Scooter Braun’s review of Justin Bieber‘s Swag is in. The surprise album that dropped Friday (July 11) is the pop star’s most genuine work to date, says Bieber’s former longtime manager — who noted he’s been watching the singer’s growth as an artist for nearly 20 years.
Bieber parted ways with Braun in 2024. That June, Braun announced he was retiring from music management after a two-decade run that had him overseeing clients including Bieber, Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato and more.
“Been having a beautiful start to the weekend and been getting a lot of texts about how I feel about Justin’s new album,” Braun wrote in an Instagram Story on Saturday, the day after Swag‘s release. “So I will just leave this here.. This is without a doubt, the most authentically Justin Bieber album to date. It’s beautiful, raw, and truly him. And that matters.”
Braun continued, “I’ve had the privilege of witnessing his growth for almost two decades. Along every journey, there comes a time when an artist fully steps into their own — and that’s what he’s done here. He’s poured his soul into this project, and you can feel it in every single run.”
“The way he chose to release it is just as intentional as the music itself — and I’m happy to see him do it this way. I have played no roll in this one, but as someone who’s always believed in him, I’m incredibly proud and impressed and genuinely enjoying the music,” he said.
Braun highlighted “Daisies” as his favorite song on Swag, citing Bieber’s “best in the world,” “special tone.”
“Stream Swag and support an authentic voice,” wrote Braun.
Swag, a collection of 21 tracks, is Bieber’s seventh studio album. It’s his first since 2021’s Justice, which spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and his first full-length record since becoming a parent.
In an interview with The Diary of a CEO last month, Braun admitted that his present-day relationship with Bieber is “not the same that it was.”
Said Braun, “I think there comes a point where — I understand — he probably wants to go on and show that he can do it. 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. 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.”