Ariana Grande is celebrating another birthday surrounded by familiar faces—including one very familiar ex.
The Grammy-winning superstar turned 33 on June 26, and fans quickly took notice after she was spotted spending time with former boyfriend Ricky Alvarez while enjoying a break from her current schedule in Austin, Texas.
The reunion comes just days after Grande surprised concertgoers by tweaking one of the most recognizable lyrics in her hit anthem “Thank U, Next,” prompting fresh conversation about her friendship with Alvarez years after their romance ended.
According to TMZ, Grande met up with Alvarez and a group of friends for lunch at a local restaurant on Thursday, June 25. The relaxed outing sparked immediate speculation online, with fans wondering if the former couple had rekindled their relationship.
Sources close to the situation, however, were quick to shut down the rumours.
According to the outlet’s insiders, “there is nothing romantic between Ariana and Ricky this time around.”
Instead, the pair are simply said to have remained on good terms long after their relationship ended.
The sighting attracted even more attention because it followed a small but memorable change Grande recently made while performing “Thank U, Next” on stage.
The chart-topping song famously opens by referencing several of Grande’s former relationships. For years, audiences have known the lyric as:
“Wrote some songs about Ricky / Now I listen and laugh.”
During her Austin performance, however, fans noticed she swapped out the second line, singing:
“Wrote some songs about Ricky / Now they kinda slap.”
The subtle update immediately spread across social media, with many interpreting it as a playful nod to Alvarez and perhaps an indication that time has given Grande a new appreciation for the songs inspired by that chapter of her life.
Although Grande has not publicly explained the lyric change, fans embraced the moment as another example of her willingness to evolve even her most iconic performances.
Grande and Alvarez dated between 2015 and 2016 after first meeting while working together as dancers and performers. Although their romance eventually came to an end, the two have remained friendly over the years, occasionally interacting publicly without fueling significant speculation.
Their latest outing appears to continue that pattern.
Grande’s personal life has remained under close public attention in recent months following reports that she and Ethan Slater had ended their relationship after several years together.
The pair first met while filming the two-part Wicked movie adaptation, where Grande stars as Glinda opposite Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba. Slater portrays Boq in the highly anticipated musical films.
Their relationship became one of the entertainment industry’s most discussed romances after they grew close during production, but recent reports indicate the couple have since gone their separate ways.
Neither Grande nor Slater has publicly spoken in detail about the reported breakup.
