You probably remember the donuts. Most people do. It was 2015, and a grainier-than-usual security camera caught Ariana Grande and a guy in a hoodie doing the unthinkable: licking pastries they hadn't paid for.
That guy was Ricky Alvarez.
At the time, he was just "the backup dancer." But for a solid year, he was a lot more than that. Honestly, their relationship is one of the most misunderstood chapters in the Grande lore, sandwiched between the high-profile Big Sean era and the tragic, beautiful complexity of her time with Mac Miller.
The Backup Dancer Who Stayed
Ricky didn't just appear out of nowhere in that California donut shop. He had been a staple in her dance crew since 2014. If you look back at the Honeymoon Tour footage, he's right there, part of the tight-knit "family" that kept the pop machine running.
Professional chemistry is a hell of a drug.
They officially started "thinging" (as the internet put it) in the summer of 2015. It wasn't just a fling. They were together for over a year, which in pop star time is basically a decade. They traveled the world. They shared stages. They even survived a national scandal involving a tray of powdered donuts and some ill-advised comments about America.
That Infamous Donut Incident
Let’s be real for a second. The "Donutgate" situation at Wolfee Donuts in Lake Elsinore was a mess.
People focused on the "I hate America" comment, but for fans, the bigger story was the PDA. It was the confirmation everyone needed. Ricky wasn't just a guy holding a microphone stand; he was the guy.
The backlash was brutal. Ariana had to issue multiple apologies, and some say it was the first time her "good girl" Nickelodeon image really cracked. Ricky was right in the blast zone for all of it. Interestingly, while the world was screaming about hygiene and patriotism, they were just... together.
The Songs We All Forgot Were About Him
When thank u, next dropped in 2018, Ricky got one of the funniest name-drops in music history.
"Wrote some songs about Ricky / Now I listen and laugh"
Ouch. Even Ariana admitted it was the "worst line" of the song. She actually texted him before it came out to make sure he was cool with it. He was. He even joked on Instagram about his "gratitude" for the shoutout.
But which songs was she laughing about?
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- Moonlight: This is the big one. Her friend Victoria Monét confirmed that "Moonlight" was a nickname Ricky gave Ariana.
- True Love: A deep cut that feels very much of that era.
- Forever Boy: This track from Dangerous Woman is basically a love letter to the stability he provided at the time.
It’s easy to dismiss these now, but at the peak of their relationship, Ariana told Billboard she was a "very happy girl" with a "healthy life." She wasn't lying. For a while, the dancer and the diva actually worked.
Why Did They Break Up?
They split in July 2016. There was no big explosion. No cheating scandals. No shade on Twitter.
Sources at the time said she just "broke up with him." They found it difficult to make the long-distance and the power dynamic work as she transitioned into the Dangerous Woman superstardom.
Change is wild. Change is fantastic. That’s what she tweeted right around the time the news broke.
The 2026 Perspective: Are They Still Friends?
The most impressive part of the Ariana and Ricky story isn't the dating; it’s the aftermath. Most people can’t look at their ex without flinching, let alone work with them.
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Ricky didn't vanish. He actually ended up being a photographer for her Sweetener World Tour years later. They’ve been spotted at dinners with friends and hanging out backstage. There were even rumors in late 2018 and 2019 that they might be rekindling things after he was seen at a Disney Land trip with her family.
They didn't. They chose friendship instead.
What This Tells Us About Ariana
Looking back, Ricky Alvarez represents a specific transition in Ariana’s life. He was the bridge between her teen-pop roots and the R&B-heavy powerhouse she became. He was there during the growing pains.
He wasn't a rapper or a comedian. He was a peer.
If you're looking for the "hidden" meaning in her older discography, stop looking for drama. Sometimes the songs are just about a girl falling for a guy who knew her before the world got too loud.
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Next Steps for Fans:
- Re-listen to "Moonlight": Knowing the nickname came from Ricky changes the "vibe" of the song from generic romance to a specific memory.
- Check out Ricky's Photography: He transitioned from dancing to high-end photography and creative direction; his eye for aesthetics clearly influenced some of the Sweetener era visuals.
- Notice the Patterns: Ariana tends to keep her inner circle very small and very loyal; the fact that Ricky is still "around" speaks more to her character than the breakup does.