others say Braun’s clients are leaving because they’re dissatisfied with the service he provides. In a recent Puck story, it was reported that Grande’s team wanted Braun to leave his Europe vacation to return to New York in order to help deal with the uproar regarding Grande’s split from husband Dalton Gomez. However, he refused.
“I deserve a vacation,” Braun reportedly told Grande’s team, Puck claimed.
While Braun never managed Taylor Swift, his battle with the beloved singer didn’t do him any favors. In 2019 when Braun purchased Swift’s former record label, Big Machine, he sold the masters from her first six albums, reportedly as part of a $300 million sale, Insider reported. Since then, it’s been a war of words between the two, with Swift accusing Braun of “bullying.”
Of course, others are being more blatant in their statements regarding the splits, with sources telling Variety that Braun is “imploding.”
“It’s a different world since the pandemic,” the source shared. “You just can’t be an a****** like that anymore.”
