Music mogul Scooter Braun, known for guiding the careers of dozens of stars including Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, and Demi Lovato, as well as for his infamous feud with Taylor Swift, has announced his retirement.
Taking to Instagram, Braun, 42, made the announcement Monday, sharing that he will remain CEO of entertainment company HYBE America.
"I have been blessed to have had a 'Forrest Gump'-like life while witnessing and taking part in the journeys of some of the most extraordinarily talented people the world has ever seen. I'm constantly pinching myself and asking 'how did I get here?' And after 23 years this chapter as a music manager has come to an end," said Braun.
Reflecting on his career, Braun wrote that, while he had "loved" every moment of his job since age 19, he wanted to focus on being a father. The decision, he said, comes after his "personal life took some hits."
Braun made headlines back in 2019, when he purchased Swift's longtime record label, Big Machine Records, as well as the master recordings of her first six studio albums and then later sold them to an investment fund for reportedly over $300 million despite Swift's wishes to purchase the masters herself. Swift later slammed him as a "bully" and "the definition of toxic male privilege in our industry," according to the Guardian.
In November 2020, Swift said, "[Braun] would never even quote my team a price" and that she was asked to sign a nondisclosure agreement that would "silence [her] forever." Braun's team contested the assertion.
Last year, Lovato split from Braun. Around the same time, Grande and Colombian reggaeton star J Balvin parted ways with him.
"There has been a lot said about what is happening in our company ... and in my career," Braun said in his announcement this week.
"When we had success I smiled, and when we were attacked I always tried to take the high road. But for the last 3 years I have begun to feel that taking the high road has created confusion and ambiguity as to who we are," he wrote.
"So yes, it's been 23 years. And yes, this chapter has come to an end. But the great Berry Gordy once told me 'young man, it never ends the way you wanted, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen.' That wisdom has proven to be correct," said Braun.
"I never saw how this chapter would end, hell, I never even saw it happening. But it did. And I will cherish every moment of it. I made my plan ... but it turns out I like God's plan better," he added.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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