Ariana Grande has gone official on Instagram with her boyfriend, Ricky Alvarez!She posted a photo dump carousel on the social media platform on August 12, featuring two shots with the 35-year-old professional dancer. The first one is a mirror selfie showing them in matching white tops and black jeans, with their faces cropped out. The other is also a mirror photo, but upside down, showing them embracing. Grande tagged her boyfriend in both photos.As for Alvarez, he re-shared a photo of the Petals songstress on his Instagram Stories. He also reposted a second photo of them hugging. The pair has rekindled their relationship nearly a decade after their romance from 2015 to 2016.When they split in 2016, the couple did not explain why they went separate ways. However, a source told E! News the Eternal Sunshine singer and her boyfriend “found it difficult to make it work” and that infidelity was never the reason. The source added that they remained friends after the split.Exploring the split between Ariana Grande and Ricky AlvarezBefore Ariana Grande went Instagram official with Ricky Alvarez, media outlets like Page Six and TMZ reported that the pair had rekindled their romance. According to a July 2026 report in Page Six, an insider told the outlet that the hate that i made you love me, artist:“has rekindled things with Ricky, but she isn’t rushing back into the relationship. She has a lot on her plate at the moment and is still incredibly busy with her tour schedule, so they’re taking things one step at a time.”A source told People magazine that “Ariana has always considered Ricky a friend.” They added that she never held “ill will against him” and described Ricky as “dependable, trustworthy and very supportive.”Ariana Grande and Ricky Alvarez first met in 2015 while working on her The Honeymoon tour. He joined her as a backup dancer. What began as a professional relationship gradually turned into a romance. Their relationship gained more attention after a video of the two kissing went viral. The two were reportedly hanging out at the Wolfee Donuts in Lake Elsinore, California.The pair parted ways in July 2016 after dating for a year. Grande had seemingly addressed her single status in earlier interviews. During a chat with Closer Magazine she said:“I think men approach me less now I’m famous, but then I hardly ever go out any more... I’m not pretending I have great break-up advice. It’s hard... It’s nice to have someone that makes you happy, but it’s nice to be happy on your own as well.”Ariana Grande Performs In Milan - Source: GettyMeanwhile, Ricky Alvarez stepped out of the public spotlight and focused on building his career as a dancer-turned-photographer. He later transitioned into videography and directing. He launched his own media company, All Things Mean, and has created photos and videos for major brands including Nike, Adidas, Calvin Klein, Ulta Beauty, KKW Beauty, Coach, and Puma.Grande was in a relationship with actor Ethan Slater. They split up in June 2026 after dating for nearly three years. Prior to Slater, she was married to real estate agent Dalton Gomez, whom she divorced in March 2024.Fans began speculating around last month after Grande changed the lyrics about Ricky Alvarez in her song, Thank U, Next, during her Eternal Sunshine tour stop. He accompanied and supported the Side to Side singer along her tour.A source told Page Six that Alvarez has remained close to the pop star over the years, and it is one of the factors that brought them closer. They also made public appearances, including an outing at the Whole Foods in Boca Raton, Florida, in July.