Ariana Grande has not 'dropped' Scooter Braun because she is still contractually tied to her long-term manager for several years, despite the fact that she is looking for new management at Brandon Creed, insiders claim.
It was reported that Grande, 30, signed with Creed's newly launched Good World Management last weekend, months after she reportedly parted ways with Braun, 42, to mark a decade since he helped her rise to fame with her debut album , Yours Truly.
But insiders close to the situation have since told DailyMail.com that despite wanting to part ways with Braun, she is still strongly linked to the record executive, at least legally.
“While Ariana has indeed found new music management, she has not severed or severed ties with Scooter as she is contractually bound,” they said.
Ariana Grande had reportedly cut ties with her long-time manager Scooter Braun, but a source has now shut down the reports
The 30-year-old singer still has “several long-term contracts ongoing,” a source told DailyMail.com. Pictured with Braun, 42
Grande began trying to cut all ties with Braun some time ago, but is believed to have grown increasingly frustrated with him over his handling of her romance with Ethan Slater.
'She remains contractually bound to Scooter, as several long-term contracts are still ongoing.
“If Ariana were to release a new album tomorrow, she would still be obligated to pay Scooter in addition to Brandon. Nothing has changed there.'
However, it appears Grande is doing her best not to work with Braun, with a second source insisting, “She's not working with Scooter.”
Earlier this year, she shared several photos with her collaborator Max Martin, which fans used as confirmation that she is working on her highly anticipated seventh album.
While Grande began trying to end her contract with Braun some time ago, the insiders added that she became further frustrated with him over his handling of the scandal stemming from her romance with her Wicked co-star Ethan Slater.
However, sources close to Grande emphasized that this was not the reason behind her decision to part ways with the music mogul.
“Ariana wanted Scooter to immediately intervene to save her image after she was accused of breaking up Ethan's marriage,” the source continued.
“But Scooter wasn't there for her in her time of need and this just wasn't right for her.”
The couple met in December last year while filming the upcoming film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical Wicked in Britain, in which she plays Glinda the Good Witch alongside Slater as munchkin Boq.
Reports that the pair were dating first surfaced in July, amid their respective divorces — Grande from Dalton Gomez, 28, and Slater from Lilly Jay, 29.
The Dangerous Woman singer finalized her divorce from the real estate agent on October 6, almost two years after they married in an intimate ceremony at their home in Montecito, California.
Grande recently signed with Bandon Creed of Good World Management, (pictured), a friend and former colleague of Braun
Grande and her ex-husband Dalton Gomez, pictured in 2020, finalized their divorce in October after nearly two years
Slater and his estranged wife Lilly Jay are finalizing their divorce – pictured in 2021
Documents listed their divorce date as February 20, 2023 – which a separate source close to the singer labeled as 'absolutely impossible'.
“To say she split with Dalton in February is absolutely impossible,” they previously told DailyMail.com.
'Dalton was with her in February and they both loved Valentine's Day. He was in London a few times after February, including in April when Ariana and Dalton went on double dates with Ethan and Lilly.”
Grande's camp has denied any suggestion of an affair.
The double Grammy winner is the latest artist to sign with Creed, who launched his Good World Management in July after leaving Full Stop Management.
Creed, a “longtime friend and colleague” of Braun, also manages Troye Sivan, Mark Ronson, Charli XCX and Normani.
“(Ariana) likes that (Brandon) understands her on a different level and between acting and music, she has a lot in store and is excited that she has found a new support system to help her execute her plans,” shared an insider Billboard on Sunday.
A second source added, “She wants the focus to be on her art and he puts her artistry and vision above all else. He is the perfect person to help her execute her visions for this next chapter of her life and career.”
Grande, pictured in the studio, would be 'obligated to pay Scooter' if she were to release a new album in the coming years
In addition to music, Braun's company HYBE America is a major investor in Grande's REM beauty and makeup line, which she promotes here.
A press release in May revealed that Grande had secured major funding for her beauty empire from several investors, including HYBE
Braun, through his management company SB Projects, managed a roster of talent including Justin Bieber, Demi Lovato, Kanye West, J Balvin and Kid Laroi.
Grande's departure from Braun was first reported by TMZ in August – the same month, Lovato and Braun terminated their contracts as part of an 'amicable' agreement.
At the time, a separate source told DailyMail.com that this was not true that 'people spread rumors based on what they know, but they are wrong' in their speculations.
Just hours after the news was revealed, Braun took to Twitter to make fun of his professional situation.
“Breaking news… I can no longer manage myself,” he wrote.
Following Levato's departure, reports surfaced that Bieber – who he discovered on YouTube in 2008 – would also be leaving the music manager.
Billboard dismissed the reports and confirmed that Bieber had signed a seven-year contract with Braun in 2020.
Braun is also involved with Grande's REM Beauty through his HYBE America company.
In 2021, Braun sold Ithaca Holdings – the parent company of his talent management company SB Projects – to Korean K-Pop entertainment giant HYBE for $1.06 billion.
In August, Braun took on the role of CEO of HYBE America, forcing him to step back from his previous role as a talent manager.
A few months earlier, in May, REM Beauty announced in a press release that the brand had received financing from major investors, among others Sandridge Capital, Live Nation, Universal Music Group and Braun's HYBE America.
Braun's sale of Ithaca Holdings – which, in addition to Braun's former talent management company SB Projects, also owned Big Machine Label Group – which owned the rights to Taylor Swift's first six albums.
She is currently re-recording them all under the name 'Taylor's Version.'