Ariana Grande <\/b><\/a>romantically reunited with her former boyfriend Ricky Alvarez <\/b>nearly 10 years after they initially went their separate ways.<\/p>\n Us Weekly <\/i>confirmed in July 2026<\/span><\/a> that Grande and Alvarez rekindled their past romance on the heels of the Oscar nominee\u2019s recent breakup from Wicked<\/i> costar Ethan Slater.<\/b><\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019ve always shared a close bond,\u201d a source exclusively told Us <\/i>earlier that month<\/span><\/a>. \u201cThere was a period in time where they weren\u2019t close \u2014 while she was with Ethan \u2014 so she is happy to reconnect with him again. Ariana is grateful to have him in her life right now, and he\u2019s been a huge source of support.\u201d<\/p>\n Long before Grande dated Slater or now-ex-husband Dalton Gomez<\/b>, Grande was linked to her former dancer Alvarez.<\/p>\n Grande dated Alvarez from 2015 to 2016.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re happy,\u201d Grande coyly told Billboard<\/i><\/span><\/a> <\/i>in 2016, addressing her relationship status with Alvarez. \u201cI\u2019m a very happy girl. I have a healthy life right now, and I think that\u2019s all anyone cares to know. The end.\u201d<\/p>\n Alvarez is a professional photographer who often shares his portraits via social media.<\/p>\n \u201cRicky Alvarez is a Mexican-American artist from San Diego, CA, now based in Brooklyn, NY. Growing up, Alvarez had a diverse background in athletics and art\u2014which eventually led him to a successful career as a professional dancer,\u201d a website<\/span><\/a> bio reads. \u201cHe eventually departed the professional dance world to pursue photography full-time. And now, having the combination of movement and photo combines the perfect blend for directing. His career came full-circle when the artists he once danced for also co-signed him as a visual tastemaker, hiring him to execute his artistry as a photographer and director. Alvarez\u2019s work seeks to represent life\u2019s contrasts, disruptions of form, fashion, identity, and his own cultural upbringing.<\/p>\n He even served as one of Grande\u2019s backup dancers on her Honeymoon Tour<\/i>, which ran from 2014 to 2015.<\/p>\n Alvarez was among Grande\u2019s then-exes to be name-dropped in her 2019 single, alongside the likes of Big Sean, Pete Davidson <\/b>and the late Mac Miller<\/b>.<\/p>\n \u201cWrote some songs about Ricky \/ Now I listen and laugh,\u201d she sings about Alvarez.<\/p>\n According to the pop star, Alvarez approved of the lyrical shout-out.<\/p>\n \u201cRicky loved it. He was proud. But Ricky was like, \u2018Why did I get the worst line?\u2019 And I was like, \u2018What do you mean?\u2019\u201d Grande said on the Zach Sang Show <\/i>in 2019. \u201cHe was like, \u2018Everyone else\u2019s line is so nice, and mine is like, \u2018Man, f*** him, he\u2019s trash.\u2019 I was like, I could have said that. I could\u2019ve said, \u2018Wrote some songs about Ricky, never mind he\u2019s trash.\u2019 \u2026 But I didn\u2019t. I said, \u2018Now I listen and laugh\u2019 \u2018cause it didn\u2019t work out.\u201d<\/p>\n Alvarez attended Grande\u2019s June 2026 Eternal Sunshine <\/i>concert in Austin, Texas, during which his then-ex swapped his \u201cThank U, Next\u201d line<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\nScroll below to meet Alvarez:<\/h2>\n
When Did Ariana Grande and Ricky Alvarez Date?<\/b><\/h2>\n
What Is Ricky Alvarez\u2019s Career?<\/b><\/h2>\n
\u2018Thank U, Next\u2019 Mention<\/b><\/h2>\n
Ariana Grande Tweaks \u2018Thank U, Next\u2019 Lyrics Amid Ricky Alvarez Reunion<\/b><\/h2>\n
\n\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/themes\/us-weekly\/assets\/img\/newsletter-bg-wide.jpg\")
<\/p>\n