Scooter Braun addressed his controversy with Taylor Swift for the first time. In fact, one of the most notorious disputes in the music industry, since in 2019, Braun acquired Taylor Swift's catalog for about $300 million by purchasing Big Machine Records, the singer's former label.

The operation unleashed the fury of Swift, who accused Braun of “taking away her life's work” and subjecting her to “incessant and manipulative harassment” during her time with Kanye West.

What did Scooter Braun say?

Seven years later, and a year after Swift finally got her masters back, Braun decided to tell her side of the story on the “Second Thought” podcast, hosted by Suzy Weiss.

Braun, who retired from artist management in 2024, assures that there was never a close relationship between them:

. "I don't know, Taylor Swift. I think I've met her like three times in my life. I've never had a substantive conversation with her." Scooter Braun

According to him, one or two years before the purchase, the singer herself invited him to a private party. "She told me she had the utmost respect for me. I told her I respected her more than anything. You don't spend $300 million buying a label she's on unless you're excited about the opportunity to work with her," he explained.

However, during the process of acquiring Big Machine, Braun maintains that “they never had any contact.” That's why when Swift posted her devastating message on Tumblr accusing him of being a villain, he says he was taken aback: "I was as confused that this was a part of my life as you were," he told the presenter.

Braun recounted how, overnight, he went from being a “loved and appreciated” figure during his decade as a manager for stars like Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande, to becoming the antagonist of one of the most powerful artists in the world.

Despite losing the media battle, the manager claims to have drawn a positive lesson from the conflict: "I chose to learn and grow from it. I am grateful for that at this moment in my life."

Taylor Swift got her music back

Swift kept his promise. The singer re-recorded four of her first six albums under the “Taylor’s Version” label, a strategy that allowed her to regain control of her legacy. In May 2025, he finally managed to buy back his original masters, ending six years of dispute.

“All the music I've ever made… now belongs… to me,” Swift announced on Instagram, alongside a photo of her six albums.

“To say that this is my biggest dream come true is an understatement,” she added, thanking her fans for turning “The Eras Tour” into a phenomenon that made the buyback possible.

"The passionate support you showed for those albums is the reason I was able to buy back my music. I can't thank you enough for helping me," the singer concluded.