“Wicked” star Ariana Grande has rekindled her romance with Ricky Alvarez shortly after her split with Ethan Slater, whom she dated for three years. Grande and Alvarez have dated in the past and met while he was a backup dancer on her “Honeymoon Tour,” with their short-lived official relationship lasting from 2015 to 2016.
Grande and Alvarez Spotted in Central Park
GettyTMZ spotted the two being affectionate in Central Park, and Alvarez even had his arm around the pop star at one point. The reunited couple were dressed in casual clothing and had a dog in tow, which is suspected to be the singer’s dog, Toulouse, although photographers weren’t able to get close enough to confirm this. Alvarez was wearing a Knicks cap in a nod to the team’s monumental 2026 NBA Championship win this year.
Ariana Grande and Ricky Alvarez Reunite
Grande and Alvarez decided to reunite recently, according to a source interviewed by Page Six.
The source said that Ariana has rekindled things with him but isn’t rushing back into a relationship because she has a lot on her plate, including a busy tour schedule. They’re taking things one step at a time for now. Ricky has also remained close with her family, which she appreciates, and has made efforts to support her on tour. They’re reportedly enjoying spending time together again and seeing where it goes without putting too much pressure on things since she’s fresh out of a breakup.
They were first rumored to be dating in late June when they were seen hanging out in Austin, Texas, with friends, and then were photographed again during a Whole Foods grocery store run over the Fourth of July weekend.
Grande Prepares to Release ‘Petal’
Understandably, Grande is not putting pressure on the new relationship with her busy schedule, especially since she announced the drop of her first full-length album since 2024 at the end of this month. “Petal” is scheduled for release on July 31 through Republic Records. It’s her first album since “Eternal Sunshine” and was announced on Instagram back in April.
The album is a collaboration between Grande and her longtime collaborator Ilya Salmanzadeh. Ariana told People that the title corresponds to healing, growth, and finding beauty after difficult seasons. The star had been teasing new music for a while, posting photos of herself at a mixing board, holding a microphone, and scrolling through audio files. A photo of delicate flowers that she posted also may have alluded to the album.
Grande Returns to Acting in ‘Focker-in-Law’
Her “Eternal Sunshine” tour began on June 6, and she hinted that it may be her last for a while. She credits her album “Eternal Sunshine” and her role as Glinda in “Wicked” as tools in rebuilding her relationship with music and fame. Grande currently wants to follow projects that feel right to her and is ramping up to act in “Focker-in-Law” with Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller, where she plays the girlfriend of Greg Focker’s son, Henry. Her goal is currently to stay connected to herself in all of her creative endeavors, whether that is comedy, music, acting, or musical theatre.
