Scooter Braun Addresses Taylor Swift Feud: I Was ‘Attacked and It's Not Based on Any Truth’
Scooter Braun is sticking to his side of the story in his feud with Taylor Swift.
The talent manager, who represents artists like Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, and Demi Lovato, addressed his feud with the “Lover” singer in the latest episode of Tony Gonzalez’s Wide Open podcast.
“I went through some drama recently,” Braun, 38, said, alluding to the situation with Swift, 29, which began after he purchased Big Machine and thus acquired ownership of the singer’s master recordings.
He continued, “And then put my phone down, looked at my friends and my family … and I was like, ‘I’m good … I’m happy.’ And people question your integrity. They talk s–t.”
After Swift publicly slammed Braun for his actions, he received backlash from many of Swift’s fans, but the talent manager said in those situations you’ve “got to know your truth.”
RELATED: Taylor Swift Says 3 Years Ago She ‘Would Have Been Too Afraid’ to Address Big Machine Drama
“You got to know your intention,” he continued. “I think you should have no regrets in life unless you do something with malicious intent. If I go through life with no malicious intent … hurt people hurt people. They’re going to project it onto you, they are going to say certain things.”
Despite his headline-making feud with Swift, Braun isn’t letting the hate get to him.
“I don’t really carry it,” he said. “I used to get really angry, but now I am at a place where this is just an opportunity for me long-term to really truly show my truth.”
“It’s hard when you get attacked and it’s not based on any truth, but for that other person it may be based in truth but they don’t have all the information,” he explained. “And that’s why I am always open to communication and having a conversation with someone and saying, ‘Maybe this was a misunderstanding and I am happy to have the conversation with you.’ But not everybody is willing to do that and you can’t go through life thinking you’re going to be friends and everyone is going to like you.”
Braun added that he doesn’t “do anything with malicious intent,” despite what Swift and her supporters have said.
“I try to do the right thing,” he said. “Not everyone is going to be happy with what you do. I think in the long-term, I’ve learned this over time, the truth always comes out. And I am confident in that.”
Since Braun’s purchase of her former label, Swift has not stayed silent about the controversy. Along with writing a scathing note after the acquisition was made public, Swift called out Big Machine founder Scott Borchetta in an interview with Rolling Stone.
Borchetta had also previously alleged that Swift had declined to participate in events including Braun’s Manchester One Love concert and the March for Our Lives.
“Unbelievable,” Swift told Rolling Stone of the accusations. “Here’s the thing: Everyone in my team knew if Scooter Braun brings us something, do not bring it to me.”
RELATED: Taylor Swift Slams Scooter Braun for ‘Manipulative Bullying’ After He Acquires Her Music Catalog
“The fact that those two are in business together after the things he said about Scooter Braun — it’s really hard to shock me. And this was utterly shocking,” she said. “These are two very rich, very powerful men, using $300 million of other people’s money to purchase, like, the most feminine body of work. And then they’re standing in a wood-panel bar doing a tacky photoshoot, raising a glass of scotch to themselves. Because they pulled one over on me and got this done so sneakily that I didn’t even see it coming. And I couldn’t say anything about it.”
Borchetta, 57, previously claimed the deal he offered Swift gave her “100% of all Taylor Swift assets … to be transferred to her immediately upon signing the new agreement.”
However, Swift’s lawyer Donald Passman told PEOPLE in a statement: “Scott Borchetta never gave Taylor Swift an opportunity to purchase her masters, or the label, outright with a check in the way he is now apparently doing for others.”
Since Braun’s acquisition of her masters, Swift said in an interview with CBS Sunday Morning that she “absolutely” will re-record her first six albums. Her seventh studio album, Lover, was released on Republic Records.
