Idina Menzel has become the latest star to exit Scooter Braun’s management amid an exodus of talent, The Independent understands.
This week it’s been reported that Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato parted ways with the music mogul, according to various industry sources.
Last week, it was reported that Justin Bieber had also left Braun after 16 years of working together; however, representatives for both Bieber and Braun have since denied the reports. Colombian superstar J Balvin also departed Braun’s SB Projects in May this year.
On Tuesday (22 August), The Hollywood Reporter was the first to report that Menzel had cut ties with Braun, citing a source close to the Tony-winning star. Menzel’s representatives declined to comment further on the report.
Despite being an actor, Menzel, 52, is known for her musical success, going nine times platinum for “Let It Go”, Elsa’s anthem in Disney’s 2013 smash hit Frozen.
Menzel announced her signing with Braun in 2019, posting a picture of her and the manager taking a selfie in front of a Time Magazine sign.
“Revealing Time magazine’s June cover story... Idina Menzel joins forces with @scooterbraun & @SB_Projects for music management,” Menzel wrote.
Braun retweeted the post and welcomed her “to the family”.
Idina Menzel (left) and Scooter Braun— (Getty Images)
Also on Tuesday, sources told Variety that Braun was stepping back from day-to-day management to focus on his role as CEO of HYBE America, the South Korean entertainment company behind K-pop giants BTS.
“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,” the source said.
“People are spreading rumours 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.”
Braun has famously been embroiled in a feud with Taylor Swift since 2019, when he purchased her longtime label, Big Machine Records and become the owner of the master recordings of her first six studio albums.
In November 2020, Braun sold the masters to an investment fund in a deal believed to be more than $300m (£234m).
At the time of the sale, Swift – who had wished to buy the masters herself – condemned Braun and called him a “bully” and the “definition of a toxic male privilege in our industry”.
She has since gone on a campaign to re-record her albums in order to make sure the new owners of her masters don’t profit from her music, encouraging her fans to listen to the highly successful “Taylor’s Versions”.
The latest instalment, 1989 (Taylor’s Version), is scheduled to arrive on 27 October.
