Ever since the very beginnings of his rollercoaster music career, Justin Bieber and Scooter Braun’s names have been intertwined. Linked through the relationship shared by the manager and musician, Braun was an integral component to Bieber’s success, but how did the two meet?
Scooter Braun and Justin Bieber first met when the former flew the latter out to a studio in Atlanta, after seeing his Youtube video. Along with recording some songs, Bieber also got to meet Usher.
Justin Bieber is the poster child for transitioning from massive success on Youtube to mainstream media. Just by showcasing his genuine talent to the world, the following that he gathered on the video-sharing website enabled him to meet Braun and take his music career to the next level.
Talent at First Sight
In a world where we can conveniently scroll through social media and video sharing services in search of people or subjects that interest us, it might not seem so strange that it was on one of these platforms that Bieber was scouted.
That concept of a talent being discovered in such a way wasn’t so commonplace back in 2008, however. It was especially unusual that it would turn out to have such mainstream success, a feat that has still to be replicated on the same scale more than a decade later.
One half of the success story is down to Scooter Braun’s involvement. All-around music industry expert, and manager to stars like Ariana Grande as well as Bieber, Braun was doing the rounds on Youtube when he stumbled across the young star.
In a way, it could be this event that is described as their first meeting. At least on one side of the table, it was a meeting, as Braun was introduced to the Youtube sensation that would soon become a worldwide phenomenon.
Bieber’s videos on the website had already begun to rack up hundreds of thousands of views, later bordering or exceeding the millions in some cases, and even by today’s viewership standards on the platform he had ‘made it’, breaking the barrier with his viral popularity.
Compared to the world that Braun was going to open up, the views that he was getting on Youtube were nothing. The real trick here was recognizing the untapped potential, Braun immediately sprung into action and got in touch with Bieber as he saw the possibilities.
Braun must have his finger on the pulse in regards to what was relevant and interesting at the time, as he was the only manager to pursue this kind of action successfully. Of course, it’s hard to replicate his feat without someone like Bieber, a multi-talented, multi-instrument, self-taught, singer, and musician.
That urgency to get in touch with Bieber led to him organizing a meeting with the future sensation, arranging for him to come and meet him at his recording studio. It was here that Bieber would meet more than just Braun, as the man who was to secure his recording future would also be present.
More Than A Manager
We’ve seen plenty of stars left high and dry when the bad times come around, but in the case of Bieber and Braun’s relationship, it seems to be built of stronger stuff. Perhaps it’s natural that he feels some degree of guardianship or responsibility for Bieber, having had known him for such a long period of time.
In some recent documentaries, Bieber has opened up about many of the troubles that he was facing during those early years of unprecedented fame and glory. From jetting across the globe on a schedule of high-energy performances to becoming embroiled in drugs at the age of 19, Braun had been present through it all.
Braun even comments on being afraid that Justin might overdose, or “die in his sleep,” due to the severity of the drug problem and the lifestyle that he had begun to lead. It wasn’t something that he could do much about, either, as Bieber had the money and the power to go and do whatever he wished.
That problem of Bieber being out of control in the past is something that Braun expressed frustration over not being able to help with, but is clearly incredibly pleased for Bieber both as a manager and a friend that he has recovered.