Salty Artist Management—the management firm that was once home to Mitski, Jay Som, Car Seat Headrest, and other notable indie acts—closed on October 29, Billboard reveals in a new report. The firm’s website and social media accounts have also disappeared. According to Billboard, Salty’s co-founders Chris Crowley and Chad Heimann closed the business after Crowley was accused of sexual harassment.
According to Billboard’s report, Crowley sent a text message to a music business professional suggesting that he wanted to “hook up” with a woman on the Salty management team who was in her twenties. The woman—whom Billboard calls Stephanie—began working at Salty on July 19. The text message was reportedly sent some time between her start date and August 21.
On August 22, Stephanie reportedly went to see a movie and get dinner with Crowley. Stephanie told Billboard that her day with Crowley was “uneventful,” and so she was surprised to receive a text message from Crowley apologizing for flirting with her. Stephanie reportedly told Chad Heimann about his co-founder’s text message. Heimann was supportive, according to Billboard, and “shared many of [Stephanie’s] concerns” with Crowley. At this point, according to the report, Stephanie was unaware of the “hook up” text message.
Months later, Stephanie was reportedly shown the “hook up” text message, and, on October 17, met with Crowley to confront him about it. Crowley was reportedly apologetic, but, due to her discomfort at Salty, Stephanie announced her resignation during a company Zoom meeting on October 19. Several managers chose to leave Salty in solidarity with Stephanie, according to Billboard.
Crowley and Heimann founded Salty Artist Management in 2012. In October 2020, Pitchfork was emailed a press release that touted the firm’s hiring of four new managers. The email also included a list of Salty’s clients at the time, highlighting Car Seat Headrest, Ella Jane, Field Medic, Giraffage, Huck, Jackie Hayes, Jay Som, Kate Bollinger, Michelle, Mitski, Model/Actriz, Momma, Slow Pulp, and Soft Glas. According to Billboard, Mitski was managed by Crowley, while Slow Pulp and Jay Som did not work directly with him.
Pitchfork has reached out to the publicist who sent the October 2020 email and also attempted to contact Chris Crowley and Chad Heimann.
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