The love story of Grande and Ricky Álvarez began in 2015 when he joined the popstar on her Honeymoon Tour as a background dancer.
“We’re happy,” Grande told Billboard about her romance with Álvarez in a May 2016 interview. “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.”
Their relationship was short-lived, with the musician and professional dancer parting ways just months later in July 2016.
However, brighter days were ahead for the couple, who were spotted together during a group lunch at De Nada Cantina in Austin in June 2026.
The following day, Grande altered the lyrics to her 2018 hit “thank u, next.” Typically, she would follow the lyric, “Wrote some song about Ricky,” with, “now I listen and laugh,” but at her Austin show, she remarked, “They still really slap.”
A few weeks later, she was back at it again during her July 13 concert, singing, “We always find our way back.”
Soon after, he made an appearance on her Instagram grid, with Grande seemingly soft launching their romance on July 27 ahead of the release of her eighth album Petal.
She captioned the post featuring a clip of herself clinking olives with Álvarez, “petal season continued …….. !”
