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By Marni Rose McFall
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The singer Chappell Roan has announced that she has left the Wasserman talent agency, led by Casey Wasserman, whose name had appeared in the Epstein files.
“I hold my teams to the highest standards and have a duty to protect them as well,” Roan wrote in an Instagram story. “No artist, agent or employee should ever be expected to defend or overlook actions that conflict so deeply with our own moral values.”
Newsweek has contacted a publicist for Roan via email and the Wasserman talent agency via an online contact form for comment outside of regular business hours.
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Why It Matters
Wasserman is the founder and CEO of Wasserman Music, who represents artists including Ed Sheeran, Billie Eilish and Coldplay. He is also the chairman of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics committee.
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He has been criticized after emails sent to Ghislaine Maxwell in 2003 were revealed in the latest tranche of Epstein files. Maxwell was an associate of the convicted paedophile and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and is currently serving a prison sentence for child sex trafficking. She was sentenced in June of 2022 to 20 years of imprisonment.
Appearing in released documents is not an indication of wrongdoing.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released millions of records from its investigative files on Epstein at the end of January, in what marked the largest public disclosure to date in the Epstein case, which has fuelled years of scrutiny, speculation and conspiracy theories, particularly in relation to Epstein’s relationships with political leaders, business executives and cultural elites.
The files have set off a wave of response across the globe as reactions, including from those named in them, continue to reverberate.
What To Know
Roan said in her statement that “this decision reflects my belief that meaningful change in our industry requires accountability and leadership that earns trust."
She did not directly reference Epstein, the files, or Maxwell in the statement on Instagram announcing her departure.
Roan has long been outspoken about politics and issues that impact musicians and other artists, from ticket scalping to how paparazzi interact with artists on the red carpet and calling for record labels to offer artists a livable wage and health insurance.
The emails exchanged between Wasserman and Maxwell were flirtatious in tone and included references to massages.
In a statement to The New York Times, Wasserman said, "I deeply regret my correspondence with Ghislaine Maxwell which took place over two decades ago, long before her horrific crimes came to light.”
Roan is not the only artist on his label to come out with a statement following his being named in the files.
Bethany Cosentino of the band Best Coast called for Wasserman to step down in a statement shared to Instagram. “We are tired of watching harm minimized or brushed off as 'a long time ago,' while the impact of that harm is still very real, especially for women and survivors of sexual assault,” she wrote.
What People Are Saying
Chappell Roan, in a statement shared to her Instagram: “I have deep respect and appreciation for the agents and staff who work tirelessly for their artists and I refuse to passively stand by. Artists deserve representation that aligns with their values and supports their safety and dignity.”
Casey Wasserman, in a statement to the New York Times: “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.”
Bethany Cosentino of the band Best Coast, in a statement shared to Instagram: “As an artist represented by Wasserman, I did not consent to having my name or my career tied to someone with this kind of association to exploitation. Staying quiet isn’t something I can do in good conscience – especially in a moment when men in power are so often protected, excused, or, allowed to move on without consequence.”
What Happens Next?
Calls are circulating on social media for Wasserman to step down from his role as chairman for the 2028 Olympics, but whether this will translate into a departure for him or, if more artists join Roan and Cosentino in publicly responding, remains to be seen.
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