What Happened With Brandon Fried? The 2022 Allegations and The Neighbourhood’s 2025 Return

On November 13, 2022, The Marías’ singer María Zardoya alleged that The Neighbourhood’s drummer Brandon Fried had groped her under a table at a bar the previous night. Fried apologized, and the band said he would no longer be a member. The Neighbourhood returned in 2025 with Fried back in its lineup, citing what it described as his growth and change. These are reported allegations and responses, not a court finding.

What did María Zardoya allege?

On November 13, 2022, Zardoya posted on The Marías’ Instagram Story that she had been groped by Fried at a bar the night before. The Los Angeles Times reported that her statement began: “I was at a bar last night, and I was groped under the table by Brandon Fried … the drummer of the Neighbourhood.” CBS News also reported the allegation and the band’s decision to remove him.

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What did Sofi Padilla say?

Music manager Sofi Padilla separately said she had experienced sexual assault by Fried in May 2022. The Los Angeles Times reported that Padilla shared screenshots of an earlier Instagram direct-message exchange. In the messages quoted by the newspaper, Padilla told Fried he had crossed a line. He apologized for “being such a drunk guy” and wrote that “no amount of drugs or alcohol can excuse behavior like that.” This is Padilla’s account and the reported exchange, not a legal finding.

How did Fried and the band respond in 2022?

Fried’s apology

Fried apologized to Zardoya, describing his actions as “inexcusable and intolerable.” He attributed his behavior in part to alcohol and substance abuse and said he was seeking help. He also apologized to women he had made to feel uncomfortable or violated, according to the Los Angeles Times.

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The band’s decision

The Neighbourhood said it had “zero tolerance for any kind of inappropriate behavior towards women” and that, “as a result of Brandon’s actions, he will no longer be a member of The Neighbourhood.” That statement explained the band’s contemporaneous decision to remove him; it was separate from Fried’s personal apology.

Why was Fried back in The Neighbourhood in 2025?

The band announced its return in August 2025 with Fried back in the lineup, as reported by NME. In an interview later covered by Just Jared, guitarist Zach Abels said the band had “seen genuine growth and change in the last few years with Brandon” and that bringing him back was not a snap decision. Those comments give the band’s stated rationale; they do not independently establish what changed or resolve the allegations.

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What is established—and what is not?

The cited reporting documents Zardoya’s allegation, Padilla’s separate account and shared messages, Fried’s apology, the band’s 2022 removal announcement, and its 2025 return with him in the lineup. The sources cited here do not establish a court finding that the allegations were true or false. They also do not report a response from Zardoya to Fried’s return.

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