Taylor Swift slams former manager Scooter Braun for cyber-bullying

Saman SiddiquiJuly 1, 2019

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Taylor Swift openly called out Scooter Braun, the talent manager of artists like Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, and Demi Lovato, for having bullied her and now getting to own all her past music.

American singer-songwriter reveals on social media that her entire music catalogue will soon be owned by the music manager, who recently struck a $300 million deal with Scott Borchetta and now owns the Big Machine Label Group and Taylor’s entire catalogue.

Turning to Tumblr, Swift wrote a detailed note, saying: “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.”

“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.

“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.

“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.

“Sad and grossed out”, she concluded her note.

The statement came in the wake of Braun’s acquisition of music label Big Machine Records, which holds the rights to Taylor’s first six studio albums.

Canadian singer Justin Bieber jumped into the defense of long-time manager Scooter Braun as soon after Taylor Swift released her long statement.

While he apologized to Taylor for sharing a ‘hurtful’ post in 2016 of him FaceTiming Scooter and Kanye West on Instagram, he continued to defend his manager.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BzWYdS9Hj5R/?utm_source=ig_embed

“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 screenshotted of scooter and Kanye that said “Taylor Swift what up” he didn’t have anything to do with it and it wasn’t even a part of the conversation in all actuality he was the person who told me not to joke like that (sic),” the Sorry singer wrote.

“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 forth online I don’t believe solves anything. I’m sure Scooter and i would love to talk to you and resolve any conflict, pain or any feelings that need to be addressed (sic),” he added.

“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 love character that’s crossing a line (sic),” he said while suggesting that the Me! singer is ‘crossing a line.’

Scooter Braun represents artists including Bieber, Demi Lovato, Ariana Grande and J Balvin.
Demi Lovato also came forward voicing her support for Scooter Braun.

In the other hand, many stars including Halsey and Tedrick Braun stepped in to lend their support for the singer.

“For those asking, I left Scooter Braun a long time ago…I am saddened by this news, but not shocked. He is an evil person who’s only concern is his wealth and feeding his disgusting ego,” said Braun.

“It turns my guts that no matter how much power or success a woman has in this life, you are still susceptible to someone coming along and making you feel powerless out of spite. It speaks volumes to how far we have to come in the music industry. I am standing with her,” tweeted Halsey.