Portraying Glinda in the Wicked films has been profoundly restorative for Ariana Grande, but she also credits a change in representation with helping her rediscover the joy of making music. In a New York Times profile published Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025, Grande said stepping away for a while and pursuing acting allowed her to rebuild her relationship with pop.

The singer explained that after the demands of her 2019 Sweetener tour she felt depleted and, for a time, didn’t expect to tour again. Time away from pop music, she said, helped heal what had become a difficult connection to the industry.

Grande is now preparing for a limited tour in 2026 in support of her 2024 Billboard 200–topping album, Eternal Sunshine — a project she completed after having doubted whether she would ever make another record. While re-engaging with acting was an important part of her reset, she indicated that shifting representation also made a meaningful difference.

“By the way, I have a different team now,” she said, noting that the change has been significant.

Billboard has contacted Scooter Braun’s representatives for comment. Grande’s split from SB Projects occurred more than two years ago, during a period when several high-profile artists similarly ended management relationships with Braun, including Demi Lovato and J Balvin.

In June 2024, Braun announced he was stepping away from music management; in subsequent appearances he expressed goodwill toward former clients and spoke positively about their continued successes. During a recent guest appearance on The Diary of a CEO podcast, he reflected on artists’ achievements and the satisfaction of seeing them flourish independently.

Shortly after departing SB Projects, Grande signed with Brandon Creed’s Good World Management. Industry sources said the move signaled her desire to center creative priorities — choosing a team focused on supporting her artistry and long-term vision.

She told the Times that with the new team she feels more creatively grounded and inspired than she has in years, and that reclaiming the ability to treat her art as its own thing required granting herself permission to do so.

Read the New York Times profile.

Source