Taylor Swift’s years-long battle over her music catalog is back in the spotlight after Scooter Braun made a surprising confession about their infamous fallout.
During a new podcast appearance, the music mogul admitted he barely knew the pop superstar despite being painted as the villain in one of the music industry’s biggest feuds.
Braun also reflected on the backlash he faced after purchasing Swift’s masters, while insiders close to the singer insisted that her eventual victory over the catalog was achieved entirely without his help.
Braun opened up this week about the fallout surrounding his feud with Taylor Swift over ownership of her masters.
Appearing on the “Second Thought With Suzy Weiss” podcast, the music executive admitted that the controversy completely changed how the public viewed him.
He recalled going from being “loved and appreciated for over a decade to literally a villain the next night.” Braun also pushed back on the idea that he and Swift ever shared a close personal relationship.
“I don’t know Taylor Swift,” he said. “I think I’ve met her in my life three times. I have never had a substantial conversation with her in my life.”
According to Braun, one of those rare interactions happened at a party hosted by the singer herself, where they exchanged mutual respect.
The businessman insisted there has long been a misconception surrounding their history.
“But I think there’s this big misconception that, like, we knew each other and we had this feud and I managed her for years,” Braun explained.
“And people are usually shocked to find out that I legitimately don’t know her and didn’t have many interactions with her and never really knew her,” he added.
Swift’s Masters Battle Sparked Industry-Wide Debate
Scooter Braun said the experience ultimately taught him a great deal about the changing music industry. He admitted he still finds the situation bizarre years later. “I’m confused that this is part of my life,” Braun shared.
The former manager of Justin Bieber explained how traditional record deals usually work, noting that labels often retain ownership of master recordings while artists maintain publishing rights.
“Labels make bets on artists, and they own the masters and the artists own their publishing,” he explained. Braun also acknowledged that Taylor Swift’s highly publicized battle may have helped shift conversations throughout the business.
“As confusing as [the situation was] to me, I think what it did bring to light is that artists are going to start wanting to own their masters,” he said.
Last year, Swift officially regained ownership of her catalog after striking a deal with Shamrock Capital. The Grammy winner reportedly spent around $360 million to purchase back the rights to her music after Shamrock acquired them from Braun in 2020.
Taylor Swift Celebrated Regaining ‘Her Entire Life’s Work’
Swift addressed the deal emotionally in a handwritten letter posted on her website after reclaiming the catalog.
The “Cruel Summer” singer explained that proceeds from her massively successful Eras Tour helped finance the purchase.
“All I’ve ever wanted was the opportunity to work hard enough to be able to one day purchase my music outright with no strings attached, no partnership, with full autonomy,” she shared per the Daily Mail.
Swift then thanked Shamrock Capital for the “honest, fair and respectful” way the company handled the deal.
The 36-year-old added that she truly felt they understood what the music represented to her, including her memories, hard work, handwriting, and decades of dreams.
Swift Called Scooter Braun A ‘Bully’ During Masters Fight
The controversy first exploded in 2019 when Braun acquired Taylor Swift’s former record label, Big Machine Media, for $300 million.
The songstress later accused Braun and label head Scott Borchetta of trapping her in a deal structure that would have forced her to earn back her masters one album at a time.
The singer also shared an emotional Tumblr post after learning Braun had acquired her catalog. She described leaving behind “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.”
Swift admitted the situation devastated her. She also accused Braun of years of “incessant, manipulative bullying.”
Swift specifically referenced incidents involving Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, who were two of Braun’s clients at the time.
The singer later began re-recording her first six albums in response to the ownership dispute, eventually reclaiming several major projects, including “Fearless,” “Red,” “Speak Now,” and “1989.”
Taylor Swift’s Team Insisted Braun Played ‘Zero Part’
After Swift officially regained ownership of her music, rumors surfaced suggesting that Scooter Braun quietly helped facilitate the deal between Swift and Shamrock Capital.
However, insiders close to the negotiations strongly denied that claim. “Contrary to a previous false report, there was no outside party who ‘encouraged’ this sale,” one insider told the Daily Mail.
“All rightful credit for this opportunity should go to the partners at Shamrock Capital and Taylor’s Nashville-based management team only,” they added.
The source also made it clear Braun was not involved in Swift reclaiming her catalog.
“Swift now owns all of her music, and this moment finally happened in spite of Scooter Braun, not because of him,” the insider shared.
