Updated

Updated · ELLE · Jun 27

Ariana Grande, 33, Sparks Ricky Alvarez Reunion Rumors as Austin Birthday Lunch Video Spreads

Updated

Updated · ELLE · Jun 27

Ariana Grande, 33, Sparks Ricky Alvarez Reunion Rumors as Austin Birthday Lunch Video Spreads

Q: Is Ariana Grande's reunion with Ricky Alvarez a new romantic chapter or just a friendly birthday lunch after her recent breakup?

It appears to be a friendly birthday lunch, not evidence of a new romance. The strongest reporting points that way. Grande was seen with Ricky Alvarez on June 25 at De Nada Cantina in Austin, just after news of her split from Ethan Slater became public. But multiple reports say Alvarez was part of a group of friends celebrating her birthday, and a source told TMZ there was “nothing romantic” happening between them. The setting also supports that reading. Restaurant owner Stephen Shallcross described Grande as relaxed and sociable, taking selfies with fans and interacting warmly with staff, suggesting a casual public outing rather than a private date. Grande was in Austin for her Eternal Sunshine Tour, so the lunch fit naturally into her tour stop and birthday timing. The speculation is understandable. Grande had just changed the “Thank U, Next” lyric in Austin to “Wrote some songs about Ricky / And they still really slap,” which many took as a playful nod to Alvarez, whom she dated in 2015 and 2016. But that lyric change alone does not establish a rekindled relationship, especially given her history of using tour lyrics to reflect personal milestones and public narratives. Taken together, the available evidence indicates this was a friendly reunion with an ex she has remained on good terms with, not a confirmed new romantic chapter after Slater.

3 articles · Updated · ELLE · Jun 27

A video circulating online showed Ariana Grande seated with ex-boyfriend Ricky Alvarez at lunch in Austin on June 26, her 33rd birthday, reviving reconciliation speculation.
TMZ cited a source saying Alvarez was simply one of several friends Grande invited to the city for her birthday, while People reported only that the two have been hanging out recently.
Grande and Alvarez dated for about a year starting in 2015 and have stayed publicly friendly, including playful exchanges over his mention in her 2018 hit “Thank U, Next.”
The sighting comes weeks after Grande’s split from Ethan Slater and just ahead of her Eternal Sunshine Tour stop in Austin, where she recently tweaked the song’s Ricky lyric again.