Is Ariana Grande Dating Ex Ricky Alvarez? Inside Their Bond

Ariana Grande has been spending time with her former partner Ricky Alvarez.

According to an insider speaking exclusively to Us Weekly, Grande, 33, and Alvarez, 34, have maintained a strong connection over the years. They were recently seen leaving a Whole Foods in Boca Raton, Florida, on Saturday, July 4. “There was a time when their relationship was distant — during her time with Ethan [Slater] — but she’s pleased to have reconnected with him,” the source reveals.

The insider further comments, “Ariana feels thankful to have him in her life at the moment, and he has become a significant source of support for her.”

Us reached out to representatives for Grande and Alvarez for comments.

Grande and Alvarez first crossed paths when he joined her team as a backup dancer during her Honeymoon Tour in February 2015. Their relationship began in April of that year, but they eventually parted ways in July 2016.

Alvarez was famously mentioned in Grande’s 2018 hit “Thank U, Next,” where she sang, “Wrote some songs about Ricky, now I listen and laugh.” The song also referenced other past relationships, including Big Sean, Pete Davidson, and the late Mac Miller, who tragically died in 2018 from an accidental overdose at age 26.

Discussing her Thank U, Next album in 2019, Grande shared Alvarez’s reaction to being mentioned in the song.

“Ricky loved it. He was proud. But Ricky was like, ‘Why did I get the worst line?’ And I was like, ‘What do you mean?’ He was like, ‘Everyone else’s line is so nice, and mine is like, ‘Man, f*** him, he’s trash.’ I was like I could have said that,” Grande recalled during her appearance on the Zach Sang Show at the time. “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.’”

During her Eternal Sunshine Tour stop in Austin, Texas, on June 26, Grande hinted at her renewed bond with Alvarez by altering a lyric.

“Wrote some songs about Ricky, I know he still got my back,” she sang.

After her relationship with Alvarez concluded, Grande dated Miller from 2016 to 2018. She was briefly engaged to Pete Davidson in 2018 and was married to Dalton Gomez from 2020 to 2024. Following her separation from Gomez in 2023, Grande began dating Wicked co-star Slater, 34.

A source revealed Grande and Slater’s split to Us in June.

“It’s amicable. They took ample time and thought before deciding to separate,” the insider stated. “They remain friends and continue to support each other. They have been quietly separated for several months.”

Alvarez’s dating history beyond his time with Grande is not publicly available.