Scooter Braun’s Instagram account used to be full of picture of the former music manager. He was always living the high life, jetting around the world to amazing locations, and living it up like Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.
But now the Instagram account is gone. Braun’s Twitter feed has been pared back to 2012. He’s rolled up the red carpet and vanished. There is almost no reference to him on the website for his traveling exhibition about October 7th, called Nova.
Braun became famous for discovering and managing Justin Bieber when he was a child. With Bieber he made millions and started an agency that came to include Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato, and at different times, Kanye West and Sean Diddy Combs. But it was Bieber who was his bread and butter as the teen singer toured the world and sold zillions of records.
But then it all came to a crashing end. Bieber was no longer the golden goose as the touring was cancelled and stopped. Bieber had mental health issues. He also had a form of Bell’s Palsy. He hasn’t made an album in years. Finally, to raise money, Braun sold Bieber’s catalog for just $200 million at an alarmingly young age.
Last year Braun announced he was getting out of management altogether. He merged his company, Ithaca Holdings, with KPop behemoth Hybe. He took over running Hybe America. All his former clients, like Grande, moved on. But Bieber, still not working, was set adrift.
Over the weekend came reports that Bieber had unfollowed his former mentor on his own Instagram account. Strangely, Bieber is still following Braun’s ex wife. Bieber’s mother is following Braun’s brother, who runs a charity. Then Braun deleted his accounts.
Would anything surprise us next? Bieber’s $200 million catalog sale actually doesn’t amount to much counting fees and taxes. His expenses are huge. Just as Michael Jackson did after “Thriller,” Bieber continues to live like he’s in a money orchard. Not touring has severely limited his revenue. He could have been making millions the last five years from playing arenas. But that doesn’t seem to be in the cards. Is he looking for his money, wondering what’s happened to it after all his work? Likely. Will he find it? Stay tuned.
