Trending 1st July 2019 by Megan Roantree

Here’s What’s Happening With Taylor Swift, Her Music And Scooter Braun

"All I could think about was the incessant, manipulative bullying I’ve received at his hands for years."

Taylor Swift

Scooter Braun is set to own Taylor Swift’s entire music catalogue and she is ‘sad and grossed out’ about it.

Here’s everything you need to know…

Who is Scooter Braun

He is a 38-year-old entrepreneur and talent manager. He represents big names like Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande, Carly Rae Jepsen, Hilary Duff and Demi Lovato.

Why is he acquiring Taylor Swift’s music?

His media company Ithaca Holdings LLC. and Big Machine Label Group finalised a contract which means that Ithaca Holdings will acquire Big Machine Label Group which is Taylor’s former record label.

This means that he will gain the six albums Taylor has released to date, along with other artists’ music such as Lady Antebellum.

How did Taylor Swift react? 

The singer took to Tumblr, and Instagram stories with a lengthy statement about the acquisition.

“For years I asked, pleaded for a chance to own my work. Instead, I was given an opportunity to sign back up to Big Machine Records and ‘earn’ one album back at a time, one for every new one I turned in. I walked away because I knew once I signed that contract, Scott Borchetta would sell the label, thereby selling me and my future. I had to make the excruciating choice to leave behind my past. Music I wrote on my bedroom floor and videos I dreamed up and paid for from the money I earned playing in bars, then clubs, then arenas, then stadiums.” she said on Tumbler.

She also revealed that she heard about it when it was reported on and hadn’t been told prior to that.

“Some fun facts about today’s news: I learned about Scooter Braun’s purchase of my masters as it was announced to the world. All I could think about was the incessant, manipulative bullying I’ve received at his hands for years,” she said.

She also explained some of her issues with the talent manager which was to do with Kanye’s Famous drama.

“Like when Kim Kardashian orchestrated an illegally recorded snippet of a phone call to be leaked and then Scooter got his two clients together to bully me online about it. (See photo) Or when his client, Kanye West, organized a revenge porn music video which strips my body naked. Now Scooter has stripped me of my life’s work, that I wasn’t given an opportunity to buy. Essentially, my musical legacy is about to lie in the hands of someone who tried to dismantle it.”

She added: “This is my worst case scenario. This is what happens when you sign a deal at fifteen 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.”

“When I left my masters in Scott’s hands, I made peace with the fact that eventually, he would sell them. Never in my worst nightmares did I imagine the buyer would be Scooter. Any time Scott Borchetta has heard the words ‘Scooter Braun’ escape my lips, it was when I was either crying or trying not to. He knew what he was doing; they both did. Controlling a woman who didn’t want to be associated with them. In perpetuity. That means forever,”

She added that she is now happier with her management situation and feels she has more freedom with her labels Republic Records and Universal Music Group.

“Thankfully, I am now signed to a label that believes I should own anything I create. Thankfully, I left my past in Scott’s hands and not my future. And hopefully, young artists or kids with musical dreams will read this and learn about how to better protect themselves in a negotiation. You deserve to own the art you make.
I will always be proud of my past work. But for a healthier option, Lover will be out August 23.”

What has the reaction been like? 

Scott Borchetta, the founder of Big Machine Label Group fired back at Taylor and her claims saying that he had told her about it before the news came out.

“Taylor’s dad, Scott Swift, was a shareholder in Big Machine Records, LLC. We first alerted all of the shareholders on Thursday, June 20th for an official shareholder’s call scheduled for Tuesday, June 25,” he revealed on the company’s website. “On the 6/25 call, the shareholders were made aware of the pending deal with Ithaca Holdings and had 3 days to go over all of the details of the proposed transaction. We then had a final call on Friday, June 28th in which the transaction passed with a majority vote and 3 of the 5 shareholders voting ‘yes’ with 92% of the shareholder’s vote.”

Scott Borchetta included screenshots of deal memos allegedly sent between November 2018 and June 2019.

He added: “Out of courtesy, I personally texted Taylor at 9:06 p.m., Saturday, June 29 to inform her prior to the story breaking on the morning of Sunday, June 30 so she could hear it directly from me… I guess it’s possible that she might not have seen my text [as a rep claimed]. But, I truly doubt that she ‘woke up to the news when everyone else did.’”

He also implied that Taylor lied about being upset when Scooter Braun was mentioned.

“As to her comments about ‘being in tears or close to it’ anytime my new partner Scooter Braun’s name was brought up, I certainly never experienced that. Was I aware of some prior issues between Taylor and Justin Bieber? Yes. But there were also times where Taylor knew that I was close to Scooter and that Scooter was a very good source of information for upcoming album releases, tours, etc, and I’d reach out to him for information on our behalf. Scooter was never anything but positive about Taylor. He called me directly about Manchester to see if Taylor would participate (she declined).”

Other celebs and people in the music industry have shared their thoughts on the situation, including Justin Bieber who defended Scooter.

He apologised for the 2016 Instagram post, Taylor mentioned on Tumblr and criticised Taylor for taking the issue out in public on social media.

“Scooter has had your back since the days you graciously let me open up for you.! As the years have passed we haven’t crossed paths and gotten to communicate our differences, hurts or frustrations. So for you to take it to social media and get people to hate on Scooter isn’t fair. What were you trying to accomplish by posting that blog? seems to me like it was to get sympathy u also knew that in posting that your fans would go and bully scooter,” he said.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Hey Taylor. First of all i would like to apologize for posting that hurtful instagram post, at the time i thought it was funny but looking back it was distasteful and insensitive.. I have to be honest though it was my caption and post that I screenshoted of scooter and Kanye that said “taylor swift what up” he didnt have anything to do with it and it wasnt even a part of the conversation in all actuality he was the person who told me not to joke like that.. Scooter has had your back since the days you graciously let me open up for you.! As the years have passed we haven’t crossed paths and gotten to communicate our differences, hurts or frustrations. So for you to take it to social media and get people to hate on scooter isn’t fair. What were you trying to accomplish by posting that blog? seems to me like it was to get sympathy u also knew that in posting that your fans would go and bully scooter. Anyway, One thing i know is both scooter and i love you. I feel like the only way to resolve conflict is through communication. So banter back and fourth online i dont believe solves anything. I’m sure Scooter and i would love to talk to you and resolve any conflict, pain or or any feelings that need to be addressed. Neither scooter or i have anything negative to say about you we truly want the best for you. I usually don’t rebuttal things like this but when you try and deface someone i loves character thats crossing a line..

A post shared by Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) on

He added that both he and Scooter ‘love’ Taylor and that they would like to the opportunity to speak to her in person.
There’s plenty of support for Taylor too though, including Halsey, Cara Delevigne and Mandy Teefy, who is Selena Gomez’s mother.
Mandy said: “I wish I could give you a big hug right now! Thank you for speaking out about this and teaching future young artist about protecting themselves. I don’t understand the pleasure of power plays to simply hurt people! To deny you the option to own your blood, sweat and tears, especially as a young woman who shared growing up in front of the world, is heartbreaking!!”

We patiently await Taylor’s next move…

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