Grammy-winning artist Chappell Roan recently announced her departure from the talent agency spearheaded by Casey Wasserman. This decision comes after revelations that Wasserman exchanged suggestive emails with Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein’s notorious associate, highlighting the growing impact of the Epstein files across the sports and culture industries.
“As of today, I am no longer represented by Wasserman,” Roan, celebrated for her hits like “Pink Pony Club” and “Good Luck, Babe!,” shared on Instagram. She emphasized her commitment to high standards and protecting her team, stating, “No artist, agent or employee should ever be expected to defend or overlook actions that conflict so deeply with our own moral values.”
Although her statement didn’t explicitly mention Ghislaine Maxwell or Jeffrey Epstein by name, it clearly referenced the convicted sex offender who tragically took his own life in 2019 while facing sex-trafficking charges.
Roan articulated her reasoning, stating, “This decision reflects my belief that meaningful change in our industry requires accountability and leadership that earns trust.”
In 2003, Wasserman, who also chairs the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the 2028 Olympic Games, exchanged emails with Maxwell, as revealed in Justice Department documents concerning Epstein that were released last month.
These communications took place while Wasserman was married and raising a young family, years before Maxwell’s 2021 conviction on federal charges for conspiring with Epstein to sexually abuse underage girls.
The emails included a suggestive offer from Maxwell to give Wasserman a massage, claiming it would “drive a man wild.” In a separate message, Wasserman himself wrote, “I think of you all the time. So, what do I have to do to see you in a tight leather outfit?”
Following the public disclosure of these emails, Wasserman issued a statement expressing deep regret for his correspondence with Ghislaine Maxwell, emphasizing that it occurred over two decades ago, well before her heinous crimes were uncovered.
Since these revelations, Wasserman has been under increasing pressure to step down from his talent agency and resign from the Olympic organizing committee.
Roan, with over 35 million monthly listeners on Spotify, is the most prominent artist to sever ties with Wasserman’s agency, but she is certainly not the only voice speaking out against the association.
The Irish-American punk band Dropkick Murphys also announced their departure from the Wasserman agency via Instagram. Their statement explained, “We love our agents. They are great partners. We signed with them years before they merged with Wasserman,” adding, “It saddens us to part ways with them, but the namesake of the agency is in the Epstein files, so… we GONE.”
Other artists also condemned the agency. Lili Trifilio, guitarist and vocalist for Beach Bunny, another Wasserman client, posted on her band’s Instagram page this week, demanding, “We are demanding for Wasserman to remove himself and his name from the agency.”
Trifilio criticized Wasserman’s statement, particularly the phrase “deep regrets,” highlighting that it wasn’t sufficient. She noted that Wasserman had denied any relationship with Epstein, though he admitted to a trip on Epstein’s plane in 2002, adding, “I am terribly sorry for having any association with either of them.”
Trifilio further described Wasserman’s interactions with Maxwell as “abhorrent and disturbing on every level.”
North Carolina indie-rock band Wednesday also declared their departure from Wasserman this week, stating on Instagram: “Continuing to be represented by a company led by and named after Casey Wasserman goes against our values and cannot continue.” They expressed hope that he would step down and the company would be rebranded for the sake of its staff.
The Wasserman agency has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding these developments.
Bethany Cosentino, lead singer of the band Best Coast, a client of Wasserman since 2021, penned an open letter to the agency. In it, she requested the removal of her and her band’s names from the company’s website and urged Wasserman to resign.
Cosentino unequivocally stated, “As an artist represented by Wasserman, I did not consent to having my name or career tied to someone with this kind of association to exploitation.”
Other notable musicians represented by Wasserman include Kendrick Lamar, Coldplay, Joni Mitchell, Lorde, and Tyler, The Creator, raising questions about their potential responses.