Scooter Braun revealed that despite his highly publicized feud with Taylor Swift, he was never her manager, and he barely knew her at all.
The famous media executive spoke out on Thursday’s episode of the Second Thought with Suzy Weiss and the Free Press podcast. He addressed Swift’s anger toward him after his 2019 acquisition of her former record label, Big Machine Records, which gave him ownership of the master recordings for her first six albums. Swift lashed out at Braun at the time, alleging she wasn’t given an opportunity to buy and retain the rights to her music prior to the takeover.
Swift ultimately re-recorded her first six albums and slapped the additional words “Taylor’s Version” in front of each album title to regain control over her work. Most assumed they were embroiled in a battle after working together, but Scooter claimed that was a misconception.
“Went from being like, loved and appreciated for over a decade to literally a villain the next night,” he said, referring to their feud.
“I don’t want to go into that, but I will say something that will really sum it up that I don’t know if I’ve ever really said: I don’t know Taylor Swift.”
Braun continued, “I think I’ve met her in my life three times.”
“I have never had a substantial conversation with her in my life.”
He went on to explain the nature of their relationship.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – DECEMBER 06: Taylor Swift performs onstage during “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour” at BC Place on December 06, 2024 in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Photo by Kevin Winter/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)
“I one time got invited to a private party by her. She told me she had the utmost respect for me. I told her I had the most respect for her. You don’t spend $300 million buying a label that she’s on unless you’re excited at the opportunity to work with her,” he said.
Fans who may be shocked and confused to learn that Braun and Swift never worked together are not alone.
“I will never truly understand that situation,” he said. “To this day, I wish her nothing but the best.”
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 21: Scooter Braun speaks onstage during the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce 2019 State of The Entertainment Industry Conference held at Lowes Hollywood Hotel on November 21, 2019 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Michael Tran/Getty Images)
He told Weiss, “I learned a tremendous amount from it. I chose to grow from it. I’m grateful for it at this point in my life. 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.” (RELATED: ISIS-Linked Plotter Beran A. Pleads Guilty In Thwarted Taylor Swift Concert Terror Scheme)
American singer and songwriter Taylor Swift performs on stage as part of her Eras Tour in Lisbon on May 24, 2024. (Photo by ANDRE DIAS NOBRE / AFP via Getty Images)
Braun detailed his brief interactions with Swift.
“I think I spoke to her, really, once for like more than two minutes. But it was a very nice conversation. And beyond that, nothing ever.”
“And then the three years prior to us buying Big Machine, she and I had no contact. I think it was two years,” he said.
“The party was like two years earlier or three years earlier, and then never had any contact through the whole thing. So I’m just as confused that this is part of my life as you are. But, but, but I choose to learn and grow from it.”