Amid an ongoing battle with business executive Scooter Braun to get the rights her masters back, news arrived that Taylor Swift’s entire music catalog had been sold for $300 million last November. Swift was publicly upset about Braun effectively owning her work, claiming that she faced “incessant, manipulative bullying” at his hands for years. But now Braun is saying that Swift’s reaction is “not based on anything factual.”
When the news of the masters controversy broke, Swift said she was denied the opportunity to buy back her masters without a clause that would keep her tied to her old label. But now, Braun discussed his side of the story in a lengthy interview with Variety. The executive claims he approached Swift and offered to sell her catalog back to her, but her team “refused” the deal:
“I regret and it makes me sad that Taylor had that reaction to the deal. […] All of what happened has been very confusing and not based on anything factual. I don’t know what story she was told. I asked for her to sit down with me several times, but she refused. I offered to sell her the catalog back and went under NDA, but her team refused. It all seems very unfortunate. Open communication is important and can lead to understanding. She and I only met briefly three or four times in the past, and all our interactions were really friendly and kind. I find her to be an incredibly talented artist and wish her nothing but the best.”
Ahead of Braun’s statement, Swift actually addressed the NDA in question in a statement on Twitter, saying it would have barred her from ever speaking about the executive in a negative light. “I would have to sign a document that would silence me forever before I could even have a chance to bid on my own work,” she said. The singer noted that her legal team said they had “never seen an NDA like this” unless it was to “silence an assault accuser by paying them off,” which could be why Swift didn’t agree to Braun’s meeting terms.
Been getting a lot of questions about the recent sale of my old masters. I hope this clears things up. pic.twitter.com/sscKXp2ibD
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) November 16, 2020
Braun continued in his Variety conversation that he disagrees with being labeled a “bully” by Swift, who claimed both Braun and Big Machine Records’ Scott Borchetta were “controlling a woman who didn’t want to be associated with them.” “The thing that struck me the worst is the word ‘bully,'” Braun said. “I’m firmly against anyone ever being bullied. I always try to lead with appreciation and understanding. The one thing I’m proudest of in that moment was that my artists and team stood by me. They know my character and my truth. That meant a lot to me. In the long run, I’m happy for my life’s work to be the legacy I leave behind.”
Swift is currently undergoing a massive campaign to re-record each of the six albums owned by Big Machine Records. So far, she’s released “Taylor’s version” of her Fearless album and has announced plans to re-release her Red album next.
Read Braun’s full conversation with Variety here.
