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Pop superstar Ariana Grande sent her fanbase into a frenzy on Friday, June 26, 2026, after photographers spotted her hanging out with her ex-boyfriend Ricky Alvarez in Texas.
The casual reunion immediately ignited widespread speculation across social media platforms, with fans questioning if the singer is revisiting an old flame.
The sighting arrives just weeks after reports confirmed her amicable split from her Wicked co-star Ethan Slater.
The high-profile exes reconnected on Thursday at a restaurant in Austin, where Ariana stopped as part of her ongoing Eternal Sunshine tour.
The outing also coincided with a major personal milestone for the Grammy winner, who celebrated her 33rd birthday on Friday.
While the sudden appearance of the backup dancer-turned-photographer fueled romantic theories online, sources close to the situation quickly downplayed the drama.
Insiders clarified that Ariana simply invited a group of close friends out to Texas to help her celebrate her birthday weekend.
The sources insisted that the dinner was entirely platonic, stating that the relationship between the two remains strictly friendly.
Ariana made a subtle performance tweak earlier in the week, which quickly primed the internet for romance rumors.
While singing her iconic 2018 breakup anthem "Thank U, Next" during her Austin concert, the pop star playfully modified a famous line dedicated to her history with Ricky.
In the original track, she sings the lyric, "Wrote some songs about Ricky / Now I listen and laugh."
However, during the live Texas show, she surprised the audience by singing, "Wrote some songs about Ricky / Now they still kinda slap."
The lighthearted update drew massive cheers from the crowd and instantly went viral on TikTok and X, setting the stage for the intense public reaction when the two were seen together just 24 hours later.
