Ariana Grande and Ricky Alvarez made their first red carpet appearance together at the November 11, 2026, world premiere of Focker-In-Law in New York. The appearance has renewed interest in the photographer and former backup dancer, who dated Grande from 2015 to 2016 before reconnecting nearly a decade later.According to PEOPLE’s November 3 report, the two were first spotted spending time together in Austin, Texas, in June 2026. A source told the publication that they were “taking things very slowly.”Grande later appeared to confirm their relationship on Instagram in August, ahead of their public debut at the Beacon Theatre.Who is Ricky Alvarez? More about Ariana Grande’s boyfriend and former backup dancerRicky Alvarez is a professional dancer, photographer and director who first met Ariana Grande while working as one of her backup performers on the singer’s Honeymoon Tour, which ran from 2014 to 2015. According to PEOPLE’s profile, the two began dating around April 2015, after working together for about a year.Ariana Grande performs on stage with Ricky Alvarez on May 25, 2015 in Milan, Italy. (Source: Getty)Ricky Alvarez is a Mexican-American artist from San Diego, California. Although he initially built his career in dance, he later shifted his focus to photography and launched his own media company, All Things Mean.Through the company, he produces photography and video content for brands including Nike, Adidas, Calvin Klein, Ulta Beauty, KKW Beauty, Coach and Puma, according to his professional biography cited by PEOPLE.Ariana Grande and Ricky Alvarez kept much of their original relationship private. They made a public appearance as a couple at the Spotify Creators Party in Los Angeles on February 13, 2016. In a May 2016 interview with Billboard, Grande said they were “happy,” describing herself as being in a healthy and happy period of her life.How Ariana Grande and Ricky Alvarez rekindled their relationshipAriana Grande and Ricky Alvarez dated for a little over a year before their relationship ended in July 2016. PEOPLE reported that Grande appeared to hint at the breakup through cryptic posts about “change” on X.A source later confirmed the separation to the publication. Despite the split, the two remained friends, with Alvarez even joking about being mentioned in Grande’s 2018 song “Thank U, Next.”Rumors of a reconciliation surfaced in June 2026, when the former couple were seen having lunch together in Austin, Texas. PEOPLE reported that a source confirmed they had been spending time together again. Grande also appeared to reference Alvarez during her Eternal Sunshine tour, changing the lyrics of “Thank U, Next” at several performances.Pop Base @PopBaseLINKAriana Grande and Ricky Alvarez are officially back together, TMZ reports.At a June 24 concert in Austin, she sang, “Wrote some songs about Ricky / And they still kinda slap.” She made another lyric change during a June 26 performance, before singing, “We always find our way back” at a July 13 concert in Brooklyn, which fell on Alvarez’s birthday.A source subsequently told PEOPLE that the pair spent the Fourth of July weekend together with Grande’s family in Florida. The source described Alvarez as a longtime friend and confidant whom Grande trusted, adding that she enjoyed his humor and company. Another source said they were not rushing into a serious relationship.By August 2026, Ariana Grande had shared photographs of herself holding hands with Alvarez on Instagram, making their rekindled romance public. She posted another glimpse of their relationship on November 2, including a photograph of the two embracing.Their November 11, 2026, appearance at the Focker-In-Law premiere marked their first red carpet together. As WWD reported that day, Grande wore a vintage Badgley Mischka gown styled by Law Roach, while Alvarez opted for a black blazer, white shirt and dark jeans.