Music

Ariana Grande and Ricky Alvarez are back together. She wrote this song about him nearly a decade ago.

Ariana Grande and Ricky Alvarez have reportedly reunited a decade after they ended their relationship. Grande recently announced her breakup from her Wicked co-star Ethan Slater and has moved on to her former boyfriend. When they first dated, she wrote a song about him shortly after their first kiss. 

After announcing her breakup from Slater, Grande has reportedly moved on to a relationship with Alvarez. They are reportedly “taking things very slowly.”

“Ariana has always considered Ricky a friend,” a source told People. “She’s not held ill will against him [since their split]. Ricky is dependable, trustworthy and very supportive. Ariana feels she can be herself around Ricky.”

They reportedly have a solid bond and have connected over the fact that they have “a similar, smart, dry sense of humor.” Still, they don’t want to rush into anything.

“They’re not jumping into anything serious right away, but Ari is happy to have him back in her life,” the source said.

In a recent concert, Grande changed the lyrics of “Thank U, Next,” from “Wrote some songs about Ricky / Now I listen and laugh” to “Wrote some songs about Ricky/ We always find our way back.”

Grande and Alvarez first dated from 2015 to 2016. At the time, she said she was very happy in the relationship.

“We’re happy. I’m a very happy girl,” she told Billboard in 2016. “I have a healthy life right now, and I think that’s all anyone cares to know. The end.”

Her writing partner Victoria Monet revealed that Grande wrote the song “Moonlight” off her Dangerous Woman album after her first kiss with him.

“That’s what Ricky called her one night. I think it was after their first kiss,” she said. “He waited to kiss her for a long time, and she was really impressed. He’s such a gentleman, and the song is a great little bookmark of the start of their relationship.”

They broke up later that year, though they reportedly remained on good terms.

While the couple does not want to rush into anything, she has reportedly already brought him around her family. They spent the July 4 holiday with her family in Florida.

“She’s having a great time on tour. She loves having close friends join her for parts of the tour,” a source said. “Ricky has always been a friend and confidant. She really trusts him. He has such great, positive energy, makes her laugh and she enjoys spending time with him.”