For years, Scooter Braun has been the manager of quite the roster of A-List musical talent. From Justin Bieber to Demi Lovato to Ariana Grande, he worked closely with tons of major names in the music industry. Over the last week though, many of his high-profile clients have reportedly dropped him as their manager, including the Wicked star. According to a recent report, her affair with co-star Ethan Slater allegedly played a role in that decision.
On August 21, Matthew Belloni broke the news on Twitter that Grande and Braun had parted ways. He then went on to publish a report in Puck (via The Mercury News) about why the manager's high-profile clients, the “Thank U, Next” singer included, were dropping him.
Allegedly, one of the reasons Ariana Grande dropped Scooter Braun has to do with the recent crisis surrounding her reported affair with fellow Wicked cast member Ethan Slater.
In mid-July it was reported that Grande and Dalton Gomez were getting a divorce after two years of marriage. Not long after that, rumors started swirling that the singer was dating her Wicked co-star, and things started to get messy. Reports came out that the two actors “weren’t careful,” and were seen holding hands on set, with a source explaining that they were apprently “sloppy and not hiding it.”
Then, Slater’s wife, Lilly Jay, broke her silence on the matter, saying “Ariana’s the story really.” She also noted that her “family is just collateral damage.” Apparently, Grande has been in Los Angeles while Salter works out his divorce, which he reportedly filed.
Amid all this, Scooter Braun was on vacation. When the pop star’s team allegedly asked him to come back to the United States to help run damage control, he reportedly said:
I deserve a vacation.
According to Belloni’s report, the response surprised a member of the singer’s team. However, there were apparently more situations like this over the last few years. Scooter Braun’s priorities apparently shifted, and he’s been focusing on other professional endeavors, including being the CEO of Hybe America.
While it’s been reported that Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Demi Lovato, J Balvin, Idina Menzel and more have parted ways with Braun, the details surrounding the news are murky and in some cases contradictory. In an extensive report from Variety, it was noted that Belloni stands by his story that Bieber and Grande left their manager. However, other sources have denied the claims. Some sources have said the manager is “imploding,” while others say the “real story” is simply that “he’s getting out of management.”
With all this said, it’s unclear what led to Ariana Grande allegedly parting ways with Scooter Braun. However, if this report is true, it seems her apparent relationship with Ethan Slater might have had something to do with it. As we wait for confirmation about all these artists, the “God is a Woman” singer included, allegedly leaving the high profile manager, make sure to check out the 2024 movie schedule so you are ready to see Grande win Wicked when it hits theaters on November 27.
