Ariana Grande will soon join HYBE’s superfan platform, Weverse, later this week on Sunday, July 21 alongside other big names in the industry, such as BTS and Blackpink.
It comes shortly after it was revealed the We Can’t Be Friends songstress, 31, would continue to work for her ex manager, Scooter Braun’s, entertainment brand, HYBE America Inc. – which is a subsidiary under HYBE Corporation.
According to Billboard, the star will be able to ‘post messages and content to her own dedicated community,’ as well as, ‘hold livestreams for members.’
Grande can additionally, ‘read personalized fan letters, upload exclusive media content, share disappearing messages, and utilize the popular Weverse Shop.’
Weverse – a South Korean mobile app and web platform – officially launched back in June 2019, and currently has a whopping 146 artists utilizing the platform, per the outlet.
Ariana Grande, 31, will soon join HYBE’s superfan platform, Weverse, later this week on Sunday, July 21 alongside other big names in the industry, such as BTS and Blackpink; seen in May in NYC
The platform also sees around 10 million monthly users from 245 countries and regions, giving Ariana the chance to interact with fans from around the globe.
The president of Weverse Company, Joon Choi, told Billboard, ‘What’s lucky for us has been that K-pop idols are the types of artists that have a very strong core fanbase.’
‘As a platform and a business, we had already enjoyed the competitive edge or advantage of being there first and being there early to observe what superfans actually want.’
The app not only allows fans to better connect with artists, but the platform also offers live music events through streaming as well as putting on the Weverse Con Festival.
In regards to having Ariana join the Weverse world, Joon Choi said, ‘Weverse is definitely a distinct platform, different from other social media platforms, so I’m also very curious how it will be utilized by artists like Ariana Grande.’
‘It really depends on each artist or label whether they discuss details about how they want to or plan to utilize Weverse. But in this particular case, we don’t know yet – that’s something that I’m closely watching…’
In 2021, Grande notably deactivated her Twitter account, (now known as X), but Choi explained that Weverse is different from social media. ‘It’s a place where people who love the artist gather.’
‘This isn’t our claim – artists have been saying this particular characteristic makes Weverse a very friendly and safer platform for artists to engage with their fans.’
According to Billboard, the star will be able to ‘post messages and content to her own dedicated community,’ as well as, ‘hold livestreams for members’; seen in May in NYC
Grande can additionally, ‘read personalized fan letters, upload exclusive media content, share disappearing messages, and utilize the popular Weverse Shop’
‘And the public compared to [other] social media…and that’s not just specific to big-name artists…’
HYBE Corporation is a South Korean entertainment company which was founded in 2005 and formerly known as Big Hit Entertainment.
In 2019, HYBE America was launched, with Scooter Braun becoming the sole CEO in 2023.
It was revealed last month in June that Ariana will continue working with Scooter Braun – months after she left his management.
The Thank U Next hitmaker shockingly parted ways with Braun after more than a decade in December 2023 – as the manager lost clients including Carly Rae Jepsen and Demi Lovato.
Grande signed a new management deal with Good World Management’s Brandon Creed – but will continue working with Braun’s entertainment platform HYBE.
The star and HYBE shared a statement stating they ‘look forward to continuing their long-standing business partnership and pursuing creative opportunities in Weverse and REM Beauty.’
Justin Bieber, one of Scooter’s biggest acts, was also reported to have left him in August.
But reps for the Sorry singer denied that he had left Braun last year and noted that the had signed another four-year contract in 2022, though an ongoing contract didn’t stop Ariana from moving on.
In regards to having Ariana also join the Weverse world, Joon Choi said, ‘Weverse is definitely a distinct platform, different from other social media platforms, so I’m also very curious how it will be utilized by artists like Ariana Grande’; seen in June in NYC
It was revealed last month in June that Ariana will continue working with her ex manager Scooter Braun – months after she left his management; Braun seen in 2020 in Pasadena
Last year in December, it was reported that Grande had signed with Creed’s newly-launched Good World Management, months after she allegedly parted ways with Braun, marking a decade since he helped catapult her to fame with her debut album, Yours Truly.
But insiders close to the situation told DailyMail.com that despite wanting to part ways with Braun, she is still very much tied to the record executive, at least legally.
‘Although Ariana has indeed found new music management, she has not dropped or cut ties with Scooter because she is tied in contractually,’ they said.
‘She continues to be contractually bound to Scooter as there are several long term contracts still in place.’
Braun is also involved in Grande’s R.E.M. Beauty through his HYBE America corporation.
In 2021, Braun sold Ithaca Holdings – the parent company to his SB Projects talent management company – to Korean K-Pop entertainment giant HYBE for $1.06 billion.
Ariana has been keeping busy – just months before her upcoming film, Wicked, hits theaters later this year on November 22.
She was spotted with her brother Frankie Grande earlier this week on Tuesday in NYC to watch her boyfriend, Ethan Slater, perform an off-Broadway concert.
But insiders close to the situation told DailyMail.com that despite wanting to part ways with Braun, she is still very much tied to the record executive, at least legally
And earlier last week, the songstress confirmed that she was trying to plan on embarking on a ‘mini’ tour in between her two Wicked films; seen in April in Las Vegas
And earlier last week, the songstress confirmed that she was trying to plan on embarking on a ‘mini’ tour in between her two Wicked films.
The first part will release this year in November, with the second set to premiere in theaters one year later in November 2025.
‘I still want it too. It would be a really lovely idea to be able to trickle some shows in between the two Wicked films…,’ she said on the Shut Up Evans podcast.
‘It would be a mini little sampling of shows, I think. It’s something that my team and I are working on coming up with options for.’
