Ariana Grande‘s relationship status is causing major buzz after she was spotted hanging out with her ex, Ricky Alvarez.
The pair enjoyed the holidays by doing some grocery shopping, but fans believe the outing has a hidden meaning to it.
The singer recently split from her partner of almost three years, Ethan Slater, as she kickstarted her highly anticipated Eternal Sunshine Tour.
Grande and Alvarez spent the 4th of July weekend together and were caught on a quick errand to Whole Foods for some grocery shopping.
The pair looked at ease in each other’s company, with the songstress rocking a casual grey sweater with jeans and flats while Alvarez opted for a white polo and dark blue jeans.
In photos obtained by TMZ, Alvarez played the perfect gentleman, carrying all the groceries and loading them into the vehicle. Per the outlet, the friendly exes were on their way to Grande’s parents’ house in Boca Raton for the Independence Day holiday.
Fans React To Ariana Grande And Ricky Alvarez’s Sighting
Grande and Alvarez’s outing quickly made headlines, and eagle-eyed fans noticed that it brought back memories of the former lovers from a decade ago.
Back in 2016, when the pair were an item, they were photographed by JustJared on a grocery store run to Whole Foods. Similar to that time, the “POV” singer wore a sweater and pants, and her then-boyfriend rocked a white shirt and jeans ensemble.
“We’re quite literally back in 2016,” one fan gushed, while another noted, “Decade later and they’re still doing the Whole Foods run together? That’s not a coincidence; that’s a plot twist we all signed up for.”
A third comment read, “Guess they finally found the perfect aisle for a reunion.” However, some fans suspected it wasn’t just a case of history repeating itself.
“Finally good PR over her relationship status, but it’s kinda sad because people are just happy because Ricky is attractive,” one Internet user speculated.
A similar remark read, “This is nothing but marketing. Just wait. No genuinely happy celeb couple tries this hard to get photographed.”
The Singer Changed Lyrics For Her Ex-Boyfriend
The duo’s rekindled friendship comes as no surprise, as they have been hanging out for weeks now, with Alvarez even making an appearance at the Austin, Texas, stop of her show.
As reported by E! News, during the June 26 show, which happened to be Grande’s birthday, she honored her ex-boyfriend’s presence by switching up her lyrics.
While singing her hit tune, “Thank U, Next,” the 33-year-old belted, “Wrote some songs about Ricky / I know he still got my back,” changing the last part from “Now I listen and laugh.”
Social media clips from the concert showed Alvarez shyly smiling while interacting with Grande’s parents, who were also in the audience.
Grande Remains Friendly With Ex Ethan Slater After Split
Grande and Alvarez’s tongue-wagging reunion comes less than a month after her split from her “Wicked” co-star Ethan Slater was confirmed.
According to The Blast, the pair called it quits after nearly three years together, with a close source saying the breakup was far from tumultuous.
“It’s amicable; they gave lots of time and careful consideration and decided to go their separate ways,” claimed the insider, who added that the exes remain friends and are “very supportive.”
The source added that the Nickelodeon alum was doing “great” after the split, with her focus on the tour and her upcoming album, “Petal.”
Fans may recall that Grande and Slater became an item in late 2022 while filming “Wicked” amid her failed marriage to Dalton Gomez.
Ariana Grande’s Breakup Speaks To Distributing Relationship Trend
Following the end of her romance with Slater, close sources dissected what seemed to be a pattern in Grande’s romantic life.
The informant explained that it is typical for the songstress to fall hard and be completely consumed with her romantic interest at the start. However, once major career opportunities come her way, her focus shifts away.
“The person she’s with gets her full attention, and it’s easy to get swept up in that. But then something shifts. That’s a pattern people around her have seen play out more than once,” the source said, per The Blast.
