Scooter Braun Drama: Artists Who Have Left Him Behind

Scooter Braun has been the subject of recent headlines pertaining to his high-profile clients. Throughout the past few days, rumors have circulated about Braun parting ways with some of his biggest artists. The famous manager, executive, and entrepreneur has been involved in the careers of Kanye West, David Guetta, Martin Garrix, and many more. In addition to his SB Projects company, which handles the management of notable artists, Braun founded Schoolboy Records. He is also involved with TQ Ventures, Mythos Studios, RBMG Records, and the eSports team 100 Thieves. 

Further, Braun founded the holding company Ithaca Ventures, which South Korean entertainment company Hybe Corporation acquired. Following the acquisition, Braun became the CEO of Hybe’s American branch. Aside from recent news, his most publicized business deal occurred in 2019 when Ithaca Ventures acquired Big Machine Records, giving him ownership of Taylor Swift’s master recordings. The purchase led to a highly publicized dispute between the two, and their debacle continues to loom over the latest stories about Braun.

Scooter Braun parting ways with some of his most prominent artists has led to mass speculation over possible causes. As of today, there is little information from official sources about why artists are leaving Braun’s management. Some speculate discrepancies between Braun and his clients, while other sources report that he is allegedly leaving management altogether. His latest tweet from two days ago reads, “Breaking news… I’m no longer managing myself.” Aside from that tweet, very few of these reports are official. Here are some artists who have left Scooter Braun behind, including those who still have yet to confirm their status with their manager.

One of Scooter Braun’s career-defining moves as a manager was discovering a 13-year-old Justin Bieber. Since 2008, the two remained closely connected throughout their careers as Braun helped Bieber reach superstar status at a young age. Puck News initially reported that Justin Bieber was seeking new management and had not spoken to Braun in months. Despite the report, Bieber is reportedly still under contract with his longtime manager, and neither party has issued statements regarding their status. Some news outlets claim Bieber has left Braun's management, while others have refuted those statements.

After four years of management, Demi Lovato has parted ways with Scooter Braun and SB Projects. According to Billboard, the “amicable” split was a mutual decision. Lovato initially signed with Braun in 2019, and he managed her through the releases of her most recent albums, 2021’s Dancing With the Devil… the Art of Starting Over, and 2022’s Holy Fvck. Her departure from Scooter Braun’s management was the first to be in this recent string of reported splits with his other clients.

Ariana Grande’s supposed split from Scooter Braun’s management was reported the same day news outlets were made aware of Demi Lovato’s departure. There are conflicting reports on whether Ariana Grande is actually leaving her manager. Billboard cited sources that were certain of the split, while Variety’s unnamed sources refuted those claims. Braun has managed Ariana Grande’s entire music career, starting with her debut album Yours Truly. The singer has been actively promoting the album’s 10th anniversary with the help of SB Projects. The company's social media posts coincided with the news of her departure. Although neither Braun nor Grande has commented, People claims that the pop star left SB Projects on “friendly terms.”

In addition to news surrounding splits from Justin Bieber, Demi Lovato, and Ariana Grande, Scooter Braun had other clients leave his management this year. Broadway star and film actress Idina Menzel parted ways with her former manager in January. She initially signed with SB Projects in 2019. Although her decision to walk away from Braun is unrelated to the most recent developments, many of his biggest clients have parted ways with him this year alone.

Much like Idina Menzel, J Balvin signed with Scooter Braun in 2019 and also parted ways with him earlier this year. In May, the Latin superstar ended his deal with Braun and is now managed by Roc Nation. His exit from SB Projects has only added to the latest drama in the Scooter Braun saga. J Balvin and Menzel were the first to walk away this year. Balvin’s departure points to a pattern where Braun sees many of his biggest clients consecutively part ways with his historical management empire in a short time.

Overall, many of the artists who have allegedly left Scooter Braun as a manager still have yet to comment. However, it appears that the businessman and executive is keeping himself busy. He seems to be focusing on his role as CEO of Hybe America. One possibility is that Braun is turning his attention towards K-Pop as BTS is Hybe’s biggest artist. Another theory is that he continues growing his repertoire with other artists and companies. Hybe recently signed Ozuna and acquired Quality Control Music, the label known for artists like Migos and City Girls. While Scooter Braun has parted ways with many of his high-profile clients, he still has a roster full of notable names like Zac Brown Band, Quavo, YG, The Kid Laroi, and more.

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