Ariana Grande Marks 33rd Birthday With Ex Ricky Alvarez in Austin as Tour Break Pauses Shows

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 · Just Jared · Jun 27

Austin sightings on June 25 showed Ariana Grande having lunch with ex Ricky Alvarez and friends while on a break from her tour, just as she turned 33.
TMZ sources said the meetup was not romantic, framing it as a friendly gathering rather than a rekindled relationship.
The outing drew extra attention because Grande days earlier tweaked her “Thank U, Next” lyric about Alvarez in Austin, changing “now I listen and laugh” to “now they kinda slap.”
The reunion also comes after Grande recently split from Ethan Slater, whom she met while making the Wicked films.

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9 Sources

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

As sources claim Ethan Slater is still in love, will he and Grande reconcile, or is their 'Wicked' romance officially over?

Do Ariana Grande's public lyric changes reveal her true feelings, or are they a calculated part of her celebrity brand?

Ariana Grande Marks 33rd Birthday With Ex Ricky Alvarez in Austin as Tour Break Pauses Shows

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