“Wrote some songs about Ricky / I know he’s still got my back,” the pop star sang into the mic
Credit: PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty; Pierrick Rocher/BFA.com/Shutterstock
NEED TO KNOW
- Ricky Alvarez watched from the VIP pit as Ariana Grande cheekily changed the lyrics to “Thank U, Next” during her birthday show in Austin, Texas, on June 26
- “Wrote some songs about Ricky / I know he’s still got my back,” the pop star sang onstage
- After Grande and Alvarez were seen grabbing lunch together in Austin, a source told PEOPLE that the two have been “hanging out recently”
Ricky Alvarez is proving that he's still got Ariana Grande's back.
While performing in Austin, Texas, as part of her Eternal Sunshine Tour on Friday, June 26, the 33-year-old pop star changed one of her iconic lyrics to seemingly hint at the fact that she and Alvarez, also 33, who dated from 2015 to 2016, have been revisiting their relationship.
Grande's original version of her 2018 hit song “Thank U, Next” features the lyrics, “Wrote some songs about Ricky / Now I listen and laugh.”
During her latest performance at the Moody Center, Grande opted to switch up the lyrics by singing, “Wrote some songs about Ricky / I know he's still got my back.”
Credit: John Shearer/Getty
In a video shared on social media shortly after the concert, Alvarez could be seen supporting Grande on her birthday as he watched her perform from the arena's VIP pit.
As soon as he heard the sudden lyric change, he could be seen whipping his head toward his friend before they shared a proud handshake.
Two days earlier, Grande changed the lyrics once again, singing, “Wrote some songs about Ricky / And they still kinda slap.”
The Wicked star's latest nod to her and Alvarez's bond comes one day after the pair were seen grabbing lunch together in Austin. A source later told PEOPLE that they had been “hanging out recently.”
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Grande and her former backup dancer dated from 2015 to July 2016, though they largely kept their relationship out of the spotlight.
“We're happy," Grande told Billboard of their romance two months before they split. “I'm a very happy girl. I have a healthy life right now, and I think that's all anyone cares to know. The end."
Credit: Will Heath/NBC via Getty
After the pair broke up, Grande went on to have relationships with Mac Miller, Pete Davidson, Dalton Gomez and, most recently, Ethan Slater. PEOPLE confirmed that the Wicked costars quietly split “several months” ago after nearly three years of dating.
"It's amicable, they gave lots of time and careful consideration and decided to go their separate ways," a source said. "They are still friends and very supportive of one another. They have been quietly broken up for several months.”
When “Thank U, Next” first came out, Alvarez shared a video of himself listening to the song with an intense look on his face before the camera zoomed in for a close-up as Grande sang the line that was dedicated to their relationship.
“Nothing but gratitude,” he quipped on his Instagram Stories at the time. “Thank you, next… (Those songs are fire tho… you're welcome).”
In response, Grande reshared his comments on her own Instagram Stories, writing, “Oh for sure … ty next.”
“HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAH IM SORRY U GOT THE WORST LINE,” she added. “It was meant v lovingly.”
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