Honestly, if you were scrolling through TMZ in 2015, you probably saw a grainy security camera video that changed the course of pop culture history. It involved a tray of powdered donuts, a tongue, and a very confused backup dancer. That dancer was Ricky Alvarez. For about a year, Ricky wasn't just the guy hitting the 1-2-step behind Ariana Grande; he was the guy she was deeply, seemingly obsessively, in love with.
People forget how intense that era was. This wasn't just a "rebound" from Big Sean. It was a whole vibe shift.
The relationship between Ariana Grande and Ricky Alvarez is one of those rare Hollywood stories that didn't end in a massive, messy lawsuit or a public Twitter feud. Well, unless you count the cryptic "change is fantastic" tweets Ari posted when they split. But even then, the drama was low-key. They were the couple that everyone saw coming and yet nobody quite understood.
How it All Started: From the Stage to the Donut Shop
They met how most pop stars and dancers meet—at work. Ricky joined the "Honeymoon Tour" crew, and the chemistry was basically instant. You could see it in the way they looked at each other during "Tattooed Heart."
Then came the infamous "Donut-gate."
It was July 4, 2015. Wolfee Donuts in Lake Elsinore, California. The footage showed Ariana and Ricky daring each other to lick donuts on a display tray. It was gross. It was weird. It sparked a literal health department investigation. But for fans, the big takeaway wasn't just the hygiene concern—it was the kiss. That was the hard confirmation that Ricky was more than just an employee. He was the boyfriend.
The Music He Inspired (And Why She "Listens and Laughs")
If you want to know how Ariana felt about Ricky, you just have to listen to the Dangerous Woman album. It’s practically a diary of their time together. Her close friend and frequent collaborator Victoria Monét actually confirmed that the song "Moonlight" was inspired by him. Apparently, Ricky called her "Moonlight" after their first kiss.
He was a "gentleman" according to those close to the camp.
Then you have "True Love" and "Forever Boy." These aren't just pop songs; they’re bookmarks of a girl who thought she’d found her permanent person. That’s what makes the line in "thank u, next" so iconic. When she sings, "Wrote some songs about Ricky / Now I listen and laugh," she isn't actually making fun of him.
She's laughing at her younger self.
Ricky actually posted a video of himself listening to that specific lyric when the song dropped. He looked jokingly offended, and Ariana quickly hopped on her Instagram Story to apologize, saying she gave him the "worst line" but that it was meant "v lovingly."
The songs widely believed (or confirmed) to be about Ricky:
- Moonlight: Confirmed by Victoria Monét.
- Forever Boy / Knew Better: Deeply tied to their timeline.
- True Love: From her Christmas EP, Christmas & Chill.
- Bad Idea: Fans speculate this 2019 track might be about a brief reconnection.
Why Did They Break Up?
The split happened in July 2016. It was sudden. One day they were fine, the next Ariana had deleted every trace of him from her Instagram. That’s the modern-day equivalent of a funeral.
Sources at the time told E! News that she was the one who ended it. There was no cheating. No big scandal. They just "found it difficult to make it work." Life on the road is exhausting. When you're the biggest pop star on the planet and your partner is also your employee, the boundaries get blurry fast.
She wanted a change. She got bangs. She moved on to Mac Miller shortly after.
Are They Still Friends in 2026?
The short answer? Yeah, they’re cool.
In a world where most celebrity exes can’t be in the same room without a PR team present, Ariana and Ricky are weirdly mature. They’ve been spotted hanging out in New York multiple times since their breakup. In 2019, they even went to Disneyland together with her family.
Every time they’re seen together, the internet has a collective meltdown thinking they're back together. Ariana usually shuts it down immediately. "We're friends everyone take a big ol breather," she once commented on a photo.
It’s refreshing.
They share a history that includes one of the biggest "scandals" of her career and some of her most vulnerable music. Ricky still works in the industry, and Ariana has obviously gone through a marriage and a divorce since then. But the foundation of their friendship seems solid.
What We Can Learn From the "Ricky Era"
Looking back, the Ricky Alvarez era was a transition period for Ariana. She was shedding the "Nickelodeon girl" image and becoming the "Dangerous Woman."
If you're looking for a takeaway from their relationship, it’s all about the "clean break." You don't always have to hate your ex. Sometimes, you can just acknowledge that someone was the right person for a specific chapter of your life, even if they aren't in the final scene.
If you want to dive deeper into this era, here is what you should do:
- Listen to Christmas & Chill again: Knowing "True Love" is about this specific relationship makes the lyrics feel way more grounded and less like generic holiday filler.
- Watch the "Moonlight" live performances: You can see the shift in her stage presence during that year; she was genuinely happy and it showed in her vocals.
- Check out Ricky's photography: Since moving away from backup dancing as his primary gig, he’s become a pretty talented visual artist. It’s interesting to see the perspective of someone who lived inside that bubble.
The "Ricky era" wasn't a mistake. It was just a season. And honestly? It gave us some of the best R&B-pop of the 2010s.