When Taylor Swift stepped out on Thursday evening in New York City, it wasn’t the casual dinner it first appeared to be.

The ‘Karma’ singer, 35, was preemptively celebrating the buyback of her masters, sources exclusively reveal to the Daily Mail.

For years, Swift has expressed her frustration over not having control of her music rights, which led her to start re-recording her entire catalog. However, on Friday, she revealed she has at last succeeded in purchasing her life’s work.

“Taylor was over the moon celebrating last night,” a source shared. “She has been wishing for this for such a long time — to finally have full ownership of her creative accomplishments.”

In preperation for the announcment, Swift booked a table on Thursday at her favorite New York restaurant, trendy Italian eatery Via Carota. 

Joining her were long-time pal and actress Dakota Johnson – as well as their respective brothers, Austin Swift and Jesse Johnson.

Swift’s night out in NYC featured what could be a subtle dig at Lively

She was accompanied by her brother, Austin Swift, for the celebratory dinner 

Swift and Johnson (pictured in 2016) have been longtime friends

A glowing Swift sported a black, floral print frock and her signature red lip.

And, according to that insider, ‘Taylor has been loving florals lately. She feels the style is a perfect fit for spring.’

But could the outfit choice have meant something more?

It’s well known that beyond her prolonged dispute over her masters, Swift has also been engaged in a more recent conflict… with none other than Blake Lively.

Her ten-year friendship with the actress has spectacularly collapsed in recent weeks over what sources close to Swift have described as a ‘betrayal’ of epic proportions.

In short, it is said that Swift blames Lively for her unwanted inclusion in the actress’s ugly legal battle over her movie ‘It Ends With Us’. Lively, 37, has sued her co-star Justin Baldoni, 41, for sexual harassment. Baldoni has countersued for defamation.

And while all parties deny the allegations, Swift’s name was – in the process – dragged into legal papers, leaving her feeling ‘exploited’, according to sources.

Eagle-eyes Swifties may recall that Lively’s character in the movie was named Lily Bloom – a florist by trade. And that while promoting the movie, which is centered around a domestic violence storyline, Lively was memorably criticized for telling fans to ‘grab your florals’ and see it in theaters.

Could it possibly be then that Swift’s choice to wear florals – for a meal celebrating her undoubted triumph over adversity – was, at least in part, intended to send a subtle message that this is a woman who won’t be taken for a ride.

After all, as the Daily Mail previously reported, things recently got so bad that the songstress’s father, 73-year-old Scott Swift, had to get involved.

Last week, an insider dramatically revealed that Scott had turned over evidence to Baldoni’s legal team claiming that Lively had ‘threatened to leak’ her private text exchanges with Swift, unless her long-time pal unless the singer publicly sided with her against Baldoni. Lively denies the claims.

Though it seems Swift’s doting dad isn’t the only family member who has the singer’s back right now.

Indeed, her brother Austin accompanied her and Dakota Johnson on Thursday night at Via Carota, where the salt-baked branzino will set you back $69.

‘She’s been friends with Dakota for years, and her brother Austin — who’s also one of her closest friends — works with her, overseeing aspects of music licensing,’ our insider said. ‘So, naturally, this dinner was a big celebration.’

Another source added: ‘She is in euphoria… she wanted to celebrate with close friends and family.’ 

Lively and Swift have been friends for a decade, but the actress’ legal drama has reportedly created a rift between her and the singer (pictured in 2024)

The pair’s friendship is reportedly done for after the legal drama 

Swift is the godmother to Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ children: James, Inez and Betty

Swift’s public appearances have been few and far between of late amid a string of solo appearances by her football star beau, Travis Kelce. 

She was noticeably absent from the American Music Awards on Monday, which an insider exclusively told the Daily Mail was to avoid ‘1000s of questions about the Blake Lively saga.’

Swift was spotted on a low-key dinner date last week in Florida with Kelce, 35, who is currently hunkering down in a $20 million mansion in the Sunshine State has he prepares for the next NFL season.

But the Chiefs tight end, who Swift has been dating since 2023, was noticeably absent from Thursday night’s dinner.

‘It is OK that Travis wasn’t there because he is preparing for the upcoming season and work is very important, and they will have privately celebrated themselves. All is well with her and Travis,’ one source said. ‘She was eager to be back in NYC and blow off some steam.’

Might this mark a return to the public eye for Swift?

The source said: ‘We are going to see a little more of Taylor in the next few months and she is going to be out a little more.’