Scathing Op-Ed Rips Taylor Swift For Hypocrisy And Privilege

It's time someone spoke out against Taylor Swift, writes Beau Davidson, a native Memphian and two-time Mid-South Emmy nominated songwriter and filmmaker.  His piece appears in The Tennessean in Nashville.

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Because Swift has a large online presence, rabid fans and a big bank account, she has remained relatively immune to criticism. 

No one even dares to criticize her lacking vocal talent. Much of this fear results from her army of fans.This was especially true in her recent war with Scooter Braun, Scott Borchetta and Big Machine Label Group, the label that gave Swift her start and, truly, her entire career.

Swift lashed out at Braun, whom she loathes, and Borchetta for apparently preventing her from playing her old songs recorded on Big Machine for her American Music Awards Artist of the Decade performance. But this was a fallacy; a label cannot prevent an artist from performing a song, much less her own songs. The only rights the label has is to determine the distribution and rebroadcast of those performances, where rights issues are in play.

Swift claims to be “working for The Man,” yet her own father negotiated her original label deal because he was filthy rich. How many singers get that luxury? Furthermore, Borchetta took a chance on her and basically got her on every country radio station there ever was, without any of the traditional methods singers have to go through, including the bar scene, countless songwriter round nights and endless tours living out of a suitcase.

No one ever talks about the true privilege Taylor Swift has had because this is a case where privilege exists in its boldest form. Furthermore, she transitioned from the country format to pop, when she was always just playing the country act all along, duping her fans. It was pandering because Swift was always a pop artist whom producers added a banjo and a fiddle to just to make it country enough.

Swift forgot where she came from and the people who made her a star. Her dad bought her way in, Borchetta got her on radio, and now, the label is the bad guy? Notice that Swift never appears at the CMAs or any country events anymore. Ever wonder why?

She has bitten the hands that fed her.