Ariana Grande romantically reunited together with her former boyfriend Ricky Alvarez nearly 10 years after they initially went their separate ways.
Us Weekly confirmed in July 2026 that Grande and Alvarez rekindled their past romance on the heels of the Oscar nominee’s recent breakup from Wicked costar Ethan Slater.
“They’ve all the time shared a detailed bond,” a source exclusively told Us earlier that month. “There was a period in time where they weren’t close — while she was with Ethan — so she is completely satisfied to reconnect with him again. Ariana is grateful to have him in her life right away, and he’s been an enormous source of support.”
Long before Grande dated Slater or now-ex-husband Dalton Gomez, Grande was linked to her former dancer Alvarez.
Scroll below to fulfill Alvarez:
When Did Ariana Grande and Ricky Alvarez Date?
Grande dated Alvarez from 2015 to 2016.
“We’re completely satisfied,” Grande coyly told Billboard in 2016, addressing her relationship status with Alvarez. “I’m a really completely satisfied girl. I even have a healthy life right away, and I believe that’s all anyone cares to know. The top.”
What Is Ricky Alvarez’s Profession?
Alvarez is knowledgeable photographer who often shares his portraits via social media.
“Ricky Alvarez is a Mexican-American artist from San Diego, CA, now based in Brooklyn, NY. Growing up, Alvarez had a various background in athletics and art—which eventually led him to a successful profession as knowledgeable dancer,” a website bio reads. “He eventually departed the skilled dance world to pursue photography full-time. And now, having the mix of movement and photo combines the proper mix for steering. His profession got here full-circle when the artists he once danced for also co-signed him as a visible tastemaker, hiring him to execute his artistry as a photographer and director. Alvarez’s work seeks to represent life’s contrasts, disruptions of form, fashion, identity, and his own cultural upbringing.
He even served as considered one of Grande’s backup dancers on her Honeymoon Tour, which ran from 2014 to 2015.
‘Thank U, Next’ Mention
Alvarez was amongst Grande’s then-exes to be name-dropped in her 2019 single, alongside the likes of Big Sean, Pete Davidson and the late Mac Miller.
“Wrote some songs about Ricky / Now I listen and laugh,” she sings about Alvarez.
Based on the pop star, Alvarez approved of the lyrical shout-out.
“Ricky loved it. He was proud. But Ricky was like, ‘Why did I get the worst line?’ And I used to be like, ‘What do you mean?’” Grande said on the Zach Sang Show in 2019. “He was like, ‘Everyone else’s line is so nice, and mine is like, ‘Man, f*** him, he’s trash.’ I used to be like, I could have said that. I could’ve said, ‘Wrote some songs about Ricky, never mind he’s trash.’ … But I didn’t. I said, ‘Now I listen and laugh’ ‘cause it didn’t work out.”
Ariana Grande Tweaks ‘Thank U, Next’ Lyrics Amid Ricky Alvarez Reunion
Alvarez attended Grande’s June 2026 Everlasting Sunshine concert in Austin, Texas, during which his then-ex swapped his “Thank U, Next” line.
“Wrote some songs about Ricky, now he still got my back,” she sang in the course of the live show, where fans spotted Alvarez grinning.
Weeks later, Grande gave Alvarez one other shout-out during her Brooklyn, Latest York, gig.
“Wrote some songs about Ricky / We all the time find our way back,” she belted.