The trade magazine published a message of apology addressed to the pop megastar. At issue: the use in a video about her career of images from a clip of Kanye West diverting the image of the singer.
The American magazine Billboard was heavily criticized this week after using an extract from the clip in a video celebrating Taylor Swift's career. Famous by Kanye West where a naked wax statue of the singer appears.
Many fans of the singer denounced the inappropriate use of these images in a publication aimed at celebrating the career of the megastar, who has just been crowned second best artist of the 21st century by the specialized publication.
Taylor Swift's fans, the “Swifties,” called the use of this video “deeply offensive” and a “slap in the face.” “It’s not professional, but it’s also problematic,” is indignant about X a “Swiftie”.
“A real nightmare”
The clip, which dates from 2016, had already sparked controversy at the time. It featured nude avatars of celebrities, from Kim Kardashian to Donald Trump, including Anna Wintour, Rihanna, George W. Bush, Bill Cosby, Caitlyn Jenner and Chris Brown.
Taylor Swift herself expressed her opposition to the clip. “She is in shock, she feels betrayed and is more than angry with him. It’s a real nightmare,” a source close to the singer reported to the site at the time. Hollywood Life.
The song was also criticized for its misogyny. “I think me and Taylor could make love, I made that bitch famous,” Kanye West raps in this track released during a feud between the Karshashian-Wests and Taylor Swift.
“We sincerely regret”
Billboard apologized for its video. “We apologize to Taylor Swift and our readers for including a clip that featured a doctored version of her in a video celebrating Swift's accomplishments,” a statement said.
“We have removed the clip from our video and we sincerely regret the harm we have caused with this error,” the publication adds. Taylor Swift has not publicly commented on the video.
