About three weeks ago, we learned that Ariana Grande and Ethan “SpongeBob” Slater there was a breakup. This didn’t come by way of a formal announcement, but it was clear that Ariana’s people confirmed it. I also believed that it had probably been several months since Ariana hooked up with Ethan, and their relationship had basically been going on for over a year. Ariana is a serial monogamist who puts a two-year expiration date on men. Ethan actually dated his new postpartum wife Ariana for three years before she said “Thank you, next.” What’s worse, we all knew Ariana always had a backup man. She is never really alone, and she likes to “overlap”. So we were waiting to hear the identity of the new man. Turns out, we didn’t even have to wait a month to find out Ari was hooking up with an ex.
Ariana Grande was spotted spending time with ex-boyfriend Ricky Alvarez. The former couple were spotted having lunch together on Friday, June 26, ahead of Grande’s Eternal Sunshine Tour stop in Austin, Texas.
“They’ve been hanging out lately,” a source tells People. A representative for Grande declined to comment.
Grande recently broke up with her Wicked costar Ethan Slater. In June 2026, People confirmed that Grande, 33, and Slater broke up earlier in the year.
The singer dated Alvarez, 33, from 2015 to July 2016. “We’re happy,” Grande told Billboard about the relationship in May 2016.
After Grande and Alvarez split, she dated Mac Miller, Pete Davidson, Dalton Gomez, and most recently, Slater. However, Grande and Alvarez have maintained a friendship. Alvarez also reacted to her name being removed from her 2018 hit “Thank U, Next” with a cheeky video in an Instagram Stories post.
In her video, Alvarez jokingly listens to “Thank U, Next” seriously, before the camera zooms in for a close-up, with Grande singing, “Wrote some songs about Ricky, now I listen and laugh.”
“Nothing but gratitude,” Alvarez wrote on the next slide, along with a black heart emoji. “Thank you, next… (Those songs are fire anyway… you’re welcome).”
(from people)
Wait, was she with Ricky when he had his alleged conversation with The Weeknd? remember that? Let me check the time… no, prevailing theory This is that Ari was with Big Sean when she possibly had some affair with Abel. I admit, I completely forgot about Ricky, who I think was one of her back-up dancers in the 2010s. It’s okay. Ariana likes to have hot bodies around her. In this way she’s a lot like vintage J.Lo – she can never be alone, she doesn’t obsess over her boyfriend situation, she’s perfectly willing to have dates with back-up dancers. At least Ricky doesn’t look like his brother.
Embed from Getty Images
Photos courtesy of Getty Images, Avalon Red.
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Ariana Grande at the 83rd Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 11, 2026 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, United States., Image: 1065245215, License: Rights-Managed, Restrictions:, Model Release: No, Image: Ariana Grande, Credit Line: Xavier Collin/Images Press Agency/Avalon
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Ariana Grande is seen at the European premiere of Wicked for Good at Cineworld Leicester Square, London on Monday 10 November 2025. ., Image: 1051704165, License: Rights-Managed, Restrictions: World Rights – Julie Edwards/Avalon.red, Model Release: No, Credit Line: Julie Edwards/Avalon
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Ariana Grande at the 83rd Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 11, 2026 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, United States., Image: 1065245223, License: Rights-Managed, Restrictions:, Model Release: No, Image: Ariana Grande, Credit Line: Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/Avalon
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