Ariana Grande and Ricky Alvarez have a relationship story that has taken an unexpected turn in 2026. The pair first dated about a decade ago, stayed connected after their breakup, and have now seemingly found their way back to each other.
Their reunion became one of the biggest celebrity relationship stories of summer 2026 after Grande and Alvarez were spotted together and she began changing the lyrics of “thank u, next” during her Eternal Sunshine Tour. Then, on August 12, Grande shared photos featuring Alvarez on Instagram, making their renewed romance public.
Here is a complete look at Ariana Grande and Ricky Alvarez's relationship timeline, from their first romance to their 2026 reunion.
Grande and Alvarez first became close while he was working as one of her backup dancers during her Honeymoon Tour.
Their professional relationship eventually developed into a romance, with the pair beginning to date in 2015. Alvarez was relatively private compared with Grande, but their relationship soon became public.
One of the most memorable moments from their early relationship happened during the incident that became known online as “Doughnutgate.”
Grande and Alvarez were filmed at a doughnut shop in California, where Grande was seen licking doughnuts before making controversial comments. The incident quickly became a major news story.
Alvarez was with Grande during the episode, making him part of one of the most widely remembered moments of their early relationship.
Grande and Alvarez dated for roughly a year before breaking up in 2016.
Reports at the time indicated that Grande ended the relationship and that there was no cheating involved. The pair reportedly remained friends following the split.
That friendship would become particularly important years later.
Grande famously referenced Alvarez in her 2018 hit “thank u, next.”
The song mentions several of her former relationships, including Alvarez, Big Sean, Pete Davidson and Mac Miller.
Grande's reference to Alvarez became one of the most recognizable pieces of their relationship history. Alvarez also appeared to take the reference in good humor, helping reinforce the impression that the two had remained on friendly terms.
Although Grande and Alvarez were no longer a couple, their connection did not completely disappear.
Over the years, Alvarez remained part of Grande's wider circle, and their continued friendship became notable given how much time had passed since their original relationship.
That history is important to understanding why their 2026 reunion attracted so much attention: this wasn't two celebrities meeting for the first time. They already had years of history and familiarity.
The relationship story took a dramatic turn in June 2026.
Grande and Alvarez were spotted spending time together in Austin, Texas, around one of Grande's Eternal Sunshine Tour performances.
At the time, neither had publicly confirmed that they were romantically involved again. PEOPLE reported that the two had been hanging out recently, while sources characterized their connection as a close friendship.
Naturally, fans began wondering whether the former couple was giving their relationship another chance.
The rumors became even stronger when Grande began changing lyrics from “thank u, next” during her tour.
At her June 26 birthday concert in Austin, where Alvarez was reportedly present, she changed the lyric to:
Later, during a July performance in Brooklyn, she reportedly changed it again to:
Those changes immediately caught fans' attention because the original song specifically mentions Alvarez.
By July, reports were increasingly pointing toward a romantic reconciliation.
PEOPLE reported that Grande and Alvarez were “taking things very slowly” and that their relationship was built on an existing friendship and trust.
Sources described Alvarez as someone Grande feels comfortable around, while emphasizing that the two were not rushing into anything.
This made their reunion different from a typical celebrity relationship announcement: rather than immediately presenting themselves as a serious couple, they appeared to be allowing the relationship to develop privately.
The biggest moment came on August 12, 2026.
Grande shared a new Instagram photo dump that included two images featuring Alvarez. She tagged him in the posts, effectively making their renewed relationship public.
One image showed Alvarez with his arm around Grande, while another featured the two embracing.
The post came nearly 10 years after their original relationship ended, turning their reunion into a major celebrity-news story.
Yes, all signs now point to Ariana Grande and Ricky Alvarez being romantically involved again.
Their relationship progressed from sightings and fan speculation to reports from entertainment outlets and, most significantly, Grande publicly sharing photos with Alvarez and tagging him on Instagram.
However, the couple appears to be taking the relationship slowly rather than immediately making major commitments. Sources have emphasized their existing friendship and trust.
Grande and Alvarez's story stands out because of the amount of time between their relationships.
They first dated in 2015–2016, remained connected after breaking up, and then seemingly rekindled their romance roughly a decade later.
The story also has an unusual connection to Grande's music. Alvarez was mentioned in “thank u, next,” and fans later noticed Grande changing that song's lyrics during the very tour where their reunion was developing.
That combination of old romance + friendship + music + unexpected reunion has made the relationship particularly interesting to fans.
Ariana Grande and Ricky Alvarez's relationship has gone from a 2015 romance to a 2016 breakup, a long friendship, and now a surprising 2026 reconciliation.
For fans who remember the original relationship, their reunion is especially interesting because Alvarez isn't a completely new person in Grande's life. He's someone she has known for years, and their friendship appears to have provided the foundation for their second chance.
Whether this becomes a long-term relationship remains to be seen, but for now, Ariana Grande and Ricky Alvarez appear to have found their way back to each other.
Their reunion became one of the biggest celebrity relationship stories of summer 2026 after Grande and Alvarez were spotted together and she began changing the lyrics of “thank u, next” during her Eternal Sunshine Tour. Then, on August 12, Grande shared photos featuring Alvarez on Instagram, making their renewed romance public.
Here is a complete look at Ariana Grande and Ricky Alvarez's relationship timeline, from their first romance to their 2026 reunion.
2015: Ariana Grande and Ricky Alvarez Meet
Grande and Alvarez first became close while he was working as one of her backup dancers during her Honeymoon Tour.
Their professional relationship eventually developed into a romance, with the pair beginning to date in 2015. Alvarez was relatively private compared with Grande, but their relationship soon became public.
July 2015: The Doughnut Shop Controversy
One of the most memorable moments from their early relationship happened during the incident that became known online as “Doughnutgate.”
Grande and Alvarez were filmed at a doughnut shop in California, where Grande was seen licking doughnuts before making controversial comments. The incident quickly became a major news story.
Alvarez was with Grande during the episode, making him part of one of the most widely remembered moments of their early relationship.
2016: Their Relationship Comes to an End
Grande and Alvarez dated for roughly a year before breaking up in 2016.
Reports at the time indicated that Grande ended the relationship and that there was no cheating involved. The pair reportedly remained friends following the split.
That friendship would become particularly important years later.
2018: Ricky Alvarez Gets a Mention in “Thank U, Next”
Grande famously referenced Alvarez in her 2018 hit “thank u, next.”
The song mentions several of her former relationships, including Alvarez, Big Sean, Pete Davidson and Mac Miller.
Grande's reference to Alvarez became one of the most recognizable pieces of their relationship history. Alvarez also appeared to take the reference in good humor, helping reinforce the impression that the two had remained on friendly terms.
2019–2025: From Exes to Friends
Although Grande and Alvarez were no longer a couple, their connection did not completely disappear.
Over the years, Alvarez remained part of Grande's wider circle, and their continued friendship became notable given how much time had passed since their original relationship.
That history is important to understanding why their 2026 reunion attracted so much attention: this wasn't two celebrities meeting for the first time. They already had years of history and familiarity.
June 2026: Reunion Rumors Begin
The relationship story took a dramatic turn in June 2026.
Grande and Alvarez were spotted spending time together in Austin, Texas, around one of Grande's Eternal Sunshine Tour performances.
At the time, neither had publicly confirmed that they were romantically involved again. PEOPLE reported that the two had been hanging out recently, while sources characterized their connection as a close friendship.
Naturally, fans began wondering whether the former couple was giving their relationship another chance.
June–July 2026: “Thank U, Next” Lyrics Fuel Speculation
The rumors became even stronger when Grande began changing lyrics from “thank u, next” during her tour.
At her June 26 birthday concert in Austin, where Alvarez was reportedly present, she changed the lyric to:
Later, during a July performance in Brooklyn, she reportedly changed it again to:
Those changes immediately caught fans' attention because the original song specifically mentions Alvarez.
July 2026: Reports Say They're Taking It Slowly
By July, reports were increasingly pointing toward a romantic reconciliation.
PEOPLE reported that Grande and Alvarez were “taking things very slowly” and that their relationship was built on an existing friendship and trust.
Sources described Alvarez as someone Grande feels comfortable around, while emphasizing that the two were not rushing into anything.
This made their reunion different from a typical celebrity relationship announcement: rather than immediately presenting themselves as a serious couple, they appeared to be allowing the relationship to develop privately.
August 12, 2026: Ariana Grande Goes Instagram Official
The biggest moment came on August 12, 2026.
Grande shared a new Instagram photo dump that included two images featuring Alvarez. She tagged him in the posts, effectively making their renewed relationship public.
One image showed Alvarez with his arm around Grande, while another featured the two embracing.
The post came nearly 10 years after their original relationship ended, turning their reunion into a major celebrity-news story.
Are Ariana Grande and Ricky Alvarez Dating Again?
Yes, all signs now point to Ariana Grande and Ricky Alvarez being romantically involved again.
Their relationship progressed from sightings and fan speculation to reports from entertainment outlets and, most significantly, Grande publicly sharing photos with Alvarez and tagging him on Instagram.
However, the couple appears to be taking the relationship slowly rather than immediately making major commitments. Sources have emphasized their existing friendship and trust.
Why Their Reunion Has Fans Talking
Grande and Alvarez's story stands out because of the amount of time between their relationships.
They first dated in 2015–2016, remained connected after breaking up, and then seemingly rekindled their romance roughly a decade later.
The story also has an unusual connection to Grande's music. Alvarez was mentioned in “thank u, next,” and fans later noticed Grande changing that song's lyrics during the very tour where their reunion was developing.
That combination of old romance + friendship + music + unexpected reunion has made the relationship particularly interesting to fans.
Ariana Grande & Ricky Alvarez Relationship Timeline at a Glance
| Year/Date | What Happened |
|---|---|
| 2015 | Grande and Alvarez meet through her Honeymoon Tour |
| 2015 | They begin dating |
| 2015 | Alvarez is with Grande during the Doughnutgate controversy |
| 2016 | The couple breaks up |
| 2018 | Grande references Alvarez in “thank u, next” |
| 2019–2025 | They remain connected as friends |
| June 2026 | They are spotted together in Austin |
| June–July 2026 | Grande changes “thank u, next” lyrics during tour performances |
| July 2026 | Reports say they are reconnecting and taking things slowly |
| August 12, 2026 | Grande shares photos with Alvarez and tags him on Instagram |
| August 2026 | Their rekindled romance becomes publicly apparent |
Final Thoughts
Ariana Grande and Ricky Alvarez's relationship has gone from a 2015 romance to a 2016 breakup, a long friendship, and now a surprising 2026 reconciliation.
For fans who remember the original relationship, their reunion is especially interesting because Alvarez isn't a completely new person in Grande's life. He's someone she has known for years, and their friendship appears to have provided the foundation for their second chance.
Whether this becomes a long-term relationship remains to be seen, but for now, Ariana Grande and Ricky Alvarez appear to have found their way back to each other.
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