Justin Bieber sold the rights to his music catalog in December 2022 for a reported $200 million, a move that, according to a new documentary, was driven by serious financial distress. The documentary, titled TMZ Investigates: What Happened to Justin Bieber?, claims the pop singer was facing the brink of “financial collapse.”
Catalog deal driven by urgent financial need
At 31 years old, Bieber finalized the sale of nearly 300 songs to Hipgnosis Songs Capital. The transaction, among the most high-profile in the music industry in recent years, was not framed as a strategic portfolio move. Instead, TMZ executive producer Harvey Levin alleges it was a forced decision: “He had to sell his music catalog because he was broke.”
Levin claims Bieber’s earnings over the years ranged between $500 million and $1 billion, but financial mismanagement and accumulated debt led him to the brink. “Justin’s side acknowledges that in 2022, he was on the verge of… the words were ‘financial collapse.’ And that’s why he had to sell his catalog,” Levin states in the documentary, which is now streaming on Hulu.
Canceled tour cost him millions in revenue
Bieber’s financial situation is closely tied to the Justice World Tour, which was cancelled in September 2022. According to TMZ executive producer Don Nash, Bieber stood to earn approximately $90 million had the tour reached completion. The tour was ultimately scrapped due to Bieber’s health concerns, but the financial repercussions were significant.
The documentary outlines that the abrupt halt of tour operations, combined with ongoing costs and commitments, contributed directly to the need for an immediate infusion of cash.
Luxury spending and timing of the sale
Spending habits are also mentioned as a factor. A TMZ staffer cited in the documentary describes Bieber’s use of eight tour buses, one of which was renovated at a cost of $2 million. He reportedly flew on private jets and made cash purchases of multiple mega-mansions.
Harvey Levin also reveals that when Scooter Braun, Bieber’s then-manager, was informed about the potential sale of the catalog, he encouraged Bieber to wait until January 2023 to benefit from a tax advantage. “Justin said, ‘I gotta sell it now.’ And he sold it in December. That’s how broke he was,” Levin says.
Insiders express concern over personal and business choices
The documentary arrives shortly after The Hollywood Reporter published similar claims, stating that Bieber faced significant debt following the canceled tour. At the time, a spokesperson for Bieber denied those claims in a statement to People, calling them “clickbait stupidity based on unnamed — and clearly ill-informed — ‘sources,’ disappointed that they no longer work with Justin.”
Separately, a source told People that Bieber is “facing a lot of different demons right now,” adding, “He is making some really poor decisions lately, further impacting friendships, money and business. People are worried about him.”
The documentary presents a portrait of a global music figure navigating private and financial pressures behind the scenes of public success.
