Ariana Grande Splits With Manager Scooter Braun

By CHARISMA MADARANG, JODI GUGLIELMI

Ariana Grande has broken ties with longtime manager Scooter Braun and HYBE, Rolling Stone can confirm.

“Scooter’s team is spinning the story. Ariana is leaving both Scooter and HYBE,” a source close to the situation says. “There is absolutely no truth to her staying.”

SB Projects did not immediately respond to Rolling Stone’s request for comment.

The news of the pop star’s split follows recent news that Demi Lovato parted ways with Braun’s SB Projects after working together for four years and is seeking new management.

Grande joined SB Projects in 2013, and has worked with the music executive for nearly all of her post-Nickelodeon career, which includes her breakthrough album Yours Truly and five other records which have earned her 20 top 10 tracks on the Hot 100, with seven chart-topping songs.

After reports suggesting Justin Bieber and many of Braun’s other A-list clients were seeking new representation, a source close to SB Projects previously told Rolling Stone that while some of those clients are still under contract, Braun is preparing to further transition into his role as CEO of HYBE America. 

The South Korean entertainment conglomerate (which is home to BTS and other artists) acquired a 100% stake in Braun’s Ithaca Holdings in 2021. Ithaca included numerous Braun endeavors and entities, including SB Projects, Atlas Music Publishing, and Big Machine Label Group.

“All of Scooter Braun’s clients are under contract and negotiations have been going on for several months” as Braun focuses more on his Hybe role, the source said last week. “People are spreading rumors based on what they know, but they are off. Scooter’s team at SB Projects are still handling both Justin [Bieber] and Ariana [Grande] as they work through what this new structure looks like.”

Other major clients Braun has worked with include Ava Max, David Guetta, Hillary Duff, Ozuna, and the Kid Laroi (the latter having his own “falling out” with Braun last year that actually turned out to be more of a publicity stunt).

Earlier this month, Grande announced a week’s worth of plans to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Yours Truly, including a series of live performances, a Q&A, and a deluxe digital reissue of the 2013 LP. The festivities kicked off on last week with the release of the deluxe digital version of her debut record, along with newly recorded live performances of “Honeymoon Avenue” and “Daydreamin’.”

From Rolling Stone US.