Chappell Roan and Orville Peck have both severed ties with their talent agency after the newly released Epstein files that revealed past email exchanges between the agency’s founder and chief executive, Casey Wasserman, and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell.
Roan announced her departure after the release of the Epstein files in a statement shared on social media on Tuesday, 10 February, saying she could not “passively stand by” in light of the revelations. “As of today, I am no longer represented by Wasserman,” the 27-year-old singer wrote. “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.”
The emails, described as flirtatious, date back to 2003 and were included in a recent release of documents connected to the Jeffrey Epstein case. Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence after being convicted in 2021 on five counts related to sex trafficking and the abuse of minors in connection with Epstein. Roan said her decision reflects a broader principle.
“Meaningful change in our industry requires accountability and leadership that earns trust,” she wrote, adding that artists “deserve representation that aligns with their values and supports their safety and dignity”.
Country singer Orville Peck confirmed his own departure from the agency just hours later. In a statement, he said his decision came “in light of the recent findings regarding Casey Wasserman”. Peck expressed gratitude to his long-standing team, some of whom he said he had worked with for nearly a decade. He also acknowledged the wider impact of the controversy, offering “a huge amount of compassion for the rest of the agents and staff at the agency, who are being left with a situation that impacts all of our work and livelihoods”.
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Their exits follow similar moves by other artists, including indie-rock band Wednesday. Industry observers suggest the high-profile departures could trigger further reconsideration among Wasserman’s clients, which include Kendrick Lamar, SZA and Lorde. Roan alone attracts around 35 million monthly listeners on Spotify, underlining the potential commercial impact.
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