Justin Bieber’s $200 million music catalogue sale: a tune-up for financial woes

Justin Bieber has been all over the headlines lately, and his social media behaviour has also been pretty wild. He has been going through a lot, and now reports are letting fans in on what has been going on behind the scenes. 

A new TMZ documentary, “TMZ Investigates: What Happened to Justin Bieber?”, reveals that Bieber’s financial woes stem from a combination of financial mismanagement, legal disputes, and cancelled tours, leaving him in a shaky financial spot. 

Bieber’s relationship with manager Scooter Braun reportedly turned sour over financial issues after his 2022 “Justice” world tour was cancelled due to health problems, specifically his diagnosis with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, which caused facial paralysis.

During his world tour, Bieber was set to perform at Cape Town’s DHL Stadium on September 28 and Johannesburg's FNB Stadium on October 1. The tour is named after his 2021 hit album, “Justice”.

The Canadian pop star sold the rights to his music catalogue for around $200 million (more than R3.5 billion) in December, trying to get some funds back. His manager, Braun, apparently advised him to wait until January for tax benefits, but Bieber went ahead with the sale anyway.

A dispute with Braun and HYBE, the parent company of Braun’s management firm, has also been ongoing, with differing claims about management fees.

Bieber’s team asserts that Braun was overpaid by $26 million (over R460 million), while HYBE America’s audit suggests Bieber owes Braun $8.8 million (approximately R159 million) in unpaid compensation.

In the midst of these financial challenges, the sale of his music catalogue has raised questions. His team maintains that this was a strategic move for long-term financial security. However, the circumstances surrounding the sale have sparked questions.

Additionally, Bieber was previously hit with a $380,000 (around R7 million) bill for unpaid property taxes on his $16.6 million (over R290 million) Coachella Valley home.

Amidst these financial disputes, Bieber is reportedly considering legal action against his former financial managers, including Braun and HYBE.

Bieber’s representatives have denied allegations of financial distress, describing the rumours as baseless and misleading. 

They claim his financial status is stable and attribute negative portrayals to attempts to tarnish his image.

The “Peaches” hitmaker is the youngest musician to sell their music catalogue.