If you’re asking who is Ariana Grande dating now, the answer has fans doing a double take: she’s back together with Ricky Alvarez, the backup dancer she briefly dated a decade ago. After her split from “Wicked” co-star Ethan Slater, Grande quietly reconnected with Alvarez, and by August 2026 the two had gone Instagram-official, closing the loop on a romance that first began in 2015.
Ricky Alvarez: Quick Bio Table
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Richard John “Ricky” Alvarez |
| Date of Birth | July 13, 1991 |
| Place of Birth | San Diego, California |
| Age | 35 |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession/Occupation | Dancer, photographer |
| Years Active | 2015–present |
| Dating/Relationship Status | Dating Ariana Grande |
| Parents | Sylvia Alvarez, John Alvarez |
| Siblings | Ryann Alvarez (sister) |
| Notable Works | Backup dancer and later photographer/videographer on Ariana Grande’s tours, including her Sweetener World Tour |
Who Is Ariana Grande Dating Now? Meet Ricky Alvarez
So, who is Ariana Grande dating right now? It’s Ricky Alvarez — not a new face, but an old flame. Alvarez is an American dancer and photographer who first crossed paths with Grande as a backup dancer for her team. He isn’t a stranger to her world; he’s someone who has quietly orbited her career for over a decade.
What makes this pairing stand out isn’t just the reunion itself, it’s the timing. The two got back together roughly ten years after their initial breakup, sometime around July 2026, arriving soon after Grande’s very public split from Ethan Slater. For anyone typing “who is Ariana Grande dating 2026” into a search bar, Alvarez is the name behind the headlines.
I’ve followed Grande’s relationship arc for years, and this one reads differently from her other high-profile romances. It’s low-key, built on genuine history rather than a fresh introduction, and that’s exactly why it’s resonating with longtime fans who remember the original 2015 spark.
Ariana Grande & Ricky Alvarez’s Original Relationship (2015–2016)
The Grande-Alvarez story didn’t start in 2026 — it started over a decade earlier. Alvarez joined Grande’s team as a dancer for her Honeymoon Tour throughout 2015, and fans quickly noticed the chemistry between the two during performances. That closeness eventually turned into a real relationship.
Their romance was brief but memorable. In 2014, Grande dated rapper Big Sean before moving on to date one of her dancers, Ricky Alvarez. By 2016, the relationship had run its course, and the two split, though they stayed on friendly terms in the years that followed.
Grande even referenced Alvarez publicly around that time. In a 2016 interview, she described feeling happy and settled, without naming names directly — a comment fans later connected back to her time with Alvarez. The two clearly left the door open, even if neither expected to walk back through it a decade later.
Why Did Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater Break Up?
Before the Alvarez reunion made headlines, Grande’s relationship with Ethan Slater was the story everyone followed. The two met and began dating in 2023 after working together as co-stars on the “Wicked” film, with the romance surfacing shortly after her split from Dalton Gomez.
That relationship lasted through the “Wicked” press cycle and into her Eternal Sunshine Tour, but it quietly ended in mid-2026. Sources describe the split as amicable, framed as a mutual decision reached after careful consideration rather than a dramatic falling-out, with both parties remaining supportive of one another afterward.
Notably, Grande’s 2026 album material wasn’t written as a reaction to the Slater breakup — reports indicate the songs, including tracks like “Petal,” predate that split. That distinction matters for anyone trying to map her discography onto her dating timeline; the music and the relationship news simply overlapped in time rather than one causing the other.
Signs Grande and Alvarez Were Rekindling in Summer 2026
The clues started small. During her Eternal Sunshine Tour, Grande began tweaking a familiar lyric. In June 2026, following news of the Slater breakup, she changed a line in “Thank U, Next” to reference Ricky, singing that the songs about him “still kinda slap.”
The lyric change wasn’t a one-off. Grande kept adjusting the line through several tour stops, with an even more telling version surfacing in mid-July 2026. Around the same window, the pair were seen together at a group lunch in Austin, Texas, a day before that Austin tour stop.
Fans and outlets both read this as Grande and Alvarez taking things slowly rather than rushing back into anything official. The pattern — tour-stop sightings, evolving lyrics, and no formal confirmation — stretched across several weeks, which is fairly typical of how Grande has handled her more private relationships in the past.
Instagram-Official: Ariana Grande Confirms Ricky Alvarez Relationship
The confirmation finally came in August. On August 12, 2026, Grande shared an Instagram carousel that included two subtle shots with Alvarez, mixed in among other photos and clips. One image showed the pair in coordinating white tops during a mirror selfie, with Alvarez’s arm around her; a second photo flipped their positions.
The rollout was deliberate rather than splashy — tucked into a larger post instead of a standalone announcement, which fits the generally low-profile approach both have taken. Alvarez reshared the moment too, effectively double-confirming the relationship without either side issuing a formal statement.
The timing lined up with the end of her touring obligations. The announcement came as Grande was also stepping back from other commitments, including dropping out of the London revival of “Sunday in the Park with George.” That step back gave the relationship room to breathe outside the spotlight of a tour schedule.
Support Amid Public Scrutiny
Public reaction to the Alvarez reunion was largely warm, but scrutiny still followed. In early August 2026, Grande’s team signaled that she was intentionally keeping a low profile, prioritizing her own wellbeing over public commentary about the relationship.
Alvarez, by most accounts, has functioned as part of her steady support system during this period — someone who predates the fame surges of her more headline-driven relationships. That familiarity seems to be part of the appeal this time around.
From what I’ve seen covering celebrity relationship cycles, reunions like this tend to draw more goodwill than brand-new pairings, simply because there’s less mystery and more established trust. Grande stepping back from the spotlight while this relationship developed reflects that same instinct to protect it.
Ariana Grande’s Dating History: From Pete Davidson to Dalton Gomez
Grande’s relationship history is one of the most publicly documented in pop music, and it helps explain why the Alvarez reunion feels significant.
Pete Davidson
Grande met Davidson while working on “Saturday Night Live” and the two got engaged in 2018 after dating for a short time. The engagement ended about five months later, before a wedding ever took place.
Dalton Gomez
Grande started dating real estate agent Dalton Gomez in January 2020, and the couple announced their engagement in December 2020. They married in an intimate at-home ceremony in May 2021. The couple separated in 2023, and the divorce was finalized in 2024.
Ethan Slater
Covered in detail above — Grande and Slater dated from 2023 through their mid-2026 split, following their “Wicked” collaboration.
Taken together, this timeline shows a pattern: high-profile engagements followed by quieter recoveries, with Alvarez now representing something closer to a return to familiar, lower-key ground.
FAQs
Who is Ariana Grande dating now?
Ariana Grande is dating Ricky Alvarez, the dancer and photographer she originally dated in 2015–2016. The two reconnected in 2026 and confirmed their relationship on Instagram that August.
How did Ariana Grande and Ricky Alvarez meet?
They met in 2015 when Alvarez joined Grande’s team as a backup dancer for her Honeymoon Tour. Their friendship developed into a relationship soon after.
Are Ariana Grande and Ricky Alvarez officially together?
Yes. They confirmed the relationship on August 12, 2026, through an Instagram photo carousel showing the two together, including a mirror selfie with Alvarez’s arm around Grande.
When did Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater break up?
The couple quietly split in mid-2026, with reports emerging around June 8–9. The breakup followed several months of behind-the-scenes distance before becoming public.
Why did Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater split?
Reports describe the split as amicable and mutual, with both remaining friendly afterward. No single dramatic incident was cited as the cause.
Did Ariana Grande’s new album reference her breakup with Ethan Slater?
No — reports indicate the album’s material, including the track “Petal,” was written before the Slater breakup and wasn’t inspired by it.
Is Ariana Grande taking a break from the public eye?
Yes. In early August 2026, her team signaled she was intentionally stepping back from public visibility, and her Eternal Sunshine Tour had already concluded by that point.
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