Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings acquired Taylor Swift’s former label Big Machine over the weekend, including masters of her first six albums.
Yesterday (30 June) it was revealed that Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings had purchased the Big Machine Label Group for a reported $300 million. The purchase includes the masters to singer Taylor Swift’s first six albums. Swift posted yesterday claiming that she only heard the news after it was made public, claiming Bruan bullied her in the past, accusing him and Big Label CEO Scott Borchetta of controlling actions.
In a post made yesterday via Tumblr, Swift accuses Scooter Braun of bullying her over her dispute with Kanye West, and calls this move her “worse case scenario.” Her statement reveals: “When I left my masters in Scott’s [Borchetta’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.”
Scott Borchetta, founder and CEO of Big Machine, has today rebutted Swift’s claim. The pop singer claimed that she learned of the deal “as it was announced to the world” yesterday, but Borchetta suggests that Swift’s team has known about the acquisition since Tuesday (25 June). In a statement entitled, “So, It’s Time for Some Truth,” which was shared last night on the Big Machine Label Group’s website, Borchetta has written that he texted Swift personally about the deal on Saturday night, “so she could hear it directly from me.”
In regard to a post earlier today from Taylor, it’s time to set some things straight. https://t.co/OqGI4GoN3P
— Scott Borchetta (@scottborchetta) July 1, 2019
Borchetta added that those surrounding Swift including her dad Scott, who owns a 4% stake in Big Machine, 13 Management lawyer Jay Schaudies (who reportedly represented Swift on the shareholder calls) or 13 Management executive and Big Machine shareholder Frank Bell (who, according to Borchetta, was on the shareholder calls), were likely to have shared the information with Swift prior to Sunday.
Several artists have spoken out in support of Swift including frequent collaborator Joseph and Halsey. Justin Bieber, who is one of Braun’s clients, has also waded into the fray to support his manager. Todrick Hall, a former client of Braun’s has spoken out, calling him ‘evil’ and accusing him of homophobia.
Read Swift’s statement in full here.