Ariana Grande and Ricky Alvarez are giving it another shot.
The singer and her former backup dancer are dating again, but “taking things very slowly” as they revive their romance, according to People.
“Ariana has always considered Ricky a friend,” an insider told the outlet, noting that she’s had no “ill will against him” following their split 10 years ago.
“Ricky is dependable, trustworthy and very supportive. Ariana feels she can be herself around Ricky.”
Grande reportedly loves that “they have a similar, smart, dry sense of humor.”
“They’re not jumping into anything serious right away,” the source added, “but Ari is happy to have him back in her life.”
A rep for Grande did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
The “God is a Woman” songstress, 33, sparked dating rumors with Alvarez, 35, last month, when they were spotted hanging out with a group of friends at an Austin, Texas, restaurant for her birthday.
They subsequently spent the Fourth of July weekend together, and were snapped leaving a Whole Foods in Boca Raton, Florida, with both carrying grocery bags.
Earlier this week, Grande dropped a pointed hint that the rekindled romance rumors could be true while performing in New York City as part of her “Eternal Sunshine” tour.
While singing “Thank U, Next” — which famously name-drops her former romantic partners — Grande changed the lyrics from “Wrote some songs about Ricky / Now I listen and laugh,” to “Wrote some songs about Ricky / We always find our way back.”
Footage showed the crowd going absolutely wild over the surprise switch-up.
As Page Six previously reported, Grande and Alvarez dated briefly between 2015 and 2016, and have seemingly remained on good terms. The duo met when Alvarez joined the Grammy winner for her Honeymoon Tour in 2015 as a backup dancer.
Frenzy over Alvarez and Grande’s rekindled romance comes on the heels of the singer’s split from her “Wicked” co-star Ethan Slater after three years of dating.
“Ariana and Ethan broke up several months ago, but they’ve remained friends since then and have nothing but respect and admiration for one another,” an insider told Page Six last month. “This wasn’t a decision they took lightly but realized they were better off friends than in a committed relationship.”
The source noted that Grande — who began dating Slater, 34, in 2023 — was “feeling really happy and focused on the next chapter” with her tour and the upcoming release of her new album, “Petal.”
Read the full article here
