“Hes just happy he got paid back”— Netizens react as Scooter Braun praises Justin Bieber’s new album ‘Swag’

Scooter Braun publicly praised Justin Bieber’s newly released album Swag, calling it the most authentic work the artist has released in his career. In a lengthy Instagram Story shared on Saturday, July 12, 2025, Braun, 44, wrote:

“This is, without a doubt, the most authentically Justin Bieber album to date. It’s beautiful, raw and truly him. And that matters.”

Pop Base (@PopBase) shared a screenshot of the Instagram story in an update on X (formerly Twitter) on July 13, 2025.

Many fans have expressed different opinions on the praise, with some saying Scooter Braun is just glad he got "paid back."

"Girl hes just happy he got paid back lolll," an user wrote.

Some other fans expressed similar opinions.

"he just happy cause justin’s album is having huge success and scooter still got him in a 360 deal," one fan commented.

"oh that $35mil finally said sumn," an X user said.

"He’s saying all that cos he got paid $31.5 million LMFAO he don’t even care about Justin anymore," a fan account on X commented.

Many fans, however, are excited and appreciative and excited about Justin Bieber's new album, Swag.

"Finally, Justin’s truly found his voice. Can’t wait to vibe to this authentic, raw energy," one fan commented.

"Bieber finally found his true sound. Respect," another X user said.

"Always great to see an artist embracing authenticity! This album sounds promising!" another fan said.

Scooter Braun, who first discovered Justin Bieber on YouTube and managed his career for over a decade, emphasized that although he had “played no role in this one,” he felt proud to witness Bieber “fully step into [his] own.” Their professional relationship officially ended in 2023.

The payment that fans have mentioned in some comments seemingly refers to a $31.5M to settlement Bieber paid to Braun, according to a July 12, 2025, update by Pop Crave (@PopCrave).

Justin Bieber released Swag on Friday, July 11. It’s his first album since 2021’s Justice and features 21 tracks, including a song titled Daisies, which Braun singled out as his favorite.

“Justin has a special tone... it’s the best in the world," Braun wrote.

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More about the reaction to Justin Bieber's new album, Swag

According to a Us Weekly article from July 12, 2025, Swag is considered a more personal and informal project for Justin Bieber, differing in tone and format from his earlier studio albums. A source told the outlet that the album is “more of a personal project that Justin has been wanting to put out, almost like a mixtape.” Bieber’s label reportedly has plans for a more traditional pop album in early 2026.

The release strategy for Swag was also noted by Braun, who said the unorthodox rollout was “just as intentional as the music itself.” He encouraged his followers to stream the album and “support an authentic voice.”

The album release comes amid continued interest in Justin Bieber’s professional path post-Braun, especially given his wife Hailey Bieber’s influence in the decision to change managers in 2023.

While Justin has not publicly responded to Braun’s praise, Hailey Bieber appeared to weigh in on social media around the same time Braun posted his message. On July 12, she uploaded a selfie featuring a side-eye expression, captioned with lyrics from Mariah Carey’s Obsessed.

Though no direct mention was made of Braun, Us Weekly reported that Hailey, 28, played a significant role in Justin Bieber’s departure from Braun’s management in 2023. A source told the outlet in August 2023 that she “led the charge” for the change in management.