Hailey Bieber stirs online fallout with Scooter Braun reference as followers note “no coincidences here”

Hailey Bieber appeared to shade Justin Bieber’s former management team on Instagram, sparking fresh fan debate online

Hailey Bieber has set social media alight after appearing to throw subtle shade at her husband Justin Bieber’s former management team, led for years by Scooter Braun. The moment came as Justin reached a major career milestone, surpassing 9.5 billion streams on Spotify so far this year, marking his biggest streaming year on the platform to date.

The Rhode founder shared a celebratory Instagram story highlighting Justin’s achievement, reposting graphics that praised the singer’s sustained global popularity and dominance on streaming charts. What caught fans’ attention was her added caption, which read “and all without his *** ****”. While the wording was censored, many quickly interpreted the comment as a pointed reference to Scooter Braun and Justin’s previous team, from whom he has since professionally distanced himself.

Justin Bieber’s separation from Braun, who managed him from his teenage breakthrough through multiple chart topping eras, has been widely discussed over the past year. The pop star has been steadily reshaping his career, with reports suggesting greater creative control and a smaller, more personal inner circle. His streaming success in 2025 has been viewed by many fans as proof that he remains a powerhouse without the machinery that once defined his rise.

Online reaction to Hailey’s post was swift. Fans praised her for publicly supporting Justin and subtly defending his independence. Some described the caption as overdue vindication, while others felt it was unnecessarily provocative given Braun’s long history with the singer. A number of users also noted how rare it is for Hailey to comment directly on Justin’s business relationships, adding to the sense that the message was deliberate.

Music industry watchers pointed out that Justin’s streaming numbers this year were driven largely by catalogue listening rather than a traditional album rollout. Tracks from across his career have continued to perform strongly, suggesting lasting listener loyalty rather than short term hype. Supporters argued that this made the achievement even more significant, particularly in the absence of a major promotional push.

Not everyone applauded the post. Some commenters felt the shading risked reopening old tensions and distracting from Justin’s achievement itself. Others defended Hailey, saying her loyalty and pride were evident and that the caption reflected long standing frustrations rather than a calculated dig.