Ariana Grande is taking legal action against anonymous hackers who she claims have stolen and leaked hundreds of her unreleased songs and personal footage. The singer filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles, accusing the unknown individuals of violating the creative process and betraying her relationship with fans.
Lawsuit details hundreds of leaks since 2011
The lawsuit, obtained by Billboard, alleges that the hackers, listed as John Doe, targeted Ariana Grande's photographers and producers to gain access to materials. These were then sold on the dark web. According to the filing, there have been 'hundreds' of leaks since 2011, with 45 songs stolen in 2023 alone.
In 2019, 'still-in-production, unreleased masters and demos and footage' were taken. Phishing scams in 2024 also led to the theft of unreleased photos. The singer claims the leaks violate the 'sacred relationship that exists between her and her fans.'
Legal pursuit and previous comments
Attorneys for Grande wrote: 'Ms. Grande initiates this action to uncover the identities of these currently unknown and unscrupulous individuals in order to hold them accountable for their invasive and reprehensible conduct.'
In 2024, Ariana addressed a leaked track called 'Fantasize' on the Zach Sang Show, telling leakers: 'The few studio sessions that I did — which are all over TikTok, thank you so much. I'll see you in jail, literally. ... Was stolen — thieves, pirates, illegal. I'll pay you more to put it away, to get it back.'
The lawsuit continues: 'Neither Ms. Grande nor any other public or private figure should have to suffer such violations caused by these wrongdoers who hide in the shadows and wreak technological havoc with impunity. It is imperative to Ms. Grande to ensure on behalf of herself and others that such conduct is deterred to the fullest extent possible.'
Ongoing tour
Ariana Grande is currently on her Eternal Sunshine world tour, which includes sold-out dates in the United States and is set to reach London in August.
