MANILA  — James Reid, the CEO and founder of Careless Music, has confirmed that Liza Soberano is no longer part of Careless. This confirmation from Reid came after the announcement made by his company last Saturday that Soberano was a Careless talent no more effective July 29, 2024.

Speaking to ABS-CBN News, Reid said it was the actress’ decision to depart from his talent management company.

“We decided to make this statement because there’s a lot of rumors that she’s no longer Careless. So we decided to release the statement just to confirm it so there’s no confusion,” explained Reid.

“It’s her decision to leave Careless,” he stressed.

Since his departure from Viva Artists Agency, Reid began managing himself and other artists. “Actually, in all the contracts and agreements I have with my artists, there’s a termination for convenience, close, at any time. You can leave as long as I agree, and I agreed,” he said.

The next logical question is: Why did she leave?

“We have different, I guess, career paths. She’s more focused on her US career, going to Hollywood, all of that. And we’re more focused on the Philippines. Music, local.”

Soberano joined Careless back in 2022. During the company’s trade event, she was the biggest star that Reid and his team introduced to the press. This move attracted so much attention and interest to Reid’s company, making it one of the young, if not the youngest, and fast-rising talent management companies in the country.

Barely two years after, Soberano has left Careless. How does he feel about it?

“Actually, Liza’s been very proactive with her career ever since she joined Careless. She has a very clear idea of where she wants to go with her career and everything. And towards the end, basically, she manages herself,” he said.

“And, you know, now that she’s in the US, it makes sense that Careless is no longer in the picture, which I’m okay with.”

Reid also made it clear that all dealings in the US were all hers and not Careless. But, he said that he helped out in networking part, especially when Soberano was just starting to dip her toes in Hollywood.

“Well, I did help her a lot with the initial meetings with her co-management in the US, even with that first film. I introduced the director, but everything after that was really her,” he said.

As far as he knows, who’s handling Soberano now?

“No one. Now that she’s no longer with Careless, I know she has a co-management in the US, that’s Transparent Arts. And as far as I know, that’s it.”

Reid described his relationship with Soberano as a talent as “collaborative.”

“You know, I don’t like to see myself as her boss. It’s more like I’m an artist that’s managing myself and I was helping her with my resources and with my team to help her manage her own career. So, I never really felt like, you know, I was making decisions for her,” he said.

“Ever since the beginning, you know, I asked her, like, what is it that you want to do? Because that’s how I treated my career.”

So if Soberano had full control over with her career, what role did he play in her career as a manager then?

“More of dealings, resources, negotiations. Especially with the supporting staff, the team, you know, the Careless staff who I’ve been working with for years. Actually, a lot of them are my friends, I’ve known for a long time. So, yeah, really on the support and resources,” he said.

Two years was a pretty short time for their talent-manager relationship. Did he feel like he could have done more for Soberano?

“Actually, our agreement from the beginning was very loose. I didn’t make her famous. She was Liza Soberano already when she came on board, which is why I was so flexible,” he said.

Reid has nothing but good words and well wishes for his former talent.

“It’s been great working with her. And, you know, we wish her all of the best for her plans in the US and her career. And, um, yeah, even though she’s no longer managed by us, she’ll come back here to the Philippines especially with the Careless team. We’ll always be here for her.”

Soberano, as far as Reid knows, is currently working on producing some projects including a film and a series. And she’s still auditioning for projects in Hollywood.