Taylor Swift’s music is back on TikTok, even as the Chinese short-video app and singer’s record label Universal Music UMG.AS are at loggerheads, the Financial Times reported on Thursday.
Swift’s return to TikTok had been in the works for some time, the report added, citing people familiar with the matter.
The pop superstar owns the copyrights to her recordings through a 2018 deal struck with Universal that lets her control where her work is made available, unlike many other artists, the report said.
TikTok, Universal Music and representatives for Taylor Swift did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
Universal Music ceased licensing its content to TikTok and TikTok Music services when their agreement expired on Jan. 31.
TikTok had subsequently removed music label’s songs from its platform and muted the videos that featured those songs, written by any songwriter signed on to Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG).
Universal Music Group is the parent company of UMPG, which represents an expansive roster of artists such as Taylor Swift, Jon Batiste, boygenius and Ariana Grande, among others.
— Reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Barona