Doin Better Than I Ever Was

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.

“I ask the traffic lights if it’ll be alright they said “I don’t know”

But I kinda love all the interpretations of what that line means, even the memes.

Traffic lights: I don’t know 

Got out some popcorn , as soon as my rep starting going down, down, down .

Laughed on the school yard as soon as I tripped up and hit the ground, ground ground

But I forgot that you existed , and I thought that it would kill me, but it didn't ,

And it was so nice so peaceful and quiet

Track # 2

And it’s oh , whoa oh , it’s a cruel summer ,

It’s cool that’s when I tell em no rules ,

Unbreakable heaven but oh whoa , oh oh

And at every table ,

I’ll save you a seat ,

Track # 4 ,

I’d be a fearless leader , I’d be the alpha type ,

What’s it like to brag about raking in dollars , and gett’n bitches and models , and it’s all good if you’re bad , and it’s ok if you’re mad

I’m so sick of running as fast as I can ,

wondering if I’d get there quicker if I was a mann ,

I’ve been the archer ,

And I’ve been the prey

I think he knows his footprints on the side walk , Lead to where I can't stop , go there every night

I think he knows his hands around a cold glass ,

Make me wanna know that body , like it's mine

He got that boyish look that I like in a man

I am an architect, I'm drawing up the plans , It's like I'm seventeen, nobody understands

He got my heartbeat , Skipping down 16th Avenue ,

I saw the scoreboard , and ran for my life . No cameras catch my pageant smile

I counted days, I counted miles , To see you there , To see you there , It's been a long time coming but , It's you and me ,

Went home and tried to stalk you on the internet

Now I've read all of the books beside your bed

I like shiny things , but I’d marry you with paper rings

I hope I never loose you ,

I hope it never ends ,

I’d never walk Cornelia street again .

But if the story’s over , why am I still writing pages?

I ask the traffic lights if it’ll be alright ,

They say I don’t know ,

Gave you so much, but it wasn't enough

We can go drivin' in, on my scooter uh, you know, just riding in London

They say home is where the heart is

But that's not where mine lives ,

And I can't talk to you when you're like this

Staring out the window like I'm not your favorite town ,

I'm New York City

And I’m just like ,

Uh oh ,

Uh oh ,

Uh oh ,

You need to calm down .

I blew things out of proportion now you’re blue .

Put you in jail for something you didn’t do .

I’m the only one of me ,

Lost my gloves, you give me one

"Wanna hang out? Yeah, sounds like fun

Luck of the draw ,

Only draws the unlucky ,

So I became the but of the joke .

I've been sleepin' so long in a twenty-year dark night . And now I see daylight

Tonight in Paris!!! Thank you to everyone who flew from all over the world to be at the City of Lover Concert! 💗💗💗

‪Got to play some new songs from Lover acoustic tonight, this was such an awesome way to celebrate this album finally being out in the world 🥰‬

not a single soul:

me: WE CAN GO DRIVIN IN ON MY SCOOTUH, UH YA KNOW JUST ROUND LONDON.. HE LOOKS UP GRINNING LIKE A DEVIL HE GOT MY HEART BEAT SKIPPING DOWN 16TH AVENUE BLESS MY SOUL I LIKE SHINY THINGS BUT I’D MARRY YOU WITH PAPER RINGS.. SHES A BAD BAD GIRL

liz rose: actually all too well was originally 24 minutes before we cut it down to 10

taylor: