María Zardoya, who serves as a vocalist for pop band The Marías, said the alleged incident “was one of the most uncomfortable things i’ve ever experienced”
The rock band The Neighbourhood announced Sunday evening that they have ousted their drummer, Brandon Fried, after being accused of groping María Zardoya, of the band The Marias.
The first allegation came Sunday when Zardoya took to her Instagram story to level an allegation against Fried.
“I was at a bar last night, and i was groped under the table by brandon fried, the drummer of the neighbourhood. it was one of the most uncomfortable things i’ve ever experienced. i felt an invasion of my space, privacy and body,” Zardoya wrote.
“@thenbhd ya’ll need a new drummer, this guy is a complete creep,” she added.
Shortly thereafter, The Neighbourhood took to its Instagram story to reveal that Fried had been fired from the band.
“We are grateful to Maria for coming forward. We have zero tolerance for any kind of inappropriate behavior towards women,” the wrote. “As a result of Brandon’s actions, he will no longer be a member of The Neighbourhood.”
Minutes after that, Fried shared a message apologizing for his actions and blamed his behavior on substance abuse problems.
“I am so terribly sorry to Maria. My actions were inexcusable and intolerable,” Fried wrote. “They are not reflective of who I am as a person, but clearly a reflection of who I become while under the influence.”
“It is evident that I must address my problems with alcohol and substance abuse, which I am now seeking help for,” he continued. “I want to apologize to women who have been victims of any behavior that has left them feeling uncomfortable or violated. I am so sorry to The Neighbourhood and our fans for letting them down.”
This latest drama comes on increased attention directed at the band amid lead singer Jesse Rutherford’s burgeoning romance with Billie Eilish.
Their relationship has drawn criticism over their age differences, with the 31-year-old Rutherford getting heat for dating the 20-year-old GRAMMY winner.
Zardoya, who serves as the lead singer of indie pop band The Marías, raised the allegation today (November 14) in a message posted to her Instagram Story. “I was at a bar last night, and I was groped under the table by Brandon Fried,” she alleged. “It was one of the most uncomfortable things I’ve ever experienced.”
She continued: “I felt an invasion of my space, privacy and body.” The singer went on the mention The Neighbourhood, writing that the rock band “need[s] a new drummer, [because Fried] is a complete creep”.
Hours after raising the accusation, The Neighbourhood responded to Zardoya’s claims via social media, beginning a statement by writing that they were “grateful to Maria for coming forward.” The band – which also includes guitarists Jeremy Freedman and Zach Abels, bassist Mikey Margot and vocalist Jesse Rutherford – then declared they “have zero tolerance for any kind of inappropriate behaviour towards women”.
The band concluded the statement by confirming Fried’s departure: “As a result of Brandon’s actions, he will no longer be a member of The Neighbourhood.”
The Neighbourhood’s latest material arrived last year with the release of the standalone single ‘Fallen Star’. Prior to that, their fourth studio album, ‘Chip Chrome & The Mono-Tones’, was released in September of 2020. The Marías, meanwhile, shared their debut album ‘Cinema’ in 2021, spawning the singles ‘Hush’, ‘Little By Little’ and ‘Un Millón’.