Taylor Swift celebrates reclaiming her Masters with Selena Gomez at NYC’s Monkey Bar
Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez dined privately at Monkey Bar after Swift regained ownership of her first six albums.
Taylor Swift ushered in a new era in her music career with a private dinner in New York City with her longtime friend Selena Gomez. The dinner was held the day after Swift announced her recent acquisition of the master recordings of her first six studio albums — an important step in her long journey to have artistic control.
The dinner took place at the Monkey Bar, a Manhattan restaurant originally opened in 1936, known for its historic charm and high-end menu filled with fresh seafood, high-quality meats, and homemade pastas. During the outing, Gomez posted a photo on social media of the pair that depicted the two of them in an apparent heart-to-heart.
A historic milestone in the music industry
Swift announced the information through a handwritten letter posted on her official website and noted the emotional weight of the achievement. “I’ve been dreaming about this moment for 20 years," she shared. "All the music I’ve made… and it’s finally all mine." Billboard reported that the artist paid approximately $360 million to reacquire her album rights.
The masters Swift reacquired include Taylor Swift, Fearless, Speak Now, Red, 1989, and Reputation—all owned originally by Big Machine Records which Scooter Braun sold to Shamrock Capital. Swift had previously denounced the 2019 sale and said she was never given the opportunity to buy back the rights herself, calling the sale a betrayal.
A private celebration with public support
Monkey Bar announced on its website that it was closed to the public at 6:30 p.m. for a “private event,” but it has yet to be confirmed if the private event is a reference to Swift and Gomez. A photo posted to X showed Swift looking surprised talking to Gomez, who appeared to be very attentive just according to the photo.
Gomez, an outspoken supporter of Swift throughout her career, also celebrated the win publicly, stating on Instagram stories that she was “so proud” of her friend. Swift’s boyfriend, NFL star Travis Kelce, liked the Instagram post where the singer is seen surrounded by her album covers, signifying she has taken back her legacy.
