Who is Father figure about Taylor Swift? Fans Link New Song to Scott Borchetta

On October 3, 2025, Taylor Swift’s new song Father Figure, from her 12th studio album The Life of a Showgirl, started trending worldwide. The powerful track has sparked intense debate online, with fans convinced it takes aim at her former mentor, Scott Borchetta, the music executive who first signed her at Big Machine Records.

Why Fans Think Father Figure Is About Scott Borchetta

The song’s lyrics describe betrayal, power struggles, and broken trust. In one line, Swift sings:

“I’ll be your father figure / I drink that brown liquor / I can make deals with the devil / Because my d**k’s bigger.”

She continues by recalling how someone found her when she was young, turned her “rags into gold,” and compared her to a younger version of themselves. Many listeners believe this points directly to Scott Borchetta, who discovered Swift in 2004 at Nashville’s Bluebird Café and signed her as the first artist under Big Machine Records in 2005.

Although Taylor does not mention Borchetta by name, the parallels to their history are clear. Their relationship famously soured in 2019 when Borchetta sold Big Machine, including Swift’s master recordings, to Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings.

The Masters Dispute

Taylor released her first six albums under Borchetta’s label before leaving for Universal Music Group in 2018. She had tried to purchase her master recordings, but negotiations failed.

When Borchetta sold Big Machine to Braun, Swift accused both men of trying to control her career. In a 2019 open letter, she said: “When I left my masters in Scott’s 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.”

Borchetta, however, claimed that Swift was offered the chance to own her masters but declined. Their public back-and-forth became one of the most talked-about disputes in the music industry.

In May 2025, Swift finally bought back her entire catalog from Shamrock Capital, ending years of legal and business battles.

Who is Scott Borchetta: The Man Behind Big Machine

• Age: 63

• Born: Burbank, California

• Career: Record executive and sports car racer

• Claim to Fame: Founder of Big Machine Records and mentor to Taylor Swift

• Other Work: Mentor on American Idol (Seasons 14–15) and owner of Big Machine Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series

Borchetta helped transform Swift from a teenage country singer into a global pop star. But the fallout over her masters changed their relationship forever.

Earlier this year, Borchetta donated $15 million to Middle Tennessee State University, which renamed its College of Media and Entertainment in his honor.

George Michael Connection

Swift’s Father Figure is also an interpolation of George Michael’s 1987 hit of the same name. Michael’s estate gave full approval, saying they were “delighted” by the tribute.

On X, George Michael Entertainment wrote: “Thank you @taylorswift13 for including George in such a special moment. Father Figure (Taylor’s Version) is out tomorrow. George would have felt the same.”

Fan Reactions

Online, Swifties immediately began connecting the dots. Comments on X included:

• “Father Figure, being about Scott Borchetta, makes so much sense, and yet I never saw it coming.”

• “This is 100% about Scott. It’s about time he got his lashings.”

• “Who’s the father figure now?”

The hashtag #FatherFigure quickly went viral, alongside #ScottBorchetta and #TSTheLifeOfAShowgirl.