So…does this mean there’s no more “Bad Blood” between Taylor Swift and Scooter Braun?
The former music manager is back in the spotlight after opening up about his infamous feud with the iconic pop star on Danielle Robay’s “Question Everything” podcast. Braun reflected on the long-standing drama surrounding his 2019 purchase of Swift’s master recordings from Big Machine Records, calling it a “misunderstanding” that spiraled out of control.
“I think going backwards and revisiting this is a waste of time,” Braun said bluntly when asked about the conflict, adding to the ongoing conversation fans have followed for years.
Taylor Swift’s Side of the Story
Back when the sale went public, Swift accused Braun of manipulative behavior and alleged he tried to force her into signing an NDA before even naming a price for her masters. Braun, for his part, disputed the narrative, claiming there were ongoing negotiations behind closed doors that were never brought to life.
“The only thing I didn’t appreciate is it was so public without an understanding of what was actually going on,” Braun said. “When Taylor says that she wasn’t offered the masters, the reason I was under NDA was because we were in negotiations to sell it back to her. I just choose to believe her that maybe [her team] didn’t tell her.”
Braun went on to say he regrets how one-sided the public perception became, going in favor of Swift. “It’s easy to see someone as a monster if you’ve never met them. Taylor and I have only met three times. I think at that point we hadn’t seen each other in two, three years.”
He continued, “I was managing people she wasn’t a fan of, and she probably saw my name and was like, ‘I don’t like those people, so I don’t like him.’ But we never had the chance to sit down face to face—even to this day.”
‘Vigilante Sh*t’ & That Lyric About His Ex?
Braun also addressed Swift’s 2022 track “Vigilante Sh*t,” which many fans believe takes a jab at him. One lyric in particular, “Picture me thick as thieves with your ex-wife,” sparked speculation that it referenced Yael Cohen, Braun’s ex-wife, whom he divorced in 2021.
Dismissing the theory, Braun laughed: “No, ’cause I talk to Yael every day.”
“My ex-wife is one of my best friends. We don’t even call each other ‘ex.’ That’s the mother of my children, my family for life. So no, I never thought that was about us. Great strategy move, but nah.”
Why the Feud Took Off & How It Backfired
For those who need a refresher, when Braun’s company acquired Swift’s masters, she refused to work with him or his team. Braun says he was ultimately fine with selling the rights to someone else.
Turns out, that move may have helped fuel one of the most brilliant career pivots in music history. Swift went on to re-record four of her original six albums as “Taylor’s Versions.” The brilliant move helped her regain all ownership of her songs and become one of the most powerful artists in the world.
She also launched the wildly successful Eras Tour, which helped push her into billionaire status and eventually enabled her to buy her masters back from Shamrock Holdings in May.
Calling her the “biggest artist of all time,” Braun admitted Swift turned the entire situation into a strategic win. “It was brilliant on her part. But also, each time she released a re-recorded album, you saw a spike in the original catalog. And that’s how we were able to tell, ‘OK, if she doesn’t want them, this is still a really great asset.’”
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Scooter Braun Says Taylor Swift is the ‘Biggest Artist of All Time’ Despite Feud