Fans are excited to know that Ariana Grande stepped out for a group meal with her ex boyfriend, Ricky Alvarez, in Austin, Texas, just hours before her birthday concert. The sighting, along with a playful tweak to a famous lyric about him, had social media buzzing about a possible rekindled romance — but sources close to the singer insist there is nothing romantic going on. The two have stayed friends since their breakup in 2016, and their latest hangout was reportedly part of a casual birthday gathering.
Ariana Grande and ex boyfriend Ricky Alvarez have ‘been hanging out recently,’ source says
Ariana Grande, who has recently been in the spotlight for hanging out with her ex boyfriend, Ricky Alvarez, ended her relationship with Wicked co-star Ethan Slater earlier this year. PEOPLE confirmed the breakup earlier this month. And now, as she travels the country on her Eternal Sunshine Tour, the old bond she still shares with Alvarez is taking center stage.
On June 25, Grande and Alvarez were photographed leaving De Nada Cantina, a Mexican spot in Austin, along with a small group of friends, and the next night, she performed at the Moody Center on her actual birthday. A source told PEOPLE, “They’ve been hanging out recently.” Meanwhile, TMZ reported that the dancer was in town as one of the friends celebrating her birthday, adding that sources familiar with the situation stress they do not have anything romantic between them right now. Grande’s rep declined to comment.
A look back at Grande and Alvarez’s bond
Alvarez was a backup dancer on Grande’s Honeymoon Tour when they started dating in 2015. The romance lasted about a year, ending in July 2016, and at the time, Grande told Billboard, “We’re happy. I’m a very happy girl. I have a healthy life right now, and I think that’s all anyone cares to know. The end.”
However, what recently got fans excited was what happened on stage. During her June 26 show in Austin, Grande switched up her famous Thank U, Next line about Alvarez — instead of singing the original lyrics, “Wrote some songs about Ricky / Now I listen and laugh,” she sang, “Wrote some songs about Ricky / And they still kinda slap.”
A few days earlier, she used another variation, singing, “Wrote some songs about Ricky / I know he’s still got my back.” Naturally, both tweaks made the rounds online, with many reading them as a sign that the exes were more than just friendly.
Notably, though, the pair’s history suggests otherwise. Back in 2018, when Alvarez jokingly posted about the original lyric on Instagram, writing “those songs are fire tho… you’re welcome,” Grande reposted it with a laugh. When a fan pressed for clarity, she replied, “We’re friends everyone take a big ol breather.” That same year, she commented, “these colors are sick” on a photo of Alvarez in a mustard sweater, hinting at an easygoing platonic dynamic that has never really gone away.
Now, being Ariana Grande’s ex boyfriend, Ricky Alvarez’s presence in Austin, just weeks after news of her breakup with Ethan Slater surfaced, naturally invited speculation. But those close to Grande claim otherwise — she simply had friends in town for her birthday and tour stop, and Alvarez is a trusted friend in Grande’s circle, and right now, that is all there is to it.
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