For years I asked, pleaded for a chance to own my work. Instead I was given an opportunity to sign back up to Big Machine Records and âearnâ one album back at a time, one for every new one I turned in. I walked away because I knew once I signed that contract, Scott Borchetta would sell the label, thereby selling me and my future. I had to make the excruciating choice to leave behind my past. Music I wrote on my bedroom floor and videos I dreamed up and paid for from the money I earned playing in bars, then clubs, then arenas, then stadiums.Â
Some fun facts about todayâs news: I learned about Scooter Braunâs purchase of my masters as it was announced to the world. All I could think about was the incessant, manipulative bullying Iâve received at his hands for years.Â
Like when Kim Kardashian orchestrated an illegally recorded snippet of a phone call to be leaked and then Scooter got his two clients together to bully me online about it. (See photo) Or when his client, Kanye West, organized a revenge porn music video which strips my body naked. Now Scooter has stripped me of my lifeâs work, that I wasnât given an opportunity to buy. Essentially, my musical legacy is about to lie in the hands of someone who tried to dismantle it.
This is my worst case scenario. This is what happens when you sign a deal at fifteen to someone for whom the term âloyaltyâ is clearly just a contractual concept. And when that man says âMusic has valueâ, he means its value is beholden to men who had no part in creating it.Â
When I left my masters in Scottâs hands, I made peace with the fact that eventually he would sell them. Never in my worst nightmares did I imagine the buyer would be Scooter. Any time Scott Borchetta has heard the words âScooter Braunâ escape my lips, it was when I was either crying or trying not to. He knew what he was doing; they both did. Controlling a woman who didnât want to be associated with them. In perpetuity. That means forever.Â
Thankfully, I am now signed to a label that believes I should own anything I create. Thankfully, I left my past in Scottâs hands and not my future. And hopefully, young artists or kids with musical dreams will read this and learn about how to better protect themselves in a negotiation. You deserve to own the art you make.
I will always be proud of my past work. But for a healthier option, Lover will be out August 23.Â
please please please teach your children to cook while they still live under your roof. even the most elementary things canât be overlooked. because i just had to show my 24 year old boyfriend how to use a potato peeler and now i need to lay down for an hour
Feinstein: Youâre a big, powerful man. Why didnât you [gestures pushing motion]?
Crews: Senator, as a black man in America [sigh]âŚ
Feinstein: Say it as it is. I think itâs important.
Crews: âŚyou only have a few shots at success. You only have a few chances to make yourself a viable member of the community. Iâm from Flint, Michigan. I have seen many many young black men who were provoked into violence, and they were imprisoned, or they were killed, and theyâre not here. My wife for years prepared me. She said, âIf you ever get goaded, if you ever get prodded, if you ever have anyone try to push you into any kind of situation, donât do it. Donât be violent.â And she trained me. Iâll be honest with you it was the strength of my wife who trained me and told me, âIf this situation happens, letâs leave.â And the training worked because I did not go into my first reaction, I grabbed her hand, we left, but the next day I went right to the agency. I have texts, I have phone conversations, and I said, âThis is unacceptable!â And I told them how -you know- I almost got violent, but I didnât. And I said, âWhat are you going to do about this predator that you have roaming your hallways?â And -you know- I was told, âWe are going to do everything in our power. We are going to handle this Terry. Youâre right. It is unacceptable.â And then they disappeared. Nothing happened.
Everyoneâs like âthose Germans have a word for everythingâ but English has a word for tricking someone into watching the music video for Rick Astleyâs Never Gonna Give You Up.
Today I put my hand in my backpack and felt a stress ball and I was like âoh? I have a stress ball?â and I squeezed it and it was a pear and it exploded and now Iâm much more stressed than I was earlier :/