Chappell Roan has parted ways with the talent agency Wasserman Music after the company’s founder and CEO, Casey Wasserman, appeared in the latest release of the Epstein files. In an Instagram story, Roan wrote: “As of today, I am no longer represented by Wasserman, the talent agency led by Casey Wasserman,” wrote Roan. “I hold my teams to the highest standards and have a duty to protect them as well. No artist, agent or employee should ever be expected to defend or overlook actions that conflict so deeply with our own moral values.”
“I have deep respect and appreciation for the agents and staff who work tirelessly for their artists and I refuse to passively stand by,” she added. “Artists deserve representation that aligns with their values and supports their safety and dignity. This decision reflects my belief that meaningful change in our industry requires accountability and leadership that earns trust.”
Casey Wasserman had traveled on Jeffrey Epstein’s s plane during a 2002 humanitarian trip and, as the files made public, exchanged emails with convicted child sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell. The messages show Wasserman flirting with Maxwell, who in an April 2003 email offered to give him a massage that can “drive a man wild.” A photograph of Wasserman with Maxwell and Epstein was also released.
“I deeply regret my correspondence with Ghislaine Maxwell which took place over two decades ago, long before her horrific crimes came to light,” Wasserman stated. “I never had a personal or business relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. As is well documented, I went on a humanitarian trip as part of a delegation with the Clinton Foundation in 2002 on the Epstein plane. I am terribly sorry for having any association with either of them.”
Last week, Best Coast frontwoman Bethany Cosentino, who has been represented by Wasserman Music since 2021, shared an open letter urging Wasserman to resign. “I’m speaking out because pretending this is normal isn’t normal. Because people in power can’t keep skating by,” she wrote. “Artists are not interchangeable assets. We are people. Many of us are women. Many of us, myself included, are survivors. We deserve systems that let us work without asking us to compromise our values in exchange for opportunity.”
One of the biggest talent agencies in the industry, Wasserman represents hundres of artists and sports players, including Kendrick Lamar, Coldplay, Skrillex, Animal Collective, Geese, Wet Leg, Lorde, SZA, Ed Sheeran, and more. Several of them have announced or are in the process of leaving the agency. Notably, Billie Eilish fired the agency in 2024 after The Daily Mail reported that Wasserman had engaged in inappropriate relationships with female employees. Wednesday just openly left the agency, while Water From Your Eyes, Beach Bunny, and Sleigh Bells’ Alexis Krauss have shared statements demanding Wasserman be held accountable.
