Are We Out of the Woods?
An Open Letter to Taylor Swift
Dear Ms. Swift,
I want to license “Out of the Woods (Taylor’s Version)” for our launch video. And I want to do it through a system that pays you fairly — not because you need the money, but because the same system needs to pay fairly when the artist is a single mom in Tulsa making beats on her phone.
That’s what this letter is actually about.
The Problem You Already Solved (For Yourself)
You’re re-recording your entire catalog because someone else owned your work. You fought Spotify when they wanted to pay fractions of pennies. You’ve spent a decade proving that artists can own their art and still succeed — if they have enough leverage.
But leverage comes from being Taylor Swift. Most musicians will never have it.
The kid uploading to SoundCloud. The cover band licensing songs for a local commercial. The indie artist whose song gets used in a YouTube video. They’re stuck choosing between exposure (no payment) and obscurity (no audience). The system gives them nothing because they have no leverage to demand anything.
What We Built
Liana Banyan includes a music licensing initiative built on one principle: every use pays, and the artist decides the terms.
- Transparent pricing. Artists set their rates. Licensees see exactly what they’re paying for.
- Automatic splits. Collaborators, producers, songwriters — everyone’s share is coded in. No chasing royalties.
- Ownership stays with creators. Licensing a song doesn’t transfer rights. Ever.
- Blockchain verification. Every license, every payment, every use — independently verifiable.
Cost + 20%. That’s the platform margin. The rest goes to the people who made the music.
Proof of Concept: Bruck’lyn
We licensed Bruck’lyn’s “Moonshot” for our launch materials. Here’s what happened:
- We paid through the platform
- They kept 83%+ of the transaction
- The license terms are on-chain, verifiable by anyone
- No label took a cut. No distributor skimmed. No “administrative fees.”
That’s one transaction. Now imagine millions.
Why I’m Writing You
Not for a tweet. Not for an endorsement.
I’m asking you to take this initiative and run it.
You know every factor in music licensing — the labels, the publishers, the PROs, the streaming services, the lawyers, the loopholes. You’ve navigated all of it and won. You have relationships, credibility, and reach that I will never have.
I built the infrastructure. But I’m not the right person to lead a music licensing revolution. You are.
If you think this model is sound, it’s validated. If you think it’s flawed, I want to know why — so I can fix it. And if you think it could work but needs someone who actually understands the music industry to shape it — that’s exactly what I’m offering.
I’ll hand you the keys. Advisory role, board seat, full ownership of the initiative — whatever structure makes sense. The goal isn’t for me to run this. The goal is for it to exist and work.
The Specific Ask
- Review the model. The economics are at Cephas.LianaBanyan.org.
- Tell me what breaks. You’ve seen every way artists get screwed. Where does this fail?
- If it holds up — lead it. Or point me to someone who should.
And yes, I’d still like to license “Out of the Woods (Taylor’s Version).” Through the system, at whatever rate you set, with terms you control. That’s the whole point.
With respect for everything you’ve built and rebuilt,
Jonathan Jones Founding Manager, Liana Banyan Corporation November 2025
P.S. — You once said “I deserve to own what I make.” Now the infrastructure exists so Everyone Can - it just needs an expert Artist to run it.
406-578-1232 Support@LianaBanyan.org