Scooter Braun made a shocking admission about Taylor Swift as he addressed their infamous ‘feud’ over her masters.
The 44-year-old music mogul, who is currently dating actress Sydney Sweeney, opened up about the topic during Thursday’s episode of the Second Thought With Suzy Weiss podcast.
One year earlier in May 2025, Swift announced that she had bought back her masters after Braun purchased the rights to the records back in 2020 through the private equity firm Shamrock Capital.
He recalled going from being ‘loved and appreciated for over a decade to literally a villain the next night.’
Braun also claimed, ‘I don’t know Taylor Swift. I think I’ve met her in my life three times. I have never had a substantial conversation with her in my life.’
The businessman explained he had been invited to a party hosted by Swift in the past where they both expressed that they have the ‘utmost respect’ for each other at the time.
Scooter Braun made a shocking admission about Taylor Swift as he addressed their infamous ‘feud’ over her masters; seen in 2024 in Washington D.C.
He recalled going from being ‘loved and appreciated for over a decade to literally a villain the next night’; seen in 2025 in L.A.
Braun added that he ‘will never truly understand that situation. To this day, I wish her nothing but the best.’
However, he explained he ‘learned a tremendous amount’ from the controversy.
The record executive added, ‘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.
‘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.’
Braun claimed that he had spoken to the Bad Blood hitmaker ‘once’ and the conversation only lasted for a couple minutes.
‘And then the three years prior to us buying Big Machine, she and I had no contact. I think it was two years.’
He shared during the podcast episode that he is also ‘confused that this is part of my life’ but is positively moving on from it.
Braun then offered insight on the technical side of both labels and music artists in the industry.
Last year in May, Swift splashed out around $360 million to purchase the rest of her music catalog
Braun added that he ‘will never truly understand that situation. To this day, I wish her nothing but the best’; seen in 2024 in L.A.
‘Labels make bets on artists, and they own the masters and the artists own their publishing,’ he explained.
Braun additionally stated that a ‘majority, to this day, of masters are still owned by labels.
‘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, and I think you’re seeing artists more and more do that, and I think that’s great.’
Daily Mail has reached out to reps of Swift for comment, but did not immediately hear back.
Last year in May, Swift splashed out around $360 million to purchase the rest of her music catalog.
The Grammy winner revealed that she struck a settlement with private equity firm Shamrock Capital, which purchased the rights to the records from music mogul Scooter Braun in November 2020.
In a hand-written letter posted on her website, Swift, who is worth over $1 billion, claims the money she made from her lucrative Eras tour last year has helped bankroll the purchase of her old material and ‘her entire life’s work.’
She said: ‘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.’
‘Labels make bets on artists, and they own the masters and the artists own their publishing,’ he explained; seen in 2021 in NYC
The Grammy winner revealed that she struck a settlement with private equity firm Shamrock Capital, which purchased the rights to the records from music mogul Scooter Braun in November 2020; seen in 2024 in Paris
Swift then thanked Shamrock Capital for their ‘honest, fair and respectful’ way they handled the deal, adding: ‘I really felt like they saw it for what it was to me: My memories and my sweat and my handwriting and my decades of dreams.’
Justin Bieber’s old manager Braun controversially acquired the rights to Swift’s material for $300 million after buying her old record label, Big Machine Media, in 2019 before selling them on to Shamrock Capital for profit.
The Love Story singer, who branded Scooter a ‘bully’ for tactics, was unaware of his plan.
Swift also claimed when she previously approached Big Machine label head Scott Borchetta about buying her masters beforehand, he allegedly would only sell her them one at a time, starting from her earliest, least-profitable recordings.
In exchange for the option to buy the masters back, Swift claimed she would have to record a new album for the label in exchange for each old recording she bought, shackling her to Big Machine for years to come just when she was eager to leave the label.
The singer posted an emotional Tumblr telling fans she made the ‘excruciating choice to leave behind my past.
‘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.’
She added: ‘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.’
The Love Story singer, who branded Scooter a ‘bully’ for tactics, was unaware of his plan; seen in 2020
She added that when she heard the news: ‘All I could think about was the incessant, manipulative bullying I’ve received at his hands for years’; seen in March in Hollywood
She added that when she heard the news: ‘All I could think about was the incessant, manipulative bullying I’ve received at his hands for years.’
Swift then listed a string of examples accusing Kim Kardashian and Kanye West – then Braun’s client – of bullying.
Shamrock acquired the master recordings to Taylor Swift, Fearless, Speak Now, Red, 1989 and Reputation – which Taylor has now regained ownership of, having previously led a campaign to re-record her first six albums, four of which she’s successfully completed.
Reputation (Taylor’s Version) was heavily tipped to be her next release and the singer addressed the rumors in her open letter, saying it’s the ‘one album I thought couldn’t be improved upon by redoing it’ but teased she may still record another version, as well as offer up ‘unreleased Vault tracks’ from that album.
Swift said she has re-recorded the entirety of her debut self-titled album which, like Reputation, will ‘re-emerge when the time is right.’
Music sources had previously claimed Braun played a role in helping Swift and Shamrock Capital agree a deal for the buy-back, in a bid to claim much-needed positive PR in wake of her career imploding following his feud with the singer.
But according to sources close to the contract negotiations, he played zero part.
Swift said she has re-recorded the entirety of her debut self-titled album which, like Reputation, will ‘re-emerge when the time is right’; seen in 2023 in Brazil
An insider told the Daily Mail: ‘Contrary to a previous false report, there was no outside party who ‘encouraged’ this sale.
‘All rightful credit for this opportunity should go to the partners at Shamrock Capital and Taylor’s Nashville-based management team only.
‘Swift now owns all of her music, and this moment finally happened in spite of Scooter Braun, not because of him.’
Meanwhile, after news broke of Swift’s business move, Braun said, ‘I’m happy for her.’
