Singers Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato have parted ways with high-profile music manager Scooter Braun, according to numerous reports.
Billboard reported that both Lovato, 31, and Grande, 30, have severed ties with the music mogul, though the reasoning for the split remains unclear. Entertainment Weekly also confirmed reports of the business breakup.
Grande signed with Braun’s entertainment group SB Projects in 2013. That same year, she released her debut album Yours Truly. It is not clear when exactly Grande reportedly ended the professional relationship with Braun, 42.
For her part, Lovato signed with Braun and SB Projects in 2019. Billboard reported that the Skyscraper singer parted ways with Braun in July. Lovato does not have new management, but the outlet reported that “conversations” with prospective parties are already taking place. Reports maintained that the split between Lovato and Braun was amicable.
Braun, Lovato and Grande have not commented publicly on the situation.
Lovato and Grande are not the only clients to recently exit Braun’s talent roster. In May, popular Colombian reggaeton singer J Balvin left SB Projects to instead sign with the entertainment agency Roc Nation.
Earlier this month, rumours circulated that Justin Bieber was also going to part ways with Braun, who launched him to fame, but the reports were quickly denied. A representative for the Canadian singer told Page Six on Friday that the rumours of the pair’s alleged fallout are “not true.”
Alongside Bieber, SB Projects still appears to manage a number of stars, including Call Me Maybe singer Carly Rae Jepsen, Quavo of the rap group Migos, David Guetta and the Black Eyed Peas.
Braun is one of the most well-known contemporary music managers, but his reputation has not always been stellar.
Aside from being an entertainment industry mogul, Braun is well known for his infamous feud with Taylor Swift. In 2019, Braun’s investment group Ithaca Holdings purchased Big Machine Records, which signed Swift at the beginning of her career as a young country singer. The deal meant Braun came to own Swift’s master recordings for her first six albums.
Swift claimed in 2020 that after failed negotiations with Braun, he sold her masters to a private company. Swift said she wanted to personally buy the rights to her masters but was denied. She said Braun also wanted her to sign an “ironclad NDA stating I would never say another word about Scooter Braun unless it was positive.”
In protest, Swift left her record label and signed with Universal, where she has been re-recording her older albums. This month, she announced the upcoming release of 1989 (Taylor’s Version).
Swift has already re-recorded and released Fearless (Taylor’s Version) (2021), Red (Taylor’s Version) (2021) and Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) (2023). The re-recorded albums have not only delighted Swift’s loyal fanbase but have also devalued the original masters owned by Braun.
In 2021, Braun sold Ithaca Holdings to the South Korean entertainment conglomerate Hybe, which manages a number of world-famous artists, including BTS.
This year, Braun became the sole CEO of Hybe America. SB Projects continues to operate under Hybe America.
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