Not holding back. Taylor Swift opened up about her life in the spotlight and the importance of owning your own content amid her battle with Scooter Braun in the January issue of British Vogue.
The “Shake It Off” singer, 29, sat down with Andrew Lloyd Webber for the cover story where the two discussed creating the song “Beautiful Ghosts” for the cinematic adaption of Cats, which Lloyd originally composed in 1981.
“I think [writing] is really important – also from the side of ownership over what you do and make,” Swift told Webber, 71, in an excerpt published on Sunday, December 1. “Even if you aren’t a natural writer, you should try to involve yourself in the messages you’re sending.”
She went on to share that she recorded her newest album, Lover, with the same intensity and passion that she brings to her live performances.
“I was really singing a lot at that point – I’d just come from a stadium tour, and then did Cats, which was all based on live performances – so a lot of that album is nearly whole takes,” the “You Need to Calm Down” singer revealed. “When you perform live, you’re narrating and you’re getting into the story and you’re making faces that are ugly and you’re putting a different meaning on a song every time you perform it.”
Swift’s emphasis on ownership comes after months of back-and-forth with Braun, 38, and Big Machine Records CEO Scott Borchetta over the use of her old songs and the ownership of her masters.
In November, the “Look What You Made Me Do” singer accused Braun and Borchetta, 57, of prohibiting her from singing her songs at the 2019 American Music Awards and in an upcoming Netflix documentary.
“I’ve been planning to perform a medley of my hits throughout the decade on the show,” Swift wrote via her Instagram Story on November 14. “Scott Borchetta and Scooter Braun have now said that I’m not allowed to perform my old songs on television because they claim that would be re-recording my music before I’m allowed to next year.”
She added that she believes “very strongly” that being vocal about the matter could “change the awareness level for other artists.” “I just want to be able to perform MY OWN music. That’s it,” she added.
Braun addressed the allegations while speaking at the 2019 Entertainment Industry Conference on November 21, explaining that he refuses to add “to the narrative,” even if that means he’ll be “the bad guy.” Big Machine Records reportedly reached an agreement with Dick Clark Productions, and Swift went on to perform a few of her old hits, including “Shake It Off” and “I Knew You Were Trouble,” at the AMAs on November 24.
Five months earlier, Swift called out Braun in an scathing Tumblr post after he purchased her masters when he bought Big Machine (she previously accused him of bullying her amid her 2009 feud with Kanye West).
“I walked away [from my former label] because I knew once I signed that contract, Scott Borchetta would sell the label, thereby selling me and my future,” Swift wrote. “I had to make 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.”
The “Me!” songstress took to Instagram on Sunday to share the exciting news that she will be the cover girl of the upcoming issue of British Vogue.
“HEY @britishvogue!!,” Swift captioned a photo of the cover. “It’s always a dreamscape of creativity and hilarity working with [Vogue Editor-in Chief] Edward [Enninful] – but putting him together with [makeup artist] Pat [McGrath] = the funniest wildest shoot I’ve ever been on 😹 Love this team, so grateful for everyone involved @Edward_Enninful, @CraigMcDeanStudio, @GuidoPalau, @PatMcGrathReal and @JillDemling.”
Taylor followed up her initial post with two additional shots from the photo shoot. In one photo, the “Bad Blood” crooner is pictured laying down on carpet in a silver and red ensemble and green thigh-high boots.
“Bored girl at the holiday party,” Swift captioned the pic. The Pennsylvania native channeled her inner supermodel in a second image, which she captioned, “This is the one face I made that day.”
The January issue of British Vogue hits newsstands on December 6.
