Beyonce, advisor part ways

Photo: All rights reserved.

Beyonce

Beyonce has reportedly parted ways with music advisor Teresa LaBarbera Whites after nearly three decades of working together.

The 37-year-old singer is said to have split from Whites ahead of the release of her new album The Lion King: The Gift - after first teaming up with the advisor at the age of 11.

The news was first reported by gossip website Showbiz411.com, with a source telling the outlet that it was a clash between Whites and Steve Pamon, who was brought in as the new chief operating officer of Beyonce's management and entertainment company Parkwood Entertainment, that was responsible for her departure.

"Art and commerce clashed. Pamon's background is in running a company, not picking music or developing musical ideas," the insider added.

Whites was working as a scout for Columbia Records when she first met Beyonce at age nine, and signed her aged 11. She helped launch Destiny's Child, and has overseen almost all of the singer's music. Despite having a brief time away from the singer to help resuscitate Britney Spears' career at Jive Records, Whites then returned to work with Beyonce as her in-house Artists and Repertoire (A&R) specialist.

"Teresa has long been known in the industry as Beyonce's secret weapon," the source added to Showbiz411.com. "How the internationally beloved singer will function without her is now a big question."

The site added that the split was "amicable" - at least between Beyonce and Whites.

Beyonce has yet to comment on the report.