In a new interview, Scooter Braun has defended his Big Machine deal and said that Taylor Swift’s reaction to it makes him ‘sad’.

It’s no secret that things between Scooter Braun and Taylor Swift have been sour for some time. Since 2019, Swift has been involved in a public feud with Braun and Scott Borchetta (of Big Machine Label Group) over the masters of her first six albums.

Now, in a new interview with Variety, Braun has defended the deal and called Swift’s reaction to it ‘sad’.

“I regret and it makes me sad that Taylor had that reaction to the deal. … All of what happened has been very confusing and not based on anything factual. I don’t know what story she was told. I asked for her to sit down with me several times, but she refused.” he said.

“I offered to sell her the catalog back and went under NDA, but her team refused. It all seems very unfortunate. Open communication is important and can lead to understanding. She and I only met briefly three or four times in the past, and all our interactions were really friendly and kind. I find her to be an incredibly talented artist and wish her nothing but the best.” Braun continued.

Braun also commented on being labelled a ‘bully’ by Swift and her fans: “The thing that struck me the worst is the word ‘bully.’ I’m firmly against anyone ever being bullied. I always try to lead with appreciation and understanding.” In 2019, amidst the cold war between him and Swift, Braun also took to Instagram to reveal that his family was receiving death threats over the issue.

In 2019, Braun-owned Ithaca Holdings bought Big Machine Label Group from Scott Borchetta, and with it also acquired masters to Swift’s first six studio albums.

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At the time, Swift made her displeasure known through a Tumblr post, saying: “For years I asked, pleaded for a chance to own my work. Instead I was given an opportunity to sign back up to Big Machine Records and ‘earn’ one album back at a time, one for every new one I turned in.”

“I walked away because I knew once I signed that contract, Scott Borchetta would sell the label, thereby selling me and my future. I had to make the excruciating choice to leave behind my past.” she wrote.

She also took issue with Braun being the buyer: “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.”

Shortly after Braun sold the masters to Shamrock, Swift announced that she was in the process of re-recording her early work.

You can read more about this topic over at the Pop Observer.

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