Scooter Braun Reveals He Struggled With Suicidal Ideation Amid His Divorce
Scooter Braun opened up for the first time about how he struggled with suicidal ideation following public drama and a difficult divorce.
During a conversation about his mental health on the Monday, June 9, episode of Steven Bartlett's "Diary of a CEO" podcast, Braun, 43, began by speaking about The Hoffman Process. , "It is one week of no phone, no email and intense work on your early childhood to understand why you are the way you are and to give you tools to go out in the world and understand yourself,' he said. 'The reason I went in October 2020 is because my marriage was falling apart."
Braun recalled the world thinking he was "crushing it" because his clients, including Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber, were finding so much success.
"I had a suicidal thought for 20 minutes where I was like, 'If my marriage is going to fall apart, I'm not gonna be with my kids all the time. I can't control this. I'm not gonna be this perfect image that I've presented to the world. And if I can't be this perfect image, I don't want to be here,'' he recalled. 'It went to a very dark place."
A Complete Timeline of Taylor Swift and Scooter Braun's Feud: Music Ownership Battle and More
The record executive was able to identify his deteriorating mental health and sought help.
"That's not me. I would never leave my kids. I don't wanna leave anybody. Like what was that? The next morning a friend of mine called and I told him about that night before. He called me back with another friend and they said, you need to go to Hoffman [Institute Foundation]," Braun detailed. "They told me that they could get me in two weeks because there was a cancellation. That was the release of Ariana Grande's Dangerous Woman album."
After speaking with Grande, 31, who offered to move her album release date, Braun stepped away from "the busiest week of the year" for him to prioritize his health.
"I've spent my whole life pursuing these things, doing this, choosing this, choosing that life and choosing the clients. I'm the top of my game yet I wanted to kill myself last night. Something has got to change. I chose to go to that place instead," he continued. "The hard stuff actually came after I got out. I ended up going through a divorce. I ended up going through all this different stuff — but I never was depressed again."
Braun added: "The most interesting thing that happened on the other side of it is six years ago I was the biggest manager and the perfect marriage and everything I touched turned to gold. Six years later I'm divorced, I don't manage anymore and I couldn't be happier."
The music manager clarified that he still has difficult days, saying, "It doesn't mean it doesn't ebb and flow. But I get to be the dad I've always wanted to be and the friend I've always wanted to be. It doesn't mean that things aren't gonna be hard. I'm gonna suffer more things and go through them. But I'm in a place that I understand more. It's like everything is a gift."
Taylor Swift's Fallout With Big Machine Records, Scooter Braun and Scott Borchetta: Everything We Know
Braun further elaborated on the progress he made later on in the episode.
"I had the night before thought about just shutting it all off. It wasn't even an idea that I wanted to die. I just wanted the noise in my head to go away. I wanted the failure, the disappointment and the fear [gone]. I was going to fail in my mind. I couldn't control it," he explained. "I'd always been able to navigate out of failure and head towards success. A pit stop. But I had left. What I found at Hoffman is that I had built this mask so big. I wanted to feel like me again. I didn't realize how far away I'd gotten from building up this armor and building up the mask."
Braun found success after he helped discovered Bieber, 31, in 2008. He then worked with other high-profile names in the music business including Grande, Kanye West, Demi Lovato, J Balvin, Ozuna, Dan + Shay and the Kid Laroi. Braun retired from artist management in 2024.
In addition to being known for his work with Bieber and Grande, Braun famously made headlines for acquiring Taylor Swift's masters in 2019.
Swift, 35, subsequently announced her plans to reimagine her past tracks after Braun paid more than $300 million to acquire the Big Machine Label Group. She bought back the rights to her entire discography in late May.
"When I bought Big Machine Label Group, I thought I was going to work with all the artists there. I thought it was gonna be like an exciting thing. I knew Taylor [but] she and I had only met three times. One of the times it was years earlier, it was really a great engagement," Braun claimed on Monday. "I had a feeling — this is where my arrogance came in — that she probably didn't like me because I managed [Kanye and Justin]. But I thought that once this announcement happened, she would talk to me, see who I am and we would work together."
Braun admitted he was thankful for the lessons he learned from their public rift.
Unexpected Celebrity Feuds We Never Saw Coming
"The biggest gift that I got from that was understanding that all the praise I had received up until that moment was not deserved. All the hate I got after that moment was not deserved because none of these people knew me. She didn't know me. This person didn't know me. This person who met me three times, they didn't know me," he continued. "I can show respect for all of them because I don't know them. So I can love them where they're at. But the gift of pain was awareness."
Amid his drama was Swift, Braun's marriage to Yael Cohen was coming to an end. (The former couple, who share three kids, were married from 2014 to 2022.)
"I was going through something very personal shortly after. I was going through the divorce and it just felt like one after another. But I look back and if those things didn't happen, I really think they're all gifts. Because when something's fair, you don't respect it," he concluded. "When something happens to you that you feel is fair, you move on. You feel justified because you saw it coming. When something happens to you that feels deeply unfair and you can't fix it, then you really gotta look at everything and realize the role you played in this. So I'm grateful."
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Justin Bieber's former manager now 'cheerleader from the side'
Scooter Braun considers himself a "cheerleader from the side" for Justin Bieber. Scooter Braun admitted his relationship with former client Justin Bieber is "not the same that it was", in a wide-ranging interview with the Diary of a CEO podcast. "We were able to achieve some amazing things. I'm very proud of what we achieved and always rooting for him," Scooter, 43, reflected. The music mogul retired in 2024 after more than two decades of managing Justin's career as well as other pop stars including Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato. Asked whether he and Justin had stayed close after his retirement, he admitted their relationship was, "not the same that it was." However, he noted it wasn't a surprise when Justin, 31, was ready to part ways professionally, saying "the writing was on the wall". "We worked together for so long and we had such extreme success, and I think you get to a point as a man where you want to show the world you can do it on your own," Scooter explained. "And I completely respect that. I think at this point, that's what he's doing. Myself and everyone from the old team is rooting for him." Scooter added he now positions himself as a "cheerleader from the side" for the married father of one.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
'I Feel A Lot Of Guilt': Scooter Braun Opened Up About Justin Bieber, Liam Payne, And Why So Many Young Artists Experience Addiction And 'Difficulty'
This post discusses addiction and mental health struggles. For many years, it's been incredibly common to see child stars navigate personal difficulties as they get older in the public eye. It's happened with some of the best-known former-child-stars in Hollywood: Lindsay Lohan, Daniel Radcliffe, Demi Lovato, and Drew Barrymore have all talked openly about dealing with addiction or mental health struggles as they navigated fame. Fortunately, though, these stars have gone on to live happy and healthy lives, which, as we know, sadly isn't the way things have played out for others. If there's one person who knows a thing or two about working with young talent, it's Scooter Braun. Earlier in their careers, he managed the likes of Demi, Ariana Grande, and most famously, Justin Bieber, whom he discovered on YouTube in 2008 when the singer was just 13. Related: Here's Why People Are Raising Their Eyebrows Over Chris Pratt's Post About The Fatal Shooting Of His 'Parks And Recreation' Costar Jonathan Joss Scooter managed Justin for 15 years, and in that time, it's no secret that JB faced some difficulties, having previously opened up about using drugs as a 'numbing agent to just continue to get through' at the height of his fame. In 2014, a then-19-year-old Justin was memorably arrested for driving under the influence in Miami after being caught street racing. The charges against the singer were eventually dropped. Justin reportedly stopped taking drugs sometime in 2014, and, while he's been seen smoking what appears to be weed more recently, his reps have denied that he uses hard drugs. Now, during an appearance on this week's episode of the Diary of a CEO podcast, Scooter was asked about the 'difficulty' at this point in Justin's life, and why fame at a young age can be incredibly 'confusing' for child stars as they get older. Notably, the host, Steven Bartlett, used the late Liam Payne as an example, asking why so many young artists are impacted by addiction, pain, and in some cases, tragedy. 'I feel a lot of guilt. I feel a lot of guilt because I worked with so many young artists, and I hadn't taken the time to look at myself or do the therapy myself until I was older,' Scooter replied, reflecting on his position as a manager to young artists in the 2010s. 'I didn't understand at 25 years old, at 27, at 30, that they each were coming from very unique backgrounds, of their own stuff with their own families, and their own childhood, and growing up this way…and being judged by the whole world at a very young age.' Related: 21 Times Celebrities Revealed Wildly Juicy, Shady, Or Even Disturbing Things In Interviews After considering his role in the cycle, Scooter put child stars' struggles down to two things: the first being that 'human beings are not made to be worshiped.' 'When we worship human beings, it changes something within us, it messes us up a little bit, because that's not what we're built for, and I think that can be very confusing,' he explained. 'Being able to transcend the childhood of people cheering your name and everything else at that level, and get to the place where the artists I've worked with are, where they are in healthy relationships and with their families, and still working through stuff… I think it's a testament to their strength.' 'The nature of being on that stage that young and people chanting your name,' he said. 'I didn't realized that till I got older.' The second aspect that Scooter said may have played a role is the lack of time put into taking care of child stars' mental well-being. 'I understand the importance now of really putting in the time to make sure mental health is addressed, and that we have an outlet to speak to someone outside of the crew,' he said. 'There's a lot of things that I learned within myself that I wish I knew back then.' Talking more specifically about Liam — who died last October after previously speaking about battling drug and alcohol addiction and suicidal thoughts during his post-One Direction career — Scooter recalled meeting the 1D boys 'before they really blew up.' 'I met Liam back then, and I met the excited young kid with the voice. Yet, each one of them has had a different experience,' he said, referring to Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik. 'Each one of them has had a different story of perseverance and tragedy. And that's the thing.' 'You just never know what the cocktail is gonna make of life,' he added. 'And I think that idea of, 'We're not made to be worshiped' — that can play funny things on the mind.' What do you make of Scooter's take on all this? Let me know in the comments section. You can find the full episode of Diary of a CEO here. More on this Scooter Braun Detailed The End Of His Professional Relationship With Justin Bieber And Gave His Thoughts On 'What He's Doing' NowEllen Durney · June 10, 2025 Here's What Justin Bieber's Rep Had To Say About The Online Speculation About His HealthEllen Durney · Feb. 24, 2025 After He Died Without A Will, Here's What's Happening To Liam Payne's $32.2-Million EstateEllen Durney · May 8, 2025 Also in Celebrity: Chrissy Teigen Posted The Results Of Her Hairline Lowering Surgery, And Ouch Also in Celebrity: 18 Celebrities Who Called Out Other Celebs On Social Media For Bad, Problematic, Or Just Plain Mean Behavior Also in Celebrity: Here Are 16 Actors Who Saved Their Skin By Turning Down Roles In Movies That People Notoriously Hated
Buzz Feed
8 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
Scooter Braun On The Tragic Impacts Of Childhood Fame
This post discusses addiction and mental health struggles. For many years, it's been incredibly common to see child stars navigate personal difficulties as they get older in the public eye. It's happened with some of the best-known former-child-stars in Hollywood: Lindsay Lohan, Daniel Radcliffe, Demi Lovato, and Drew Barrymore have all talked openly about dealing with addiction or mental health struggles as they navigated fame. Fortunately, though, these stars have gone on to live happy and healthy lives, which, as we know, sadly isn't the way things have played out for others. If there's one person who knows a thing or two about working with young talent, it's Scooter Braun. Earlier in their careers, he managed the likes of Demi, Ariana Grande, and most famously, Justin Bieber, whom he discovered on YouTube in 2008 when the singer was just 13. Scooter managed Justin for 15 years, and in that time, it's no secret that JB faced some difficulties, having previously opened up about using drugs as a 'numbing agent to just continue to get through' at the height of his fame. In 2014, a then-19-year-old Justin was memorably arrested for driving under the influence in Miami after being caught street racing. The charges against the singer were eventually dropped. Justin reportedly stopped taking drugs sometime in 2014, and, while he's been seen smoking what appears to be weed more recently, his reps have denied that he uses hard drugs. Now, during an appearance on this week's episode of the Diary of a CEO podcast, Scooter was asked about the 'difficulty' at this point in Justin's life, and why fame at a young age can be incredibly 'confusing' for child stars as they get older. Notably, the host, Steven Bartlett, used the late Liam Payne as an example, asking why so many young artists are impacted by addiction, pain, and in some cases, tragedy. 'I feel a lot of guilt. I feel a lot of guilt because I worked with so many young artists, and I hadn't taken the time to look at myself or do the therapy myself until I was older,' Scooter replied, reflecting on his position as a manager to young artists in the 2010s. 'I didn't understand at 25 years old, at 27, at 30, that they each were coming from very unique backgrounds, of their own stuff with their own families, and their own childhood, and growing up this way…and being judged by the whole world at a very young age.' After considering his role in the cycle, Scooter put child stars' struggles down to two things: the first being that 'human beings are not made to be worshiped.' 'When we worship human beings, it changes something within us, it messes us up a little bit, because that's not what we're built for, and I think that can be very confusing,' he explained. 'Being able to transcend the childhood of people cheering your name and everything else at that level, and get to the place where the artists I've worked with are, where they are in healthy relationships and with their families, and still working through stuff… I think it's a testament to their strength.' 'The nature of being on that stage that young and people chanting your name,' he said. 'I didn't realized that till I got older.' The second aspect that Scooter said may have played a role is the lack of time put into taking care of child stars' mental well-being. 'I understand the importance now of really putting in the time to make sure mental health is addressed, and that we have an outlet to speak to someone outside of the crew,' he said. 'There's a lot of things that I learned within myself that I wish I knew back then.' Talking more specifically about Liam — who died last October after previously speaking about battling drug and alcohol addiction and suicidal thoughts during his post-One Direction career — Scooter recalled meeting the 1D boys 'before they really blew up.' 'I met Liam back then, and I met the excited young kid with the voice. Yet, each one of them has had a different experience,' he said, referring to Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik. 'Each one of them has had a different story of perseverance and tragedy. And that's the thing.' 'You just never know what the cocktail is gonna make of life,' he added. 'And I think that idea of, 'We're not made to be worshiped' — that can play funny things on the mind.' What do you make of Scooter's take on all this? Let me know in the comments section. You can find the full episode of Diary of a CEO here.
