She revealed on June 30 that Scooter Braun has purchased Big Machine Records and also her entire catalog of music for $300 million in lengthy post to Tumblr.
And Taylor Swift plans on re-recording her songbook to regain control of her master recordings, according to her new interview with Tracy Smith on CBS Sunday Morning via The Hollywood Reporter.
The artist, 29, was asked in the interview, which is set to air on Sunday, August 25, whether or not she will re-record all her songs, to which she answered with ‘Oh yeah.’
Control: Taylor Swift plans on re-recording her songbook to re-gain control of her master recordings, according to her new interview with Tracy Smith on CBS Sunday Morning via The Hollywood Reporter; pictured January 6, 2019 at the InStyle and Warner Bros Golden Globes after Party in Beverly Hills
Tracy further questioned her on the topic – asking Taylor ‘That’s a plan?’ to which Taylor responded with: ‘Yeah, absolutely.’
The host also asked Taylor if she knew about the $300 million deal beforehand; Scott Borchetta, founder/CEO of Big Machine Records, claims he told her about it while Scooter said he tried to discuss it with her.
Taylor said in the soon-to-be aired interview that she only learned of the deal ‘when it was online’ and that she didn’t hear about it from her team.
On June 30, Taylor took to her Tumblr to reveal ‘bully’ Scooter Braun – who is the manager of Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande and many more – acquired the label she was previously at – Big Machine Records.
His company Ithaca Holdings LLC bought Big Machine Label Group for a reported $300 million.
The ‘bully’: She revealed on June 30 that Scooter Braun (pictured) has purchased Big Machine Records and also her entire catalog of music for $300 million in lengthy post to Tumblr
Wow: Tracy further questioned her on the topic – asking Taylor ‘That’s a plan?’ to which Taylor responded with: ‘Yeah, absolutely’
The deal included the master recordings of all six of her albums – all of her previous music and her legacy.
Through the deal, in addition to Taylor’s masters, he also gets the music of Reba McEntire, Sheryl Crow, Florida Georgia Line, Thomas Rhett, Rascal Flatts and Lady Antebellum according to Bloomberg.
Scooter is the manager to Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, and Kanye West.
One issue with Taylor’s latest move, however, is that every record label – including Big Machine – has a record clause in their contracts so Braun can ultimately benefit from it according to TMZ on Thursday.
The provision prevents the artist from rerecording on another label, or on their own, and marketing those recordings.
The publication was told that the clause usually has an expiration date though it remains unclear when Big Machine’s expires.
However one issue could be that the original production clause prevents the artist from copying the first version so if Swift does rerecord the tracks than she will have to veer away from the original.
On her Tumblr post, Taylor slammed Scooter as well as Big Machine Label Group CEO Scott Borchetta and revealed she was not offered the opportunity to buy her own masters and that the former bullied her for years.
Taylor added a picture of Justin Bieber’s Instagram post – that showed what he captioned at the time- which was ‘Taylor Swift what up’ and a picture of Justin facetiming with Kanye West and Scooter Braun.
Standing up for herself: The deal included the master recordings of all six of her albums – all of her previous music and her legacy; pictured on August 11 at the Teen Choice Awards in Hermosa Beach
She had added in red writing with a circle over Scooter: ‘This is Scooter Braun, bullying me on social media when I was at my lowest point He’s about to own all the music I’ve ever made.’
Taylor wrote a lengthy post on Tumblr regarding the sale and also how the news brought her back to ‘the incessant, manipulative bullying I’ve received at his hands for years.’
Swift said the purchase was a betrayal from her old label.
‘Never in my worst nightmares did I imagine the buyer would be Scooter,’ she said.
Her post: Taylor added a picture of Justin Bieber’s Instagram post – that showed what he captioned at the time- which was ‘Taylor Swift what up’ and a picture of Justin facetiming with Kanye West and Scooter Braun
‘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 wrote.
In her social media post, Taylor cited her beef with Kim Kardashian in July 2016 and her unwanted cameo in Kanye West’s music video for Famous as examples of the bullying she’s suffered at the hands of Braun.
‘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,’ she said, adding the photo of Kanye, Justin and Scooter as proof.
Borchetta responded on his website soon after, writing that he had texted Taylor the day before the story broke and is also states that her father Scott – who was a shareholder at Big Machine Records – would have been aware of the sale.
‘I guess it might somehow be possible that her dad Scott, 13 Management lawyer Jay Schaudies (who represented Scott Swift on the shareholder calls) or 13 Management executive and Big Machine LLC shareholder Frank Bell (who was on the shareholder calls) didn’t say anything to Taylor over the prior 5 days.’ Borchetta wrote.
‘I guess it’s possible that she might not have seen my text. But, I truly doubt that she “woke up to the news when everyone else did.”‘
Taylor’s rep refuted suggested made by People and TMZ that Scott had notified her or her father of the deal and that he knew ‘for at least a week’ about the transaction.
Swift’s spokesperson told People Sunday evening: ‘Scott Swift is not on the board of directors and has never been. On June 25, there was a shareholder phone call that Scott Swift did not participate in due to a very strict NDA that bound all shareholders and prohibited any discussion at all without risk of severe penalty.’
The spokesperson added: ‘Her dad did not join that call because he did not want to be required to withhold any information from his own daughter. Taylor found out from the news articles when she woke up before seeing any text from Scott Borchetta and he did not call her in advance.’
True talent: Taylor’s rep refuted suggested made by People and TMZ that Scott had notified her or her father of the deal and that he knew ‘for at least a week’ about the transaction; pictured at the 2012 Grammy Awards
Taylor’s lawyer also denied claims that she had an opportunity to buy her own masters.
The lawyer refuted the report made by Page Six that she was informed months in advance that her old record label was up for sale.
A source told the site that during the 10-month negotiation, Swift was offered the chance to buy back her recordings, but she did not act on it.
Swift’s lawyer, Donald Passman, told Rolling Stone: ‘Scott Borchetta never gave Taylor Swift an opportunity to purchase her masters, or the label, outright with a check in the way he is now apparently doing for others.’
The Blast reported sources claiming that Scooter tried to call Swift after the controversial deal but that she ‘ignored’ him.
The story came after Braun re-posted and then deleted an Instagram post from one of his friends that congratulated him for now owning Swift.
Swift’s fans posted screenshots of the since-deleted post that read: ‘WHEN YOUR FRIEND BUYS TAYLOR SWIFT.’
Her original post prompted Braun’s wife Yael to defend her husband publicly. and attack Taylor.
In 2018 Swift signed with Republic Records, a label under the 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,’ Swift said.
‘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,’ she added.
She ended her post saying ‘sad and grossed out.’
Soon after posting her thoughts, Scooter’s client Justin Bieber posted an old photo of himself with Taylor and criticized her.
Power: ‘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,’ Swift said; the talented singer pictured on July 10, 2019 at the Amazon Music Prime Day concert in New York
He first apologized to her about the 2016 Instagram post where he bullied her, before asking her why she would use social media to ‘attack’ Scooter for his purchase knowing it would prompt her fans ‘to hate on’ him.
‘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?’ he wrote. ‘seems to me like it was to get sympathy u also knew that in posting that your fans would go and bully scooter.’
The Sorry hit maker wrote his response in the caption next to a throwback photo of himself and Swift together.
‘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..,’ Bieber began.
Putting himself in the middle: Soon after posting her thoughts, Scooter’s client Justin Bieber posted an old photo of himself with Taylor and criticized her
One of a kind: In 2018 Swift signed with Republic Records, a label under the Universal Music Group; Taylor holding on to her three Grammys at the 2016 Grammy Awards
‘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.!’
Bieber went on: ‘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.’
He concluded: ‘I usually don’t rebuttal things like this but when you try and deface someone i loves character thats crossing a line..’
Taylor, who has 10 Grammys under belt, will release her new album called Lover under Republic Records on Friday.
She owns all of her master recordings at the new label beginning with her Lover album.
The album: Her album Lover is set to be released on Friday, August 23
Support: Meanwhile, Taylor’s close friend Karlie Kloss was spotted listening to Lover last week on Spotify
Her full statement: Taylor took to Tumblr on June 30 about the deal