In a passionate plea for help, Taylor Swift called on her fans, as well as fellow artists like Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato and Justin Bieber to speak out against Scooter Braun and Scott Borchetta.
Who are they, you ask? Settle in.
Scott Borchetta is the record executive who founded Big Machine Label Group, the label that Taylor Swift was signed by as a teenager.
Taylor left Big Machine in favour of Universal last year, when her decade-long contract expired.
Scott then sold Taylor’s master recordings to Scooter Braun’s company, Ithaca Holdings, for USD $300 million. Scooter is also one of the music industry’s biggest managers currently, and manages the careers of Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato, as well as Carly Rae Jepsen and Tori Kelly, amongst others.
Taylor described Scott selling her music to Scooter as her “worst case scenario”.
More on that here, but basically, Scooter and Scott own everything that Taylor has ever recorded, prior to the release of Lover earlier this year.
Taylor also announced that she would re-record new versions of her first seven albums, the masters of which she would own entirely, in accordance with her new deal with Universal.
This brings us relatively up-to-date.
It was recently announced that Taylor would be awarded Artist of the Decade at the upcoming American Music Awards, but in a post to her social media today, Taylor has alleged that Scott and Scooter are blocking her from performing any of her old music at the AMAs because it would count as a “re-recording” of her music before she’s legally allowed to next year, and that they’re essentially blocking a Netflix documentary about her life and career by refusing them access to her music.
Don’t know what else to do pic.twitter.com/1uBrXwviTS
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) November 14, 2019
“Scott Borchetta and Scooter Braun have now said that I’m not allowed to perform my old songs on television,” she wrote.
“Because they claim that would be re-recording my music before I’m allowed to next year.”
Taylor went on to say that they are essentially holding her music hostage unless she agrees to not re-record her old albums, and agrees to stop talking about the situation in public.
“The message being sent to me is very clear,” she wrote.
“Basically, be a good little girl and shut up. Or you’ll be punished.”
But Taylor was far from done. Rallying her troops, Taylor sounded the war cry, telling her fans: “Please let Scott Borchetta and Scooter Braun know how you feel about this,” and calling on Scooter’s clients to speak up against him.
“Scooter also manages several artists who I really believe care about other artists and their work,” she said. “Please ask them for help with this — I’m hoping that maybe they can talk some sense into the men who are exercising tyrannical control over someone who just wants to play the music she wrote.”
Needless to say, Twitter was instantly flooded with messages of support from fans and fellow artists.
Fuck that. We’re with you
— TINASHE (@Tinashe) November 14, 2019
Me, sitting in my bed right now on Twitter trying to figure out how I, a broke college student who can barely afford lunch can help the AMAs Artist Of The Decade, Taylor Swift defeat the music industry evil #FreeTaylor #IStandWithTaylor pic.twitter.com/QeOERC2kL5
— 𝒻𝑜𝓁𝓀𝓁𝑜𝓇𝑒 | fan account (@cardigan_swift) November 15, 2019
https://twitter.com/Swiftness13/status/1195138362350428160
We are asking you now to do the same Stand and support her right now, as you’re a part of scooter’s team.
You can help!if you really support women and artists. #IStandWithTaylor
@ArianaGrande @carlyraejepsen @ashleygraham @karliekloss @torikelly pic.twitter.com/QpM5uHC5GV
— Taylor Throwbacks (@ThrowbackTaylor) November 15, 2019
📲 TU | Taylor liked this post on Tumblr about @scottborchetta and @scooterbraun trying to make her look like the bad guy #IStandWithTaylor pic.twitter.com/nzvPkiZGNc
— Taylor Swift News (@TSwiftNZ) November 15, 2019
https://twitter.com/aarchivesgrande/status/1195140893587718144
COOOMBAAAT, I'M READY FOR COOOMBAAAT#IStandWithTaylor pic.twitter.com/bwKGPVYC4p
— Mica (@AccioTolkien) November 15, 2019
The #IStandWithTaylor movement is a pivotal moment in music. If Taylor Swift, the woman who EARNED Artist of the Decade, is dealing with men (who didn't create her music) trying to silence her, imagine what other hardworking women in the industry are facing.
📣 "This is WRONG." https://t.co/YC4vm2aVX1
— Brian A. Hernandez (@BAHjournalist) November 15, 2019
Please support Taylor in this fight. This is a fight for all artists, big and small, who have been fucked over by people who saw them as nothing more than a paycheque. Artist’s voices deserve to be heard and not silenced by men on a power trip #IStandWithTaylor https://t.co/v3eUzkakJt
— Louis Updates ◟̽◞̽ (@KingLWTPromo) November 15, 2019
.@ArianaGrande Silence is no longer an option. It's time for you to speak up and call your label and demand respect for female artists and their work. If you don't speak up now, there's going to be no one to speak up for you when they come for you, too. #IStandWithTaylor
— samantha🎗️ (@_samanthapaigej) November 15, 2019
