Nobody wants a Taylor Swift career-retrospective AMA performance that consists solely of tracks off Lover and a few, uh, stirring bars from “Beautiful Ghosts.†But as we learned from Swift’ss Notes-app statement yesterday, label executives Scooter Braun and Scott Borchetta are allegedly barring her from performing pre-Lover tracks for her Artist of the Decade Award acceptance medley. As Swift explained, Borchetta and Braun claim the televised performance “would be rerecording my music before I’m allowed to next year.â€
Braun and Borchetta have also extended their control of her pre-Lover discography to holding up a planned Netflix documentary about Swift’s life over the past few years. Now, friends, fans, and allies alike are voicing their support for Swift’s right to perform her own music.
Selena Gomez wrote a whole essay of support on her Instagram Stories.
Tinashe voiced her solidarity as well.
Gigi Hadid threw up prayer hands.
Halsey lip-synced to the positively charged lyrics of “Mean.â€
And criticized Braun and Borchetta’s spitefulness.
Lily Allen called out the whole industry.
Of course Perez Hilton went straight to doxing.
And Swift’s friend and collaborator Todrick Hall posted a multipart Insta Story.
Ruby Rose made it very clear that it’s NOT okay behavior on Braun and Borchetta’s part.
Camila Cabello showed support for T. Swift as well.
Martha Hunt defended Tay emphatically.
And Iggy Azalea tweeted her support, too.
Meanwhile, Sia boldly placed herself on the other side of Swifties:
Since the #IStandWithTaylor support came pouring in, Big Machine Records spoke out denying Swift’s claims that it blocked her ability to perform live, saying that she owes its team millions and that “Taylor, the narrative you have created does not exist.â€
Update, November 15, 5 p.m.: Possibly Scooter Braun’s highest-profile defender, Justin Bieber, has chimed in on the controversy, posting a TMZ article saying Swift can play any music she chooses at the AMAs. And followed it up with a picture of his cat, no less!
Update: November 16, 3 p.m.: Meanwhile, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez uses the opportunity to call out private equity groups. “Their leveraged buyouts have destroyed the lives of retail workers across the country, scrapping 1+ million jobs,†she tweeted. “Now they’re holding @taylorswift13’s own music hostage. They need to be reigned [sic] in.â€
Presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren also proudly declared herself as Team Swift. And also, Anti Private Equity Firms.