Who is Ariana Grande's boyfriend Ricky Alvarez? Singer confirms she is back with her ex
"Wrote some songs about Ricky... We always find our way back," Grande sings in performance, suggesting she is back with her old flame
Ariana Grande has cryptically confirmed in a performance that she has reunited with her ex-boyfriend Ricky Alvarez.
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While Taylor Swift was getting married to Travis Kelce, Grande was spending a romantic weekend with her old flame in Florida and has now suggested that they are back on.
Alvarez was referenced in Grande’s 2018 song "thank u, next," which included lyrics that provided a one-line summary of her recent breakups.
"Wrote some songs about Ricky, now I listen and laugh," she sang.
But on Monday, during a performance in New York, she sang: "Wrote some songs about Ricky, we always find our way back.”
The clip has now circulated thousands of times and shows the Eternal Sunshine Tour crowd cheering about the apparent revelation in the star’s love life.
Grande is about to release her next album, Petal, on July 31, and this follows her split from Ethan Slater, whom she had dated for three years.
Read also: Ariana Grande slams 'barbaric' White House clip featuring her song
Ariana Grande debuts another ‘thank u, next’ lyric change:
— Ariana Data (@thearianadata) July 14, 2026
‘Wrote some songs about Ricky, we always find our way back.’ pic.twitter.com/21l73nDovD
Who is Ricky Alvarez?
Richard “Ricky” Alvarez, 35, is a dancer and choreographer from San Diego who worked with Ariana Grande from 2014, performing behind her in live renditions of Problem and Santa Tell Me, while he had a sequence alongside her in the video for Be My Baby.
In 2015, the pair kissed on stage at New York LGBT Pride and were spotted buying doughnuts together in LA shortly after.
But by 2016, they had broken up. He was referenced in thank u, next as being the inspiration for several songs.
In the years that followed, the pair continued to collaborate and were seen dancing in the same routines in the Sweetener World Tour in 2019.
But it was on the Eternal Sunshine Tour in June and July 2026 when he was referenced again in amended lyrics to thank u, next.
In her first performance, Grande sang: "Wrote some songs about Ricky, now they still kinda slap".
In the second: "Wrote some songs about Ricky, I know he still got my back,” and then finally, "Wrote some songs about Ricky, we always find our way back".
Grande has now followed all of his family on Instagram and liked all of his recent posts.