Taylor Swift’s former record label has denied it is blocking the singer from performing her own hits at the upcoming American Music Awards (AMAs).
Big Machine Label Group (BMLG), which owns the rights to much of Swift’s back catalogue, also denied her claims that it had moved to stop the release of a Netflix documentary about her life.
On Thursday the Lover chart-topper, 29, accused BMLG head and prominent music industry figure Scooter Braun, 38, of “exercising tyrannical control” over her career.
Big Machine Label Group Statementhttps://t.co/bIdnx4GVbm
— Big Machine Label Group (@BigMachine) November 15, 2019
She alleged he and Scott Borchetta were blocking her from performing a medley of her songs at the AMAs, where she will be named artist of the decade later this month.
Borchetta founded BMLG, which signed Swift as a teenager and for which she recorded many of her hits.
However, earlier this year Braun, who manages high-profile pop stars including Justin Bieber, acquired Swift’s back catalogue, with Swift saying she was “sad” and “grossed out” at the move.
In a statement released on Friday via its website, representatives of BMLG described Swift’s allegations as “false information”.
They claimed that Swift “has admitted to contractually owing millions of dollars and multiple assets to our company”.
Don’t know what else to do pic.twitter.com/1uBrXwviTS
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) November 14, 2019
In her post on Thursday, Swift encouraged her fans to make their feelings known to executives Braun and Borchetta.
Addressing these comments, the statement said: “However, despite our persistent efforts to find a private and mutually satisfactory solution, Taylor made a unilateral decision last night to enlist her fanbase in a calculated manner that greatly affects the safety of our employees and their families.”
It continued: “Taylor, the narrative you have created does not exist.”
BMLG also said they were “shocked” by Swift’s comments and that “to date, not one of the invitations to speak with us and work through this has been accepted”.
They urged her to meet with them and settle the dispute.
Stars including Halsey and Gigi Hadid rushed to support Swift after she shared the statement on her social media accounts on Thursday.
In the lengthy message she claimed the two men are preventing her from performing her old songs at the AMAs as it would constitute “re-recording them before I’m allowed to next year”.
She also announced Netflix has created a documentary about “my life for the past few years”.
Borchetta and Scooter have declined the use of her older music or performance footage for the project, she alleged.