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What Justin Bieber's former manager really thinks about the singer's career: ‘As a man, you want to show you can do it’
After managing Bieber for over a decade, Braun discusses the bittersweet end of their partnership
Justin Bieber has been at the centre of swirling rumours lately, with fans and critics alike trying to piece together what’s really going on beneath the surface. Despite the buzz, little concrete information has emerged, aside from occasional cryptic posts on him and his wife Hailey’s social media accounts. Now, in a new interview, Bieber’s longtime manager, Scooter Braun, has opened up about what goes on behind the scenes.
Scooter, the music mogul famously credited with discovering Bieber back in 2008, sat down for a conversation on the Diary of a CEO podcast. Reflecting on the years they worked together — until their professional relationship ended in 2023 — Braun offered insight into both their shared successes and the changes that followed.
“We were able to achieve some amazing things. I'm very proud of what we achieved and always rooting for him,” Scooter said, recalling the height of their collaboration. But when asked about the current state of their relationship, Braun was honest: “It’s not the same that it was.” He elaborated, “I think these things go in ebbs and flows. There comes a point where I understand he probably wants to go on and show that he can do it.”
Scooter acknowledged the natural progression in their partnership, explaining, “We worked together for so long and we had such extreme success, and I think you get to a point as a man where you want to show the world you can do it on your own. And I completely respect that. I think at this point, that’s what he’s doing. Myself and everyone from the old team is rooting for him.”
Now retired from music management after an impressive 23-year career, Braun describes his role as more of a “cheerleader from the side,” genuinely hoping for success for everyone he’s worked with, including Bieber. When pressed about whether it hurt to see Bieber move on, Braun responded with surprising calm: “No, not at that point. I think I was also at that point.” He revealed that he too was ready for a change, “I wanted to find out who I was, I wanted to experiment with a different career. We were both communicating enough with each other. The writing was on the wall.”
Braun’s heartfelt words come at a time when fans are expressing growing concern for Bieber’s mental health, amplified by a series of ambiguous social media posts from the star himself.
