Scooter Braun, a well-known name in the music industry who has represented stars like Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande, announced on Monday that he will no longer work as a music manager.
Instead, he will focus on his roles as a board member of Hybe, a South Korean entertainment company, and as the CEO of Hybe America.
Braun, who started his career at just 19 years old, has been a music manager for 23 years. In a long statement on Instagram, he said, “For 20 years I loved it. It’s all I had known. But as my children got older, and my personal life took some hits, I realized it was time for a change.”
He thanked all the artists he has worked with over the years, including Grande, Bieber, Andrew Watt, Lil Dicky, Tori Kelly, J Balvin, Demi Lovato, and many others. “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,” he wrote.
Last year, there were rumors that some of Braun’s biggest clients, like Bieber and Grande, were leaving him. Some reports said this was because Braun was focusing more on his role at Hybe America than on being an artist manager. However, there was no official confirmation until now.
Braun said in his statement that his silence on the matter was an attempt to “take the high road,” but he realized that this might have caused confusion. He clarified that members of his team are now handling artist management responsibilities.
Looking to the future, Braun said, “We at Hybe will continue to grow. With our existing business at Big Machine, we will continue to add amazing execs and artists to the roster.”
In 2019, Braun bought Big Machine Records, the label that originally signed Taylor Swift.
This led to a dispute over the ownership of Swift’s master recordings, which Braun later sold to an investment fund.
As a result, Swift decided to re-record her albums to own her new masters in a project called “Taylor’s Version.”
The Associated Press contributed to this article.