Taylor Swift Slams 'Tyrannical' Scooter Braun & Scott Borchetta In Scathing Rant Over Music Rights
Nov. 14 2019, Published 10:41 p.m. ET
Fighting back!
Taylor Swift slammed Scooter Braun and Scott Borchetta over her old music rights, claiming they wouldn’t let her play those songs at the American Music Awards or in a new Netflix documentary.
The 29-year-old superstar has been outspoken about how furious she was when her old label, Big Machine Records, sold her music to Braun and she opened up about their latest round of fighting.
“Guys it’s been announced recently that the American Music Awards will be honoring me with the Artist of the Decade Award at this year's ceremony. I’ve been planning to perform a medley of my hits throughout the decades on the show. Scott Borchetta and Scooter Braun have now said that I’m not allowed to perform my old songs on television because they claim that would be re-recording my music before I’m allowed to next year,” she wrote in a Tweet that she captioned: “Don’t know what else to do.”
Swift continued: “Additionally – and this isn’t the way I had planned on telling you this news – Netflix has created a documentary about my life for the past few years,” she said in bombshell confession for her fans.
But the news wasn’t good.
“Scott and Scooter have declined the use of my older music or performance footage for this project, even though there was no mention of either of them or a Big Machine Records anywhere in the film.”
The "Bad Blood" singer had immediate support, with the hashtag #ISupportTaylor trending on Twitter.
“Scott Borchetta told my team that they’ll allow me to use my music only if I do these things: if I agree to not re-record copy cat versions of my songs next year (which is something I am both legally allowed to do and looking forward to) and also told my team that I need to stop talking about him and Scooter Braun.”
Swift explained why she went public with the issue.
“I feel very strongly that sharing what is happening to me could change the awareness level for other artists and potentially help them avoid a similar fate.”
“The message being sent to me is very clear. Basically, be a good little girl and shut up. Or you’ll be punished. This is WRONG,” Swift wrote.
She detailed her reasons behind the fight.
“Neither of these men had a hand in the writing of the songs. They did nothing to create the relationship I have with my fans. So this is where I’m asking for your help. Please let Scott Borchetta and Scooter Braun know how you feel about this.”
Swift seemed to call out Ariana Grande, who is repped by Braun, in her message and asked her fans to help her out too.
“Scooter also manages several artists who I really believe care about other artists and their work. Please ask them for help with this – I’m hoping that maybe they can talk some sense into the men who are exercising tyrannical control over someone who just wants to play the music she wrote.
“I’m especially asking for help from The Carlyle Group, who put up the money for the sale of my music to these two men.“
Swift ended her message with an explanation.
“I just want to be able to perform MY OWN music,” she wrote.
“That’s it. I’ve tried to work this out privately through my team but I’ve not been able to resolve anything. Right now my performance at the AMA’s, the Netflix documentary and any other recorded events I am planning to play until November 2020 are a question mark.
“I love you guys and I thought you should know what’s been going on.”