LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 18: Singer Justin Bieber (L) and manager Scoot Braun pose in the audience … [+]
Scooter Braun, the famed talent manager known for discovering Justin Bieber and managing music talent from Ariana Grande to Demi Lovato, is stepping down from music management following the departure of several A-list clients last year. Why is Scooter Braun retiring as a music manager, and what is he doing next?
Having played a pivotal role in the success of some of the biggest stars in the music industry, including Bieber, Grande, Lovato, J Balvin, Carly Rae Jepsen, Dan + Shay, and more, Braun announced on June 17 that he would no longer be a manager for his company, SB Projects. Allison Kaye and Jennifer McDaniels will now handle his client lists.
“23 years. That’s how long I have been a music manager. 23 years ago a 19 year old kid started managing an artist named Cato in Atlanta, GA and my journey began. Along the way I have had so many experiences I could never have dreamt of,” the 42-year-old started his statement.
He continued, “I have been blessed to have had a ‘Forrest Gump”-like life while witnessing and taking part in the journeys of some of the most extraordinarily talented people the world has ever seen. I’m constantly pinching myself and asking ‘how did I get here?’ And after 23 years this chapter as a must manager has come to an end.”
In 2008, Braun discovered a clip of 12-year-old Bieber singing on YouTube. He signed the young Canadian star and helped turn him into one of the biggest pop singers of the 21st century. He also managed artists like Lovato and Grande and produced successful documentaries like Bieber’s “Never Say Never” and “Believe” and Lovato’s “Dancing with the Devil.”
According to Forbes, Ithaca Holdings (which includes SB Projects) acquired Big Machine Records in a $300 million deal in 2019, which included the controversial purchase of Taylor Swift’s first six albums. Two years later, South Korean entertainment company Hybe (the company behind the BTS) merged with Ithaca Holdings in a $1 billion deal. Braun has been Hybe America’s CEO since then.
Why Is Scooter Braun Retiring As A Music Manager?
PHOENIX, AZ – FEBRUARY 03: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) Scooter Braun (L) and Ariana Grande walk backstage … [+]
Scooter Braun announced his retirement from music management, citing the impact on his personal and family life and the departure of his “biggest clients and friends” from his management company, SB Projects, last August.
“So for my entire adult life I played the role of an artist manager on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And for 20 years I loved it. It’s all I had known,” he said, adding that as his three children — whom he shares with ex-wife Yael Cohen — grew older, his personal life took some hits.
“I came to the realization that my kids were 3 superstars I wasn’t willing to lose,” the music executive said, later writing that he now wants to be “a father first, a CEO second, and a manager no more.”
Braun explained that he had been leaning toward this decision “over the past two years,” but it wasn’t until last summer “that this new chapter became a reality.”
“One of my biggest clients and friends told me that they wanted to spread their wings and go in a new direction. We had been through so much together over the last decade, but instead of being hurt I saw it as a sign,” he added.
Braun refers to the mass exodus last summer of his most high-profile clients, including Bieber, Grande, Lovato, and Idina Menzel. Grande and Lovato both signed with Brandon Creed’s Good World Management, while it was later revealed that Bieber’s wife, model and beauty entrepreneur Hailey Baldwin, would help manage her husband’s career.
Braun continued, “I have nothing but love for those I have worked with over the years, and as we develop a different working relationship, I will always be in their corner to consult and support them whether it be directly or from afar. Every client I have had the privilege of working with has changed my life, and I know many of them are just beginning to see the success they deserve. I will cheer for every single one of them.”
What Is Scooter Braun Doing Next?
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 21: Scooter Braun speaks onstage during the Hollywood Chamber of … [+]
After stepping down from music management at SB Projects, Braun will join the board of Hybe and continue to serve as the CEO of Hybe America.
“In this next chapter I have been honored to join as a board member of Hybe and serve as the CEO of Hybe America,” he revealed. “My brilliant partner these past 3 years, Chairman Bang, has a vision I truly believe in. But even beyond that he has become a true friend who understands where I must be in my life these days. And that is a father first, a CEO second, and a manager no more.”
The former music manager added that he’s excited to continue investing in a new generation of entrepreneurs, serving as a national board member of Make A Wish Foundation, and helping individuals and communities through the Braun Foundation.
Braun’s announcement comes just days before Max is set to air the two-part docuseries, Taylor Swift vs. Scooter Braun: Bad Blood, on June 21. This Discovery+ UK production explores the $300 million dispute following Braun’s purchase of Swift’s masters. The special includes insights from legal experts, journalists, and individuals close to Swift and Braun to explain the situation.
