After years of managing some of the biggest names in pop music, Scooter Braun is finally looking inward—and what he sees is guilt, responsibility, and a complicated legacy. In a candid new interview on The Diary of a CEO, the former music manager opened up about his past, revealing regrets about the pressures placed on the young artists he helped launch into global fame.
“At this age, I feel a lot of guilt,” Braun admitted. “I worked with so many young artists, and I hadn’t done the work on myself yet. I didn’t understand that they were coming from their own complex backgrounds and that they were being judged by the entire world while they were still growing up.”
Braun is best known for managing Justin Bieber from the age of 13 and Ariana Grande from around 20, helping guide both through the dizzying highs and difficult lows of early superstardom. While he played a central role in building their careers, he now acknowledges how fame can take a heavy toll—especially when it comes too young.
“I think human beings are not made to be worshiped,” Braun reflected. “We’re made to serve. And when people are treated like gods, something shifts. It messes us up.”
He continued, “Watching those I worked with build real relationships, families, and still have careers—despite all they went through—is a testament to their strength. I used to say I understood, but I never really knew what it felt like to be in that global spotlight.”
In recent years, Braun has stepped back from artist management and now serves as CEO of HYBE America, the U.S. division of the Korean entertainment powerhouse behind BTS. But even in his new role, the weight of past controversies follows him—most notably, his 2019 feud with Taylor Swift.
That dispute began when Braun’s Ithaca Holdings acquired Big Machine Label Group, giving him ownership of Swift’s master recordings for her first six albums. Swift responded with a scathing Tumblr post, calling the deal her “worst case scenario” and accusing Braun of “incessant, manipulative bullying.”
“I was shocked,” Braun recalled of seeing her statement. “I thought once the announcement was made, she would talk to me and see who I really am. I never expected that reaction.”
He now says the fallout taught him a painful but valuable lesson. “It gave me empathy. Before that, I didn’t really know what it felt like to face that level of global criticism.”
Swift has since regained control over her work, inking a deal with Shamrock Capital and famously re-recording nearly all of her original albums. Meanwhile, Braun says he’s focused on growth and self-awareness—and maybe, on understanding what it truly means to guide someone through the storm of fame.
“Everything in life is a gift,” Braun concluded. “Even the difficult parts. Especially the ones that make you finally take a good, hard look at yourself.”