Scooter Braun Says Taylor Swift Feud Turned Him Into a ‘Villain’ Overnight

Scooter Braun is opening up again about his long-running public feud with Taylor Swift, saying the backlash surrounding her music catalog turned him into a "villain" almost overnight.

During a recent appearance on the "Second Thought With Suzy Weiss" podcast, the music executive reflected on the fallout from his 2019 purchase of Big Machine Label Group, which included the rights to Swift's first six albums.

Braun said the situation changed how many people viewed him in a matter of hours. "I went from being loved and appreciated for over a decade to literally a villain the next night," Braun said.

According to PageSix, the businessman also revealed that, despite years of headlines linking the two stars together, he barely knew Swift personally before the controversy exploded online.

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

Braun said one of their few interactions happened at a private party where they exchanged compliments and respect for one another. He added that he was genuinely excited about the chance to work with Swift after purchasing Big Machine.

"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. "I will never truly understand that situation, to this day. I wish her nothing but the best."

Scooter Braun Calls Taylor Swift Fallout a Lesson

Swift strongly criticized the deal in a 2019 Tumblr post, writing that Braun had "stripped me of my life's work." She also accused him of years of "manipulative bullying" connected to former clients Justin Bieber and Kanye West.

The disagreement quickly became one of the music industry's biggest public battles. Fans rallied behind Swift, while debates about artists owning their master recordings spread across the entertainment world.

Looking back, Braun said the experience taught him valuable lessons. "I chose to grow from it," he shared. "I'm grateful for it at this point in my life," Billboard reported.

He also believes the conflict helped push more artists to seek ownership of their music. "Artists are going to start wanting to own their masters more and more," Braun said. "I think that's great."

After Braun later sold Swift's catalog to Shamrock Capital in 2020, the singer began re-recording her early albums under the "Taylor's Version" label. So far, she has released updated editions of Fearless, Red, Speak Now, and 1989.

In May 2025, Swift announced that she successfully bought back the masters to her first six albums from Shamrock Capital, calling the moment emotional and long overdue.

Braun later responded positively to the news, saying he was "happy" for Swift after she regained ownership of her music.

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Scooter Braun, Taylor Swift