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Taylor Swift Talks About the Importance of ‘Ownership’ Amid Record Label and Scooter Braun Drama
Speaking out. Taylor Swift has been extremely forthcoming with fans about her recent struggles with her former record label, Big Machine, and music industry executive, Scooter Braun. The drama seemed to come to a head in the weeks leading up to the pop star’s performance at the American Music Awards in November, but Taylor got candid about why it was so important for her to fight for “ownership” of her music in the January issue of British Vogue.
“I think [writing] is really important — also from the side of ownership over what you do and make,” the 29-year-old said during a sit-down conversation with music composer Andrew Lloyd Webber. “Even if you aren’t a natural writer, you should try to involve yourself in the messages you’re sending.”
Taylor has been involved in a heated fight over the right to own her own music since June, when Scott Borchetta‘s Big Machine Label Group was sold to Scooter, 38, for more than $300 million — which included Taylor’s entire music catalog. “This is my worst-case scenario. This is what happens when you sign a deal at 15 to someone for whom the term ‘loyalty’ is clearly just a contractual concept. And when that man says ‘Music has value’, he means its value is beholden to men who had no part in creating it,” Taylor wrote in a lengthy statement on Tumblr.
But it got worse in November when Taylor alleged Scooter and Scott, 57, blocked her from being able to perform her own music at the 2019 AMAs, where she was presented with the Artist of the Decade award. “I’ve been planning to perform a medley of my hits throughout the decade on the show Scott Borchetta and Scooter Braun have now said that I’m not allowed to perform old songs and television because they claim that would be re-recording my music before I’m allowed to next year,” she claimed in a statement on Twitter.
Big Machine addressed Taylor’s claims in a statement. “Taylor, the narrative you have created does not exist,” the statement read. “To date, not one of the invitations to speak with us and work through this has been accepted. Rumors fester in the absence of communication … We share the collective goal of giving your fans the entertainment they both want and deserve.”
Scooter also addressed Taylor’s claims, and he seemed open to working towards a mutual agreement with the pop star. “Moving forward I would like to find a resolution,” he wrote. “I will make myself available whenever works for you. Many have told me that a meeting will never happen as this is not about truth or resolution but instead a narrative for you. I am hopeful that is not the case. I’m right here, ready to speak directly and respectfully. But if you would prefer to make large public statements while refusing to work towards resolving things amicably, then I just pray that nobody gets seriously hurt in the process. I continue to wish you the best and hope we can resolve this.”
Eventually, Taylor was able to perform a medley of her greatest hits at the AMAs, so it seems like the issue has been resolved for now.
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