In brief
Ariana Grande has taken legal action against unidentified hackers who breached accounts of her collaborators to steal and sell unreleased music and studio footage. The lawsuit alleges that 45 songs were lost in 2023 alone, with hundreds of similar incidents since her debut. Grande seeks to identify the perpetrators and claims the breaches damaged her privacy and career. The case comes as she prepares to release her eighth album, *Petal*, while touring worldwide. Follow the story for updates on the legal fight and its impact on her music releases.
Ariana Grande sues hackers who leaked music and videos
Pop star Ariana Grande has filed a lawsuit against two unidentified hackers who, she claims, leaked unreleased music and studio footage after gaining access to her collaborators' computers.
In filings in Los Angeles, Grande alleged that the hackers targeted photographers, producers, and digital technicians to obtain material that was sold on the dark web for significant sums. The suit says 45 unreleased songs were stolen and leaked in 2023 alone, and that hundreds of similar breaches have occurred since her debut in 2011.
Her lawyers say she is pursuing legal action to uncover the hackers’ identities. Grande has repeatedly called for accountability over the piracy of her out‑of‑print tracks.
In a 2024 interview on the Zach Sang show, she spoke about a song called "Fantasize" that went viral after being posted online. "I was doing a few studio sessions that are all over TikTok…fantasize…These pirates, crooks, illegal!", she said, warning that the song was not intended for her audience.
The lawsuit also accuses hackers of violating California computer hacking laws and conversion statutes, claiming a "malicious invasion of privacy" has caused significant, irreparable harm to Grande’s career.
The filing arrives as Grande prepares for the release of her eighth studio album, Petal, scheduled for Friday, while she continues her global tour. The tour is set to visit the UK in August, with Grande hinting that these concerts could be her final performances for “a long time.”
For more context, hear her recent remarks in an interview on Amy Poehler's Good Hang Podcast. She emphasized the “last hurrah” nature of her current tour.
