Taylor Swift versus Big Machine
The Battle for Control
Ever wonder why Taylor Swift released all her albums and why the feud with Scooter Braun took over social media for a while? Here's Taylor's side of the story.
Taylor Swift’s dad invested in Big Machine Records, where Scott Borchetta, the former CEO and President, got his big break when Swift signed with him at just 15 years old. Borchetta built a close relationship with Swift, but ultimately sold her masters behind her back. This set the stage for the public battle that would follow.
Scooter Braun, who was Kanye West’s producer, had a long history with Swift. He allowed Kanye to produce the infamous music video for "Famous," which featured Swift’s head on a naked body and painted her as a villain. This, along with Kanye interrupting Swift’s acceptance speech at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, further soured their relationship. So, when Borchetta sold Swift's masters to Scooter, it felt like a betrayal. They were profiting off her work while stabbing her in the back, and somehow, Swift was being painted as the villain.
This situation reflects the classic story of men in power trying to control and gaslight women who are more successful than they are. When Swift stood up for herself, she was told to “shut up and be a good little girl.” Her dad was blindsided too, after investing in Big Machine for years.
When Swift started with Borchetta, she was just 15. By the time she left, at 28, she was a powerhouse. She stuck to her end of the deal and waited until 2020 to buy back her rights. Despite ultimatums being used against her, she didn’t back down.
Swift is a down-to-earth person who writes and sings about real issues. Despite being the most successful female artist of all time, she’s remained humble. The controversy over the phone call between her and Kanye was another example of things being taken out of context. Kim Kardashian illegally released the phone call, editing it to make it look like Swift had agreed to Kanye’s controversial lyrics in “Famous.” The victim-blaming was appalling, especially when it came from men claiming ownership.
Swift had even asked to buy back her rights, but Borchetta told her she could only buy one album for every new album she produced for him. This deal didn’t add up, and Swift saw through it. She refused to accept it, standing up for herself and inspiring change in the process. Why hate her for knowing her worth and standing up for her rights?
All Swift did was speak from her heart, something men do all the time without criticism. What's wrong with an educated woman expressing herself? Celebrities get slammed for not being perfect, but normal people get grace.