Ariana Grande arrested for allegedly selling unreleased music and photos online | Music

Ariana Grande has filed a lawsuit against hackers who allegedly stole unreleased music, as well as private photos and video clips, and sold them online.

Grande filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles court on Monday. It does not name the attackers, who are referred to by the pseudonym John Doe. Grande will seek to be identified during the legal process “in order to be held responsible for the seriousness and evil”, the lawsuit reads.

According to Billboard, Hollywood Reporter and more, it is said that the hackers got access to the online accounts of various people who worked with Grande, which led to 45 songs coming out in 2023 alone. In one instance, Grande says a hacker impersonated a photographer to trick an employee into sending them photos of Grande. Pictures and behind-the-scenes videos and music videos are also reported to be stolen. The goods were allegedly sold on the dark web.

“The invasion of Ms Grande’s privacy and interference with her work has caused her great harm as a result of these breaches of privacy,” the lawsuit reads. “The unauthorized misuse and disclosure of this material is a violation of Ms Grande’s reputation and her talent, as well as the direct and sacred relationship that exists between her and her fans… Ms Grande or any other public or private person should not be victimized by these criminals who hide in the shadows and destroy technology.”

After seven albums that have reached No 1 or No 2 on the US charts, as well as being a 20-time Grammy winner and a three-time winner, Grande remains one of the most successful artists in the world. The Only Hate I Made You Love Me is currently the third most streamed song worldwide on Spotify every day, and the top single in the US and UK. It’s taken from his new album Petal, out on Friday.

He’s also had a successful acting career in recent years, taking the lead role in Wicked and its sequel Wicked: For Good, and opposite Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller in the latest installment of the Meet the Parents franchise, Focker-in-Law, released in November. In 2027, he will appear alongside his Badass co-star Jonathan Bailey in a production of Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park and George, at London’s Barbican.

They begin a 10-night tour at London’s O2 Arena on August 15.