Taylor Swift has urged aspiring musicians to "own" their own work.
The 29-year-old singer was recently left devastated after Scooter Braun purchased her former label Big Machine records and acquired her entire back catalogue of master recordings so has warned other songwriters to do their best to take "control" of their own legacy right from the start.
Asked her advice for aspiring singers and songwriters during a YouTube live stream, she said: "I would say try your best to own your own work. And if at all possible, start writing your own song. Be involved in the creative process….Being a writer gives you more control over your own legacy."
The ‘Me!’ hitmaker also advised those with pop star ambitions to write their own songs because it can be "cathartic and healing".
She added: "And it’s really fun to write your own song. I recommend it to anyone who wants to be a singer. I really just want you guys to tell your own stories…It’s one of the most cathartic, healing things I’ve ever done."
Taylor also revealed that she struggles to perform ‘Soon You’ll Get Better’ – which is about her mother’s battle with cancer – and her whole family agreed that the track should be a part of her new album ‘Lover’.
She said: "There’s a song called ‘Soon You’ll Get Better’ that was really, really hard to write, and it was a family decision to even put on the album, and I think songs like that that are really hard for you to write emotionally maybe they’re hard to write and hard to sing because they’re really true.
"We as a family decided to put this on the album.
"It’s something I’m so proud of. I can’t sing it. It’s hard to emotionally deal with that song."
The ‘Love Story’ hitmaker recently confirmed she is planning to re-record her old albums again next year.
She said: "Yeah, that’s true and it’s something that I’m very excited about doing because my contract says that starting November 2020, so next year, I can record albums one through five all over again. I’m very excited about it. I just think that artists deserve to own their own work. I just feel very passionately about that."
Taylor Swift wants songwriters to take control of their legacy
