Taylor Swift‘s music battle with Scooter Braun and Big Machine’s Scott Borchetta just got more heated.
On Thursday evening (November 14), the pop star shared a lengthy message with fans stating that Braun and Borchetta are blocking her from performing her old songs at the upcoming American Music Awards. Swift, who is set to receive the Artist of the Decade award at the November 24 ceremony, had been planning to perform a medley of hits from the past 10 years.
In an open letter entitled “Don’t know what else to do,” Swift wrote, “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.”
In more shocking news, Swift also divulged that Netflix has made a documentary about her life, but that Braun and Borchetta are allegedly trying to block her old music from that project as well.
“Additionally — and this isn’t the way I had planned on telling you this news — Netflix has created a documentary about my life for the past few years,” the “The Man” singer revealed. “Scott and Scooter have declined the use of my older music or performance footage for this project, even though there is no mention of either of them or Big Machine Records anywhere in the film.”
According to Swift’s note, Borchetta told her team that he and Braun will reverse their decision only if she agrees not to re-record copycat versions of her songs next year, and if she stops talking about him and Braun in the media. However, Swift insists she’s not playing along.
“The message being sent to me is very clear,” the Lover star wrote. “Basically, be a good little girl and shut up. Or you’ll be punished. This is WRONG. Neither of these men had a hand in the writing of those songs. They did nothing to create the relationship I have with my fans.”
Swift wrapped up her impassioned letter by asking fans to defend her against Braun and Borchetta, and even to reach out to the other artists Braun works with, whom she hopes might “talk some sense into the men who are exercising tyrannical control over someone who just wants to play the music she wrote.” (Notably, Braun’s other pop star clients include Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato, and Justin Bieber.)
“I just want to be able to perform MY OWN music. That’s it,” Swift concluded. “I’ve tried to work this out privately through my team but have not been able to resolve anything. Right now my performance at the AMAs, the Netflix documentary and any other recorded events I am planning to play until November of 2020 are a question mark. I love you guys and I thought you should know what’s been going on.”
Swift’s letter comes almost five months after Braun bought Big Machine Records, the label that owns all the master recordings for the music featured on the singer’s first six albums. After that news broke, Swift said the sale was her “worst nightmare,” alleging that Braun had bullied her in the past.
Braun and Borchetta have yet to respond to Swift’s latest message.
