With all the projects that Taylor Swift has in the works, sometimes it feels like no corner of the entertainment (or sports) industry has been untouched by the 14-time Grammy winner. That’s especially true in the music business, and a couple of big names with ties to The Tortured Poets Department artist are in the news today. As Scooter Braun announced his retirement from music management, one of the Eras Tour’s opening acts, Sabrina Carpenter, has come out with some strong words for critics of her and Swift’s producer Jack Antonoff.
Scooter Braun Officially Retires As A Music Manager
In a lengthy Instagram post, Scooter Braun announced his official retirement on June 17, putting an end to a 23-year career that helped to launch celebrities like Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande to pop star fame. He wrote, in part:
I have been blessed to have had a ‘Forrest Gump’-like life while witnessing and taking part in the journeys of some of the most extraordinarily talented people the world has ever seen. I’m constantly pinching myself and asking ‘how did I get here?’ And after 23 years this chapter as a music manager has come to an end.
While Scooter Braun found success as a manager, he became even more widely and notoriously known in 2018. That’s when his feud with Taylor Swift began, as he purchased the master rights to her first six albums, leading to the re-recordings we’ve come to know as “Taylor’s Versions.”
Over the past few years, Scooter Braun’s business took a turn, with his artists parting ways with his company when he reportedly started to focus more on being the CEO of HYBE America in 2021. His Instagram post touched on those harder times, writing:
There has been a lot said about what is happening in our company… and in my career. When we had success I smiled, and when we were attacked I tried to always take the high road. But for the last 3 years I have begun to feel that taking the high road has created confusion and ambiguity as to who we are.
With that, Scooter Braun moves on to the next chapter in his career, and we move on to the next item of Taylor Swift-adjacent news making headlines.
Sabrina Carpenter Has Strong Words For Jack Antonoff’s Haters
Despite leading his own band Bleachers, Jack Antonoff is possibly better known for the work he does as a producer for artists like Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey, Kendrick Lamar and Sabrina Carpenter. While he’s been a vital part of Swift’s catalog, helping to create hits like “Anti-Hero,” “Cruel Summer” and “Look What You Made Me Do,” Antonoff has also been criticized for his repetitive production style and busy, synth-heavy samples. Carpenter has no time for those critics, telling Rolling Stone:
Fuck them all. I think he’s one of the most talented people I’ve ever met. When he’s in a room, he’s able to literally touch every instrument in the room and make it sound magical. He also works very fast, which I really appreciate because I work very fast.
I’m sure Taylor Swift would agree. Sabrina Carpenter not only served as the opening act on several of the Eras Tour’s international dates, but the former Disney actress joined Swift on stage to sing a mashup of “White Horse” and “Coney Island” during one of the surprise song sets in Sydney, Australia. Jack Antonoff, meanwhile, has a similar honor, joining Swift for “Getaway Car” when the Eras Tour passed through New Jersey.
You can see Taylor Swift in action by streaming Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (Taylor’s Version) with a Disney+ subscription.
