Why Ariana Grande is Leaving Scooter Braun
Ariana Grande is the next major pop star confirmed to be leaving longtime manager Scooter Braun. Per People, a source says that Grande, 30, made the decision to leave Braun, 42, and his company. “They are friendly, but she’s outgrown him and is excited to go in a different direction,” says the source. “Yes, there are negotiations happening because of contracts. But this is her choice. It’s time for something new.”
A music industry source tells the publication, “All of Scooter Braun’s clients are under contract, and negotiations have been going on for several months as Scooter steps into his larger role as HYBE America CEO.” Variety adds that Braun is continuing to step back from day-to-day management to focus on his role as the sole CEO of HYBE America. His company, Ithaca Holdings, merged with HYBE for $1.05 billion in April 2021. HYBE is the U.S. division of the South Korean music conglomerate that bought his management company, SB Projects, two years ago.
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Grande first signed with Braun ahead of the release of her 2013 debut album Yours Truly. The singer announced she would release a deluxe version of the album this Friday, August 25, in celebration of the ten-year anniversary. Braun also managed her as she released her subsequent albums: 2014’s My Everything, 2016’s Dangerous Woman, 2018’s Sweetener, 2019’s Thank U, Next and 2020’s Positions.
This marks the second time that Grande parted ways with Braun. Ahead of the release of Dangerous Woman, Grande rehired him. Two years later, in 2018, Braun opened up to Variety about the brief hiatus. “They were like, ‘Never take her back!’ But I just said, ‘Let’s stay quiet and let our truth be our actions,'” Braun told the outlet about his team’s reaction. “She starts to see the light on some stuff, and one day, I got a phone call.”
Justin Bieber and Demi Lovato are among the other pop artists who have been reported to have parted ways with Braun. Bieber has worked with him for 16 years, while Lovato was managed by him for four years. Braun appeared to poke fun at the rumors of the situation, joking on X that he was “no longer managing myself.”
Breaking news… I’m no longer managing myself
— Scott “Scooter” Braun (@scooterbraun) August 22, 2023
Ariana Grande’s 5 Most Powerful Songs
Ariana Grande is perhaps the quintessential pop star of the last half of the 2010s. With her four-octave vocal range, it is no wonder that Grande has received numerous accolades throughout her career as a pop icon. Grande began her music career at age 15 in the 2008 Broadway musical 13. She rose to fame for playing Cat Valentine in the Nickelodeon series Victorious from 2010 to 2013. In 2011, Grande signed with Republic Records after label executives saw YouTube videos of her covering songs by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston.
Success In Business
With seven studio albums under her belt, Grande is one of the world’s best-selling music artists. She has sold over 90 million records globally, and all of her studio albums have been certified platinum or higher. The Florida native is also the most streamed female artist of all time. Besides music, Grande has worked with many charitable organizations and advocates for animal rights, mental health, and gender, racial, and LGBT equality. She also has a successful cosmetics company, R.E.M. Beauty, which she launched in 2021. Tapping into the perfume industry, Grande has released 13 fragrances and is the most-searched celebrity fragrance.
Ariana will play Glinda in the upcoming film adaptation of Wicked, which will hit theaters on November 27, 2024. Over ten years in the making, Grande was signed on in 2021 along with Cynthia Erivo, who will be playing Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. The second installment of Wicked will premiere one year later on November 25, 2025. In 2023, fans asked why Ariana isn't a singer anymore. In response, she sang a beautiful rendition of “Over the Rainbow” on TikTok. She told fans she “wanted to sing you a little something but don’t want to sing anything that is not ‘Ozian’ at the moment [smiley face emoji] keeping to my little bubble for now … done with lots of love.”
We’ve ranked Ariana Grande’s 5 most powerful songs. See how they rank below:
