Commentary, Shawn Mendes, Taylor Swift, This Just In, Video

This Just In: Beautiful Ghosts and some less than beautiful

Sometimes we have to take the bitter with the sweet, fellow fandomites.

Let’s start with the sweet first. The Sparkly Dressed has released a new song written with Andrew Lloyd Weber for the soundtrack of the movie Cats. It’s a beautiful song and it has great lyrics and I wish that was all that I was reporting tonight/this morning. Have a listen. It does have a sense of nighttime and rooftops, so it fits the mood. The movie releases this December 20.

Taylor Swift will be awarded the Artist of the Decade award at the 2019 American Music Awards on November 24. In her original plans, she was performing a medley of her greatest hits. Now, this is up on the air.

This is Taylor’s statement from her Twitter:

Guys – It’s been announced recently that the American Music Awards will be honoring me with the Artist of the Decade Award at this year’s ceremony. I’ve been planning to perform a medley of my hits throughout the decade on the show. 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. 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. 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.
Scott Borchetta told my team that they’ll allow me to use my music only if I do these things: If I agree to not re-record copycat versions of my songs next year (which is something I’m both legally allowed to do and looking forward to) and also told my team that I need to stop talking about him and Scooter Braun.
I feel very strongly that sharing what is happening to me could change the awareness level for other artists and potentially help them avoid a similar fate. The message being sent to me is very clear. 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. So this is where I’m asking for your help.
Please let Scott Borchetta and Scooter Braun know how you feel about this. Scooter also manages several artists who I really believe care about other artists and their work. Please ask them for help with this – I’m hoping that maybe they can talk some sense into the men who are exercising tyrannical control over someone who just wants to play the music she wrote. I’m especially asking for help from The Carlyle Group, who put up money for the sale of my music to these two men.
I just want to be able to perform MY OWN music. That’s it. 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 AMA’s, 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.
Taylor

 

 

 

She’s not allowed to sing her own songs. Or, if you want to get technical she’s allowed to if she agrees not to re-record them. This sounds very much like the deal that she was offered to be able to purchase her masters by staying tied to the same company and still make music for them by getting her one of her masters in exchange for one new album. That wasn’t a fair deal then, this is not a fair deal now.

To pass the bitter pill, here’s something sweet again. Taylor and Shawn Mendes finally did a collaboration with a remix of “Lover”.

It’s all good and I know they’re both busy people, which is why I understand they couldn’t find the time to write a new song together. That being said and please don’t hate me, I do enjoy the original more. That doesn’t make this one a bad version.

As for the bitterness, we’ll find out how it all works out soon as November 24 is a week and two days away. I just don’t want Taylor signing any further deals with you know whom (yes, the business boys join the rapper whose name I don’t recall in the thou-shalt-not-be-named list).

Take a deep breath, girl. You get to record your new masters next year.

Coming up in the Calendar!

(Sources: Taylor Swift via Twitter/Facebook. Featured Image: Universal Pictures)

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A. Leon

Behind you. Made you look.