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Ariana Grande’s love life has been making headlines—and lyrics—since the rise of her career. The eternal sunshine singer’s dating history has ranged from high-profile romances with Pete Davidson and Mac Miller to more private relationships with ex-husband Dalton Gomez and her Wicked costar Ethan Slater. But of all the exes who made it into Grande’s iconic “thank u, next” lyrics, one has now made his way back into her life: Ricky Alvarez.
Nearly a decade after they first dated, Grande and Alvarez sparked reconciliation rumors after they were spotted together at multiple stops on the singer’s Eternal Sunshine Tour this summer. Grande seemed to confirm the rumors when she made multiple lyric changes to the Ricky line while performing “thank u, next” on the tour (the last of which became “Wrote some songs about Ricky / I’m tryna make him my last”). Not long after, the pair made their rekindled relationship Instagram official.
Ahead, a look back at the full timeline of Ariana Grande and Ricky Alvarez’s relationship.
They meet on Ariana’s Honeymoon Tour.
2015
Robino Salvatore – Getty Images
Alvarez is hired as a backup dancer on Grande’s Honeymoon Tour. The two begin dating during the tour, in the spring of 2015.
Ariana writes “Moonlight” about Ricky.
May 2016
Grande releases her new album, Dangerous Woman, and Alvarez inspires the opening track. Grande’s friend and co-writer Victoria Monét reveals in an interview with Billboard that Grande wrote “Moonlight” about Alvarez. “That’s what Ricky called her one night [moonlight]. I think it was after their first kiss,” Monét says. “He waited to kiss her for a long time, and she was really impressed. He’s such a gentleman, and the song is a great little bookmark of the start of their relationship.”
In the same Billboard cover story, Grande comments on her relationship with Alvarez, but keeps it simple. “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.”
The song’s chorus features the lyrics:
“Cause I never knew, I never knew
You could hold moonlight in your hands
‘Til the night I held you
You are my moonlight”
They break up.
July 2016
After over a year of dating, Grande and Alvarez call it quits. A source tells E!: “She broke up with him. He didn’t cheat or anything, they just found it difficult to make it work. They are still friends, though.”
Ariana name-drops Ricky in “thank u, next.”
November 3, 2018
Grande references Alvarez in her surprise single “thank u, next.” The hit song name-drops several of Grande’s exes as well as Pete Davidson, Mac Miller, and Big Sean. In the line about Alvarez, Grande sings: “Wrote some songs about Ricky / Now I listen and laugh.”
Following the song’s release, Alvarez jokingly films his reaction to the lyric and posts it on Instagram. While he pokes fun at it in the video, he writes, “Nothing but gratitude,” with a black heart emoji and adds, “Thank you, next… (those songs are fire tho… you’re welcome).”
Grande reacts by reposting his post to her Instagram Stories and responding by writing, “HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAH IM SORRY U GOT THE WORST LINE. It was meant v lovingly.”
They spark reconciliation rumors.
June 2026
Nearly a decade after their split, Grande and Alvarez are spotted together again in Austin, Texas, during the singer’s Eternal Sunshine Tour. They are photographed hanging out with a group of friends to celebrate Grande’s birthday.
During the Austin stop in her tour, Grande noticeably changes the lyrics while performing “thank u, next,” as Alvarez watches from the audience. She sings “Wrote some songs about Ricky / I know he’s still got my back,” changing the track’s original line “Now I listen and laugh.”
During another night of her Austin shows, Grande sings another lyric change: “Wrote some songs about Ricky / And they still really slap.”
They spend Fourth of July weekend together.
July 4, 2026
Grande spends Fourth of July weekend with Alvarez in Florida. The pair is photographed shopping at Whole Foods in Boca Raton before reportedly spending the holiday with Grande’s family.
Ariana hints at a reconciliation with another lyric change.
July 13, 2026
During the Brooklyn, New York, stop of her Eternal Sunshine Tour, Grande makes yet another lyric change to “thank u, next”—and this one is perhaps her most telling yet. She sings “Wrote some songs about Ricky / We always find our way back,” seemingly confirming the dating rumors that have been circulating around the two.
Sources confirm they’re officially back on.
July 14, 2026
Following the lyric change during her New York City concert, multiple outlets confirm that Grande and Alvarez are officially dating again. A source tells People: “They’re not jumping into anything serious right away, but Ari is happy to have him back in her life.”
Two days later, on July 16, Grande and Alvarez are photographed showing some PDA during a romantic stroll through Central Park. In the photos, they can be seen wrapping their arms around one another while walking Grande’s dog.
They make things Instagram official.
August 2026
Grande makes the rekindled couple’s status official with a soft launch on Instagram. The singer uploads multiple photos with Alvarez to an Instagram carousel. Although one image is blurry and the other crops off both of their heads, Grande tags Alvarez in the photos and he reposts them to his Story.
Ariana makes a big lyric change during the final stop of the Eternal Sunshine Tour.
September 1, 2026
During the last stop of her Eternal Sunshine Tour in London, Grande makes one final telling lyric change to “thank u, next.” While the singer has been cheekily tweaking the Ricky line throughout the tour, this time she sings, “Wrote some songs about Ricky, I’m tryna make him my last.”
Ricky shares behind-the-scenes photos from Ariana’s tour.
September 5, 2026
Alvarez posts an Instagram carousel of photos from Grande’s Eternal Sunshine Tour. He captions the post, “It’s the best thing to do,” and nestled among the photos is one of Grande kissing his hand backstage in her dressing room.
They show PDA on a low-key date night.
September 24, 2026
Grande and Alvarez are spotted kissing and showing PDA while at Universal Studios. TMZ posts a video of the couple sitting at a corner table at the studio’s Halloween Horror Nights during a date night. They also pose for photos with some of the scare actors at the Halloween-themed night. This marks their first major public outing following Grande’s tour.
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