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Selena Gomez Got Heated In Taylor Swift’s Defense Amid New Scooter Braun Drama

Kathryn Lindsay
Last Updated November 16, 2019, 8:20 PM
Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for iHeartRadio / Turner.
The Taylor Swift-Scooter Braun drama has been secretly stewing behind closed doors. Swift revealed via social media on Thursday night that Braun and Big Machine Records founder Scott Borchetta have made another power grab in their battle over her music. Over the summer, Borachetta sold Big Machine Records, and all of Swift's masters to Braun, who Swift has accused of past bullying and manipulation. Swift planned to re-record those masters in 2020 to regain ownership, but claimed on Thursday that the two men are preventing her from singing a medley of her past songs at the upcoming American Music Awards, as well as using them in a Netflix documentary that's reportedly currently in progress. This news once again made waves in the industry, but nobody is more pissed than longtime pal Selena Gomez.
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"My heart is so heavy right now,” she wrote on her Instagram Story. “It makes me sick and extremely angry. I don’t mind if there may be retaliation. This is my opinion. It’s greed, manipulation and power."
Gomez pointed out that these aren't just songs that Braun and Borchetta are holding hostage, but a life's work that began in a teenager's bedroom, and that this is just one of many injustices Swift has had to face in her career.
"I have known Taylor for 13 years. She is the most dedicated, fearless, feisty, strongest woman I’ve ever known," Gomez continued. "People can say bitch, but what I’m saying to you is that it’s called a woman with true identity and strength who takes no shit. I listened to Fearless before it came out and I just remember us jumping on a bed and she was just sparkling, so proud of her diary being read by the whole world. Nervous of people not liking it…but that became one of the biggest records — an album that saved so many young women who felt alone."
Photo: Instagram/Selena Gomez.
Photo: Instagram/Halsey.
Gomez wasn't the only celebrity fired up. Halsey also took to Instagram Story with a similar message, pointing out the fact that this doesn't even make sense as a business move.
"This is punishment," she wrote. "This is hoping to silence her from speaking about things by dangling this over her head. These people are protected because they inspire complicity with fear."
Other celebrities, like Gigi Hadid, Lily Allen, and Sara Bareilles, posted their support on Twitter, where Halsey continued her message. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also stepped in on the platform to defend Swift.
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The Music Artists Coalition, a recently-formed group that advocates for the protection of artists, also released a statement in support of Swift, Billboard reports. “The Music Artists Coalition supports the rights of all artists to control their music,” the statement reads. “Taylor Swift should be allowed to perform her songs where she wants and when she wants. And she should be allowed to use her music to tell her story through her documentary.  For a label to take positions contrary to that would be unprecedented. We applaud Taylor for reminding all artists to be aware of their rights and to stand up for themselves.”
Refinery29 has reached out to Borchetta, Braun, Swift, and Netflix for comment.
This article was originally published on November 15, 2019 and has been updated throughout.
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