Last year, Taylor Swift revealed that she planned to re-record her first six albums after Scooter Braun acquired her former record label and the rights to her old music.
In an essay posted to Tumblr in June 2019, the singer revealed that while she’d asked for the chance to buy the rights to her master recordings, the label’s founder Scott Borchetta only offered her the opportunity to “earn” back the rights to her music by signing a new contract and producing six more albums.
Taylor turned down the offer and signed with a different label because she knew that Scott planned to sell the company. And then, in a deal Taylor described as her “worst nightmare,” Scott sold the label to Scooter Braun for $300 million.
Taylor then went on to express devastation that Scott had decided to sell the label and the rights to her master recordings in perpetuity to Scooter — someone she alleged had “incessantly bullied” and “manipulated” her for years.
“Now Scooter has stripped me of my life’s work, that I wasn’t given an opportunity to buy,” she wrote. “Essentially, my musical legacy is about to lie in the hands of someone who tried to dismantle it.”
Two months later, Taylor confirmed that she “absolutely” intended to re-record her music in order to own the master recordings and prevent Scooter from continuing to profit from her work.
Johannes Eisele / Getty Images
And, last month Taylor announced that not only had Scooter sold the rights to her master recordings to another company, but also confirmed that she’d started the process of re-recording her old music.
Taylor highlighted that while Scooter had sold the recordings, he’ll continue to profit from her work “for many years”.
Well, yesterday we heard the first snippet of one of the re-recordings!
CBS
Taylor announced on Twitter that she’d allowed the certified banger “Love Story” to be used in a commercial written by her close friend Ryan Reynolds, before sharing the trailer in full.
Okay so while my new re-records are NOT done, my friend @VancityReynolds asked me if he could use a snippet of one for a LOLsome commercial he wrote so…here’s a sneak peak of Love Story! Working hard to get the music to you soon!! https://t.co/0vBFXxaRXR
However, because this is Taylor Swift we’re talking about, of course there was a possible Easter Egg in the commercial. And fans are theorising that it’s Scooter Braun shade.
GMA
Eagle-eyed fans noticed that in one clip, a scooter could be seen left on the ground next to a dumpster.
And if you look really closely, it appears that there’s a number “6” spray-painted on the wall — presumably symbolising the six albums that Taylor feels are being “held hostage”.
I love Taylor she’s so shady 😂😭 she has a scooter next to the dumbster to represent scooter and say he’s trash and the number 6 to represent her 6 albums he sold 😭
