Ariana Grande ‘Really Trusts’ Ex Ricky Alvarez as He Hangs Out with Her on Tour: Source (Exclusive)

Rachel DeSantisTue, July 7, 2026 at 5:08 PM UTC

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Ariana Grande; Ricky AlvarezCredit: Michael Kovac/Getty; BFA.com / BACKGRID -

Ariana Grande spent July 4 holiday weekend in Florida with family and ex-boyfriend Ricky Alvarez, who remains a close friend

A source says Grande “really trusts” Alvarez

Grande is focused on her Eternal Sunshine tour and reconnecting with fans after her split from Ethan Slater

Ariana Grande may have had a No. 1 hit with “We Can’t Be Friends,” but when it comes to her ex-boyfriend Ricky Alvarez, they certainly can.

A Grande source tells PEOPLE that the singer, 33, spent the July 4 holiday weekend in Florida with her family and Alvarez, and that he’s been a joyful presence as she continues her Eternal Sunshine tour.

“She’s having a great time on tour. She loves having close friends join her for parts of the tour,” the source says. “Ricky has always been a friend and confidant. She really trusts him. He has such great, positive energy, makes her laugh and she enjoys spending time with him.”

Grande and Alvarez, her former backup dancer, dated from 2015 to 2016, and he’s famously name-checked alongside several other exes in her 2018 hit “Thank U, Next” (“Wrote some songs about Ricky / Now I listen and laugh,” she sings). At a recent concert, Grande gave him a sweet shout-out with a special lyric change: “Wrote some songs about Ricky / I know he’s still got my back.” Earlier in the week, she sang, “Wrote some songs about Ricky / And they still kinda slap.”

Ariana Grande performing at the Oscars in March 2025.Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty

The source adds that Grande is “doing really well” in the aftermath of her split from Wicked costar Ethan Slater several months ago after nearly three years of dating.

“Her relationship with Ethan is 100% over. She’s focused on her tour and spending time with the people who have always been there for her,” the source says. “Ariana is having the best time reconnecting with fans and loves being onstage.”

The “Hate That I Made You Love Me” singer was first spotted with Alvarez in Austin, Texas on June 26, her birthday. Later that night, he attended her tour stop in the city, and was seen in the VIP pit of the crowd.

A source told PEOPLE at the time that the pair had been “hanging out recently.”

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Despite their 2016 split, Grande and Alvarez have remained friendly over the years. When she released “Thank U, Next,” he posted an Instagram Story in support of the song, and Grande responded with an apology for giving him the “worst line,” which she emphasized was “meant v lovingly.”

Ricky Alvarez and Ariana Grande in Los Angeles in February 2016.Credit: John Shearer/Getty

Grande, who is set to release her eighth studio album, Petal, on July 31, launched her Eternal Sunshine tour in June, and is set to be on the road through Sept. 1.

On June 30, Grande rescheduled three upcoming shows on the tour due to production issues that sparked safety concerns.

“We are so sorry for these unfortunate scheduling changes,” she wrote in a message to fans. “This was our best and safest option as these challenges with production have come to our attention.”

Her July 12 concert at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center was moved to July 14, while her July 22 and July 24 shows at Boston’s TD Garden will now take place on July 23 and July 26, respectively.

The tour marks her return to the road after she spent several years focused on film and music projects, including her role as Glinda in the film adaptations of Wicked.

She’s next set to appear in Focker-in-Lawalongside Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro on Nov. 25, 2026.

on People

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”