The Great Braunxit: Why is Everyone Dropping Scooter Braun?

A shift is happening in the music world, as celebrities left and right seem to be leaving music manager Scooter Braun. The first of the major celebrities that allegedly was dropping Braun was Justin Bieber, who has been close to Braun since he came across Biber on YouTube in 2006. The news was first reported on Puck, which claimed that Bieber and Braun hadn’t "spoken in months."

Fans of course were thrown into a frenzy trying to get more information about the situation, though neither Bieber nor Braun directly addressed the accusation. The rumor has since been debunked by reps for both parties, who told Page Six the claim is not true.

What is true though? Reports that Demi Lovato is leaving Braun. The pair have been working together since 2019, but sources confirmed to Billboard that they have parted ways and Lovato is currently seeking new management. Neither party has commented on the situation but for the question of why did Lovato leave Braun, the source did emphasize the split was an amicable affair. In fact, Braun recently posted for Lovato's birthday, writing on his Instagram story, "Happy birthday to one of the kindest souls out there."

Lovato isn't the only that went her separate way. Ariana Grande is also allegedly leaving Braun. Billboard reported the news on Monday, in which Grande and Braun have been working together since 2013 when she released her debut album Yours Truly. Coincidentally, she recently announced she's releasing a deluxe version of the album in honor of its 10th anniversary. Of course, what the fans want to know is (if true) why did Grande drop him? Unfortunately, neither party has publicly commented on the matter yet.

It is said to be alleged as sources have claimed that Braun and Grande still do work together, according to Variety. "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," an insider told Variety. "People are spreading rumors based on what they know, but they are off. Scooter's team at SB Projects are still handling both Justin and Ariana as they work through what this new structure looks like."

Contrarily, according to a source that spoke to People, Grande did leave Braun stating "she's outgrown him and is excited to go in a different direction."

"Yes there are negotiations happening because of contracts. But this is her choice. It's time for something new," the source said.

That said, Lovato and (possibly) Grande aren't the first two to hop off the Braun train. Singer J. Balvin, who signed with Braun in 2019, dropped the manager in May of this year and found management with Jay-Z's Roc Nation. Like Grande and Lovato, no official public comment was made on why this happened.

In even more recent news, The Hollywood Reporter just broke out that Indina Menzel also dropped Braun months ago — in January to be specific. She also signed with him in 2019, though no explanation has come out why they parted ways.

With all the back and forth, what is happening and why is there a Braun Exodus happening? One source told Variety that he is "imploding." "It's a different world since the pandemic. You just can't be an asshole like that anymore."

Another source claims a different point, saying "he's getting out of management — he has been for years."

Perhaps the most high-profile Braunxit was none other than Taylor Swift.

While Swift is no stranger to feuds (think: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West), one of her most public, personal, and high-profile was undoubtedly with Braun. Long story short, the root of the feud is centered on Braun's ownership of her music due once his Ithaca Holdings LLC acquired Big Machine Label Group. The acquisition included all of Big Machine Label Group's recording assets, of which the rights to Swift’s first six albums were a part.  (He later sold Ithaca Holdings to HYBE America, the South Korean entertainment company that manages K-pop groups like BTS, for $1.05 billion in 2021).

"For years, I asked, pleaded for a chance to own my work," Taylor wrote in her Tumblr post. "Instead, I was given an opportunity to sign back up to Big Machine Records and 'earn' one album back at a time, one for every new one I turned in. I walked away because I knew once I signed that contract, Scott Borchetta would sell the label, thereby selling me and my future."

"When I left my masters in Scott’s hands, I made peace with the fact that eventually, he would sell them," she continued. "Never in my worst nightmares did I imagine the buyer would be Scooter. Any time Scott Borchetta has heard the words 'Scooter Braun' escape my lips, it was when I was either crying or trying not to. He knew what he was doing; they both did. Controlling a woman who didn’t want to be associated with them. In perpetuity. That means forever."