Taylor Swift warned of a “potentially harmful force” in the music industry as she reignited her feud with prominent talent manager Scooter Braun.
The pop superstar was named Woman of the Decade by Billboard and used her acceptance speech to discuss the sale of her back catalogue.
Braun’s company, Ithica Holdings, bought Swift’s first record label in a deal reportedly worth more than $300 million (about £222 million).
The deal – which Swift furiously opposed – gave Braun the rights to Swift’s first six albums.
During her acceptance speech at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles on Thursday (December 13), Swift warned of a “new shift” that is a “potentially harmful force in our industry”.
She said: “As your resident loud person, I feel the need to bring it up. That is the unregulated world of private equity coming in and buying up our music as if it is real estate, as if it’s an app or a shoe line.
“This just happened to me without my approval, consultation or consent.”
Swift, who celebrates her 30th birthday today (Friday, December 13), said she was told the deal to buy her back catalogue was funded by “the Soros Family, 23 Capital and the Carlyle Group.”
Taylor Swift – In pictures
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Taylor Swift performs onstage during the 2017 DIRECTV NOW Super Saturday Night Concert at Club Nomadic
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Taylor Swift with her cat Meredith
Taylor Swift
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Gigi Hadid, Cara Delevingne and Taylor Swift take to the water slide for their 4th July celebrations
Cara Delevingne/Instagram
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Kanye West jumps onstage after Taylor Swift wins the ‘Best Female Video’ award during the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards
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Taylor Swift and Katy Perry in 2010
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Taylor Swift attends the 46th annual CMA Awards in 2012 at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee
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Taylor Swift performs at the 2013 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show at Lexington Avenue Armory
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Taylor Swift performs at the 2013 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show at Lexington Avenue Armory
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9/60 Good friends
Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift in 2013
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Swift poses in a red minidress at the Jingle Bell Ball in 2014
Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images
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Taylor Swift attends the “Charles James: Beyond Fashion” Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2014 in New York
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Taylor Swifts poses with all her gongs at the Billboard Awards in 2015
Invision/AP
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Swift performs in 2015 to a packed-out arena in Glasgow
Getty Images for TAS
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Swift accepts the Milestone Award from mum Andrea Swift on stage at the Academy Of Country Music Awards in 2015
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Taylor Swift with then-boyfriend Calvin Harris
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Taylor Swift appeared to mock Kim Kardashian’s robbery ordeal in a video at the MTV Video Awards
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Taylor Swift posts her first photo on Instagram with then-boyfriend Calvin Harris
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Taylor Swift and Jimmy Fallon goof around in basketball gear on The Tonight Show in 2015
NBC/Getty Images
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Madonna and Taylor Swift perform together during the 2015 iHeartRadio Music Awards
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20/60 Chart-topper
The star performs during her 1989 tour in 2015
Invision/AP
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Performing during her 1989 world tour in LA in 2015
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Taylor Swift attends the Elle Style Awards in 2015
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Taylor Swift performs during the BRIT Awards at The O2 Arena in 2015
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Taylor Swift performs onstage during The 1989 World Tour Live In Los Angeles at Staples Center in 2015
Getty Images for TAS
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Taylor Swift, winner of the International Female Solo Artist Award, poses in the winners room during the BRIT Awards 2015
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Taylor Swift at the Grammy Awards in 2015
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Taylor Swift attends the ‘Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology’ Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2016
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Taylor Swift, winner of the awards for Album of the Year and Best Pop Album for “1989” and Best Music Video for “Bad Blood,” poses in the press room during The 58th GRAMMY Awards in 2016
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Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift attend The 58th GRAMMY Awards in 2016
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Taylor Swift attends the 64th Annual BMI Pop Awards in 2016
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Taylor Swift and then-boyfriend Tom Hiddleston in 2016
Rex
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Taylor Swift attends the 2016 Vanity Fair Oscar Party
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Taylor Swift performs onstage during The 58th GRAMMY Awards in 2016
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Taylor Swift attends The 58th GRAMMY Awards in 2016
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The official music video for Taylor Swift and Zayn Malik’s single “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever” from the film Fifty Shades Darker
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Taylor Swift starring in an Apple promotional video campaign in April 2016
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Taylor Swift in ‘Family Secrets’
Taylor Swift/Twitter
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Taylor Swift on the cover of the May 2016 issue of Vogue Magazine
Vogue Magazine
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Taylor Swift out and about in New York in 2016
Rex
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In this courtroom sketch, the pop singer speaks from the witness stand during a trial against David Mueller in 2017
AP
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Taylor Swift hosts fans at her home in Rhode Island in 2017
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Taylor Swift returns with her 2017 album Reputation
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Taylor Swift performs onstage during the 2017 DIRECTV NOW Super Saturday Night Concert at Club Nomadi
Getty Images
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Taylor swift accepts the Artist of the Year award during the 2018 American Music Awards
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Taylor preforms ANZ Stadium in Sydney in 2018
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Taylor Swift attends the 2019 iHeartRadio Music Awards
Rich Polk/Getty
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Taylor Swift joins Idris Elba onstage during the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards in 2019
NBCUniversal via Getty Images
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Taylor Swift attends Gigi Hadid’s birthday party at Chalet in New York
SplashNews.com
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Taylor Swift performs during the TIME 100 Gala 2019 Dinner at Jazz at Lincoln Center on 23 April 2019 in New York
Getty Images for TIME
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Taylor Swift poses upon arriving for the Time 100 Gala celebrating Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world in New York
Reuters
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Taylor Swift performs with Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco in Las Vegas, NV, USA
Getty Images
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Taylor Swift performing during the filming of the Graham Norton Show in London, England
PA
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Taylor and Katy Perry make up in her video You Need To Calm Down
Taylor Swift
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Taylor Swift performs onstage at 2019 iHeartRadio Wango Tango
Getty Images for iHeartMedia
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Taylor Swift as Bombalurina
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Taylor Swift, winner of the artist of the decade award, performs a medley at the American Music Awards
Reuters
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Taylor Swift, winner of the artist of the decade award, performs a medley at the American Music Awards
Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
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Taylor Swift, winner of the artist of the decade award, performs a medley at the American Music Awards
Getty Images for dcp
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Taylor Swift, winner of the artist of the decade award at the American Music Awards
Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
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Taylor Swift, winner of the artist of the decade award at the American Music Awards
Getty Images
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Taylor Swift performs onstage during the 2017 DIRECTV NOW Super Saturday Night Concert at Club Nomadic
Getty Images
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Taylor Swift with her cat Meredith
Taylor Swift
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Gigi Hadid, Cara Delevingne and Taylor Swift take to the water slide for their 4th July celebrations
Cara Delevingne/Instagram
4/60
Kanye West jumps onstage after Taylor Swift wins the ‘Best Female Video’ award during the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards
Getty Images
5/60 Feud
Taylor Swift and Katy Perry in 2010
Getty Images
6/60
Taylor Swift attends the 46th annual CMA Awards in 2012 at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee
Getty Images
7/60
Taylor Swift performs at the 2013 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show at Lexington Avenue Armory
Getty Images
8/60
Taylor Swift performs at the 2013 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show at Lexington Avenue Armory
Getty Images
9/60 Good friends
Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift in 2013
Getty Images
10/60 Red alert
Swift poses in a red minidress at the Jingle Bell Ball in 2014
Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images
11/60
Taylor Swift attends the “Charles James: Beyond Fashion” Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2014 in New York
Getty Images
12/60 Trophies
Taylor Swifts poses with all her gongs at the Billboard Awards in 2015
Invision/AP
13/60
Swift performs in 2015 to a packed-out arena in Glasgow
Getty Images for TAS
14/60 Mummy’s girl
Swift accepts the Milestone Award from mum Andrea Swift on stage at the Academy Of Country Music Awards in 2015
Getty Images
15/60 Intimate snap
Taylor Swift with then-boyfriend Calvin Harris
16/60
Taylor Swift appeared to mock Kim Kardashian’s robbery ordeal in a video at the MTV Video Awards
17/60 New couple
Taylor Swift posts her first photo on Instagram with then-boyfriend Calvin Harris
18/60 Comedy skills
Taylor Swift and Jimmy Fallon goof around in basketball gear on The Tonight Show in 2015
NBC/Getty Images
19/60 Duet
Madonna and Taylor Swift perform together during the 2015 iHeartRadio Music Awards
Getty Images
20/60 Chart-topper
The star performs during her 1989 tour in 2015
Invision/AP
21/60 On stage
Performing during her 1989 world tour in LA in 2015
Getty Images
22/60 Stylish
Taylor Swift attends the Elle Style Awards in 2015
Getty Images
23/60
Taylor Swift performs during the BRIT Awards at The O2 Arena in 2015
Getty Images
24/60
Taylor Swift performs onstage during The 1989 World Tour Live In Los Angeles at Staples Center in 2015
Getty Images for TAS
25/60
Taylor Swift, winner of the International Female Solo Artist Award, poses in the winners room during the BRIT Awards 2015
Getty Images
26/60 Award-winning
Taylor Swift at the Grammy Awards in 2015
Getty Images
27/60
Taylor Swift attends the ‘Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology’ Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2016
Getty Images
28/60
Taylor Swift, winner of the awards for Album of the Year and Best Pop Album for “1989” and Best Music Video for “Bad Blood,” poses in the press room during The 58th GRAMMY Awards in 2016
Getty Images
29/60
Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift attend The 58th GRAMMY Awards in 2016
Getty Images
30/60
Taylor Swift attends the 64th Annual BMI Pop Awards in 2016
Getty Images
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Taylor Swift and then-boyfriend Tom Hiddleston in 2016
Rex
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Taylor Swift attends the 2016 Vanity Fair Oscar Party
Getty Images
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Taylor Swift performs onstage during The 58th GRAMMY Awards in 2016
Getty Images
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Taylor Swift attends The 58th GRAMMY Awards in 2016
Getty Images
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The official music video for Taylor Swift and Zayn Malik’s single “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever” from the film Fifty Shades Darker
36/60
Taylor Swift starring in an Apple promotional video campaign in April 2016
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Taylor Swift in ‘Family Secrets’
Taylor Swift/Twitter
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Taylor Swift on the cover of the May 2016 issue of Vogue Magazine
Vogue Magazine
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Taylor Swift out and about in New York in 2016
Rex
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In this courtroom sketch, the pop singer speaks from the witness stand during a trial against David Mueller in 2017
AP
41/60
Taylor Swift hosts fans at her home in Rhode Island in 2017
42/60
Taylor Swift returns with her 2017 album Reputation
43/60
Taylor Swift performs onstage during the 2017 DIRECTV NOW Super Saturday Night Concert at Club Nomadi
Getty Images
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Taylor swift accepts the Artist of the Year award during the 2018 American Music Awards
Getty Images
45/60
Taylor preforms ANZ Stadium in Sydney in 2018
Getty Images
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Taylor Swift attends the 2019 iHeartRadio Music Awards
Rich Polk/Getty
47/60
Taylor Swift joins Idris Elba onstage during the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards in 2019
NBCUniversal via Getty Images
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Taylor Swift attends Gigi Hadid’s birthday party at Chalet in New York
SplashNews.com
49/60
Taylor Swift performs during the TIME 100 Gala 2019 Dinner at Jazz at Lincoln Center on 23 April 2019 in New York
Getty Images for TIME
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Taylor Swift poses upon arriving for the Time 100 Gala celebrating Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world in New York
Reuters
51/60
Taylor Swift performs with Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco in Las Vegas, NV, USA
Getty Images
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Taylor Swift performing during the filming of the Graham Norton Show in London, England
PA
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Taylor and Katy Perry make up in her video You Need To Calm Down
Taylor Swift
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Taylor Swift performs onstage at 2019 iHeartRadio Wango Tango
Getty Images for iHeartMedia
55/60
Taylor Swift as Bombalurina
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Taylor Swift, winner of the artist of the decade award, performs a medley at the American Music Awards
Reuters
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Taylor Swift, winner of the artist of the decade award, performs a medley at the American Music Awards
Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
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Taylor Swift, winner of the artist of the decade award, performs a medley at the American Music Awards
Getty Images for dcp
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Taylor Swift, winner of the artist of the decade award at the American Music Awards
Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
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Taylor Swift, winner of the artist of the decade award at the American Music Awards
Getty Images
She added: “Yet to this day, none of these investors have bothered to contact me or my team directly to perform their due diligence on their investment.
“On their investment in me, to ask how I might feel about the new owner of my art. The music I wrote. The videos I created. Photos of me, my handwriting, my album designs.”
Swift, who signed with Big Machine Records as a teenager before switching to Universal Music Group last year, again insisted she had not been given the opportunity to buy her own back catalogue.
She also took aim at Braun’s famous supporters.
She said: “Let me just say that the definition of the toxic male privilege in our industry is people saying, ‘Well, he’s always been nice to me’ when I’m raising valid concerns about artists and their rights to own their music. Of course he’s nice to you. If you’re in this room you have something he needs.”
Braun’s clients include Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande. He said he and his family have received death threats since his row with Swift went public.
Swift was introduced to the stage to accept her woman of the decade award by British actress Jameela Jamil.
Recalling her early career, the 10-time Grammy Award winner said: “When this decade began I was 20 years old, I saw that as a female in this industry, some people will always have the slightest reservations about you.”
She said female artists face questions over whether a man was responsible for their work or if their success is down to a “savvy record label”.
“People want to explain away a woman’s success in this industry,” Swift said.
She said women have to “grow fast” to succeed in music, adding they are “not allowed to coast. We are held at a higher, sometimes impossible feeling standard”.
Swift marked her 30th birthday by sharing a throwback picture on Twitter.
The pop star posted a childhood snap along with the caption: “WHO’S GONNA TELL HER SHE’S THIRTAY NOW.”
Additional reporting by Press Association.