Ariana Grande has reunited with her former dancer Ricky Alvarez, just weeks after her split from Wicked co-star Ethan Slater, according to reports. The pop star is reportedly dating Alvarez, whom she dated over a decade ago and split with in July 2016 after more than a year together.
Lyrics Change Hints at Reconciliation
Alvarez has been spotted at Grande's Eternal Sunshine tour, and she has altered lyrics in her song "thank u next" to reflect their renewed connection. Originally singing, "Wrote some songs about Ricky / Now I listen and laugh," she now performs variations such as "Wrote some songs about Ricky / I know he's still got my back" and "Wrote some songs about Ricky / And they still kinda slap."
Source Confirms Growing Closeness
A source revealed to the media: "Ariana has always considered Ricky a friend. She's not held ill will against him. Ricky is dependable, trustworthy and very supportive." The source added: "Ariana feels she can be herself around Ricky. They have a similar, smart, dry sense of humour. They're not jumping into anything serious right away, but Ari is happy to have him back in her life. Ricky has always been a friend and confidant. He has such great, positive energy, makes her laugh, and she enjoys spending time with him."
Split from Ethan Slater
The reunion comes after Grande and Slater, who played Boq alongside her Glinda in the Wicked film, ended their relationship. A source described the split as amicable: "It's amicable, they gave lots of time and careful consideration and decided to go their separate ways. They are still friends and very supportive of one another. They have been quietly broken up for several months." Grande's friends were reportedly blindsided by the news. Another source noted: "With Ariana, it's all on a need-to-know basis. She fully understands the interest in her life and openly channels her personal experiences into her music and art, but at the same time, she has no desire to give a running commentary about what goes on off-stage."
Previous Relationships
Grande and Slater began their relationship in July 2023, shortly after both had separated from their former partners. Grande split from Dalton Gomez in February 2023, with their divorce finalized in March 2024. Slater filed for divorce from his high school sweetheart Lilly Jay in July 2023, which was finalized that September. Lilly Jay wrote an open letter about the divorce, stating: "No one gets married thinking they'll get divorced, in the same way we don't board a plane expecting to crash. But I really never thought I would get divorced. Especially not just after giving birth to my first child and especially not in the shadow of my husband's new relationship with a celebrity."
