Photo: Scooter Braun/Instagram
American talent manager and music executive Scooter Braun (pic) is seeing an exodus of his A-list music clientele.
On Monday, entertainment website People reported that American singer Demi Lovato, 31, has dropped Braun, 42, her manager of almost five years. The split was said to be amicable.
On Tuesday, American pop star Ariana Grande, 30, also cut ties with Braun after a decade of working together. People reported that while both parties were in contract negotiation, the parting was Grande’s choice.
“She’s outgrown him and is excited to go in a different direction,” said People, citing unnamed sources.
On Wednesday, The Hollywood Reporter said Broadway star Idina Menzel, 52, decided to let Braun go as well. He had managed the American actress-singer – who voiced Elsa in the Frozen films (2013 and 2019) – since 2019.
Though reports that Justin Bieber has also parted ways with the American music mogul have been denied, People said the Canadian singer, 29, is working on music without Braun for the first time in 16 years.
Braun, who began his career promoting parties and events, had his big break in 2008 when he spotted a young Bieber on YouTube.
Controversy blighted his sterling career in 2019 when American singer Taylor Swift called him a “bully” and the “definition of a toxic male privilege in our industry”.
Braun had bought the rights to Swift’s first six studio albums – which she claimed was underhanded – and sold the masters to an investment fund in a deal believed to be worth more than US$300mil.
While it is unclear why Braun is being dropped, American entertainment trade publication Variety reported that he is stepping back from day-to-day management to focus on his role as chief executive of Hybe America, the United States office of the South Korean entertainment company behind K-pop giants BTS. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
