For Ariana Grande, love has always been a song to sing, a lesson to learn and a story to share. And being an international pop star comes with its challenges. Naturally, her love life always has been the talk of the town. While Ariana Grande’s dating history remains an open book, the timeline of her relationships and boyfriends reads like a chart-topping hit — a sensational composition of highs, lows and unexpected twists. From the early love chords struck with Riverdale heartthrob Graham Phillips to the whirlwind romance with comedian Pete Davidson, followed by a COVID wedding with realtor Dalton Gomez, Grande has traversed the full spectrum of love and life.
Well, one taught her love, one taught her patience, one taught her pain, and now, the plot thickens as her Wicked co-star, Ethan Slater, takes the spotlight in her love life.
But before we delve further into this relationship, let’s deconstruct Ariana Grande’s dating history by taking a look at all the boyfriends the pop queen has said ‘Thank you, next!’ to. From Broadway flings to Hollywood link-ups, we unravel the romantic journey of Ari over the years.
Ariana Grande’s dating history and list of boyfriends (and ex-husband)
Graham Phillips (2008–2011)
Riverdale actor Graham Phillips was Ariana Grande’s first-ever public boyfriend. The two, both 15 at the time, initially crossed paths in 2008 on the set of the Broadway play 13: The Musical production and quickly started dating. As their connection deepened, they collaborated on the love song Stick Around.
However, after dating for a good three years, they amicably called it quits in 2011 and have remained close friends since then. He even publicly defended her during the #Doughnutgate scandal in 2015.
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The two were spotted at a reunion dinner in July 2016 with their former 13 castmates. Later in 2019, they were again seen hanging out at a celeb hotspot – Carbone, New York.
Jai Brooks (2012–2014)
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Following her breakup with Phillips, Grande found love again a year later, this time with MTV star and musical artist Jai Brooks.
The two connected on social media and got into an alleged relationship in August 2012. Initially, their connection looked passionate and intense. However, in 2013, Brooks took to Twitter and publicly accused Grande of cheating on him with Nathan Sykes. Expressing his sentiments, he tweeted, “Yes, I was cheated on. Yes, it does suck,” and added, “Yes, I was left for another man.”
However, Grande was taken by surprise and boldly refuted the accusations on Twitter, stating, “Woke up this morning in complete and utter shock … I guess I shouldn’t be so surprised. You said to me if I didn’t come back to you, you’d make me look bad to the entire world. I’m no longer afraid of you or your lies anymore.”
Despite their tumultuous relationship being exposed to the public, Ariana Grande and Jai Brooks briefly reconciled in May 2014, only to unsurprisingly part ways for a good four months later.
Nathan Sykes (2013)
Amid her on-and-off relationship with Brooks, Ariana met The Wanted’s Nathan Sykes in 2013. The two collaborated on the hit love number Almost Is Never Enough, and the English singer became the perfect rebound for the songstress.
The two began dating in 2013 and Grande was open about her respect and affection for Sykes. She even gushed over his talent to Access Hollywood, saying, “He’s the sweetest. He’s amazing. I have to say, he’s one of the most talented vocalists I’ve ever heard in my life. And like, all the time, he’s like, spot on.”
But their mutual admiration didn’t last long, and the artists broke things off in a few months citing ‘distance’ as the reason for their breakup.
Big Sean (2014–2015)
The next famous boyfriend to grace Ariana Grande’s dating history was rapper Big Sean. Speculations about their relationship began surfacing in October 2014 when the two were spotted sharing a kiss during a screening of The Purge: Anarchy at The Grove in Los Angeles.
The couple collaborated on several songs, most notably Best Mistake, and made many public appearances together. A source revealed to E! Online at the time, “They have been friends since they made the song together. They have been spending more time together and recently have been getting very close. They are both doing great.”
However, after nearly nine months, Grande and Sean decided to part ways. A joint statement provided to Page Six conveyed, “They both deeply care for each other and remain close friends. We kindly ask that the media respect their wish for privacy regarding this personal matter.”
And yes, Big Sean was indeed referenced in the hit Thank U Next when Ariana sang, “Thought I’d end up with Sean, but he wasn’t a match.”
Ricky Alvarez (2015–2016)
Following her split from Big Sean, the pop sensation briefly engaged in a fling with her backup dancer Ricky Alvarez. Their relationship commenced in the summer of 2015, a period marked by an infamous incident when Ariana Grande was caught on camera licking a doughnut and expressing disdain for America — the famous #doughnutgate scandal.
Despite the media attention surrounding the doughnut incident, Grande and Alvarez’s relationship lasted only two months. Nevertheless, he left a significant imprint on the singer’s life and found a reference in Thank U, Next. Grande referenced Alvarez with the lyrics, “Wrote some songs about Ricky, now I listen and laugh.”
Alvarez, in response, recorded himself listening to the song and shared it on social media. The singer playfully responded, “HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH IM SORRY YOU GOT THE WORST LINE @rickyrozay it was meant v lovingly.”
However, the exes remain friends and were even spotted together taking a stroll on the streets of NYC in 2019.
Mac Miller (2016–2018)
One of Ariana Grande’s most meaningful relationships unfolded with the late rapper Mac Miller.
While the duo started dating in 2016, speculations about their connection became rife in 2013 after they shared a kiss in the The Way music video. At that time, Miller referred to Grande as a ‘homie’, acknowledging that she was dating someone else.
The couple made their public debut at the MTV VMAs in August 2016, showcasing their intimacy throughout the evening. In September, they confirmed their relationship by going Instagram official. Grande posted a picture of them, captioning it “baabyyy”, referring to Miller.
Discussing their relationship on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Grande expressed her excitement about having the “relationship talk” on television. When asked if she was happy with Miller, she enthusiastically replied, “Yeah.”
They collaborated on the song “My Favourite Part” for Miller’s fourth studio album, The Divine Feminine, with Grande lending her vocals to the chorus.
The couple faced a challenging time in 2017 when a terrorist attack targeted Grande’s concert in Manchester, claiming the lives of 22 attendees. Miller stood by Grande’s side, offering support during her return to the US.
Despite appearing madly in love, their relationship took a turn, and in May 2018, Grande announced their breakup on her Instagram story. She expressed deep respect and admiration for Miller, emphasising the endearing bond between them.
Tragically, in the fall of the same year, Mac Miller passed away at the age of 26 due to an accidental overdose. Grande paid tribute to him on her Instagram, sharing her sorrow and expressing love for her ex-boyfriend. In her song Thank U, Next, she referred to Miller as an “angel,” singing, “Wish I could say ‘thank you’ to Malcolm. ‘Cause he was an angel.”
Pete Davidson (2018)
Next up on the list of Ariana Grande’s ex-boyfriends is the charismatic comedian Pete Davidson. Their relationship was pretty high-profile, marked with matching tattoos, Starbucks cups, lollipops, a red carpet kiss and a scandalous tweet.
It all began with their iconic kiss at the Met Gala 2018, which was soon followed by a cheeky Twitter exchange that had the world talking.
The two were close to getting married and even got engaged in June 2018. But their romance was short-lived as they parted ways in October of the same year, citing that it was all “too much too soon.”
Ariana channelled her breakup aftermath into writing more empowering songs and as for Pete, he moved on and covered up his neck tattoo and the songstress’ initials on his thumb.
Mikey Foster (2019–2020)
After calling things off with Pete, Ariana Grande got romantically involved with Mikey Foster, a member of Social House. The new lovebirds of Tinsel Town started officially dating in August 2019 and soon collaborated on the track Boyfriend, flaunting their chemistry with an onscreen kiss in the accompanying video.
After nine months of dating, the two decided to part ways. According to Hollywood Life, their connection was a fun fling but not destined for serious commitment. The source mentioned, “Ariana really liked Mikey, but she wasn’t head over heels over him.”
Dalton Gomez (2020–2023)
In a refresher from artists, Ariana lost her heart to real estate agent Dalton Gomez, so much so that their relationship bloomed into a sweet marriage.
In February 2020, paparazzi captured images of Grande and Gomez sharing kisses at Bar Louie in Northbridge, Calif. The following month, People confirmed their relationship and revealed that they quarantined together during the COVID-19 outbreak. Amid global uncertainty, Ariana released a duet with Justin Bieber, Stuck With U, featuring a cameo by Gomez.
The couple went Instagram official shortly after, with Grande sharing a gallery of birthday photos, including images of her dogs, a childhood photo, and pictures of the new couple. They announced their engagement in December and exchanged ‘I dos’ in May 2021 in a “tiny and intimate” ceremony with close family.
Grande posted pictures of their wedding day on Instagram, showcasing her Vera Wang white wedding dress and Gomez in a classic Tom Ford suit.
ariana grande and dalton gomez wedding pics are so cute🤍 pic.twitter.com/NbPenLaxy3
— m ✨ (@PRADAXBBY) May 26, 2021
However, rumours of trouble surfaced in 2023 as Ariana attended Wimbledon without her wedding ring, leading to speculation about a potential divorce. TMZ confirmed their separation in January, revealing that Gomez and The Voice host were on the path to divorce. Despite the challenges, an insider told People that they were “quietly and lovingly working on their friendship” and remained best friends.
Ariana Grande confirmed their split by deleting their wedding photos from her Instagram profile, signalling the end of her marriage and relationship with Dalton Gomez.
Ethan Slater: July 2023
The next name to go down in Ariana Grande’s dating history is her current boyfriend and Wicked co-star, Ethan Slater.
Following her divorce from Gomez, Grande swiftly embraced a new romantic chapter with Slater. Their relationship blossomed during the production of the movie in London, marking a significant connection that transcended their on-screen roles.
Slater had previously been married to his high school sweetheart, Lilly Jay, with whom he shares a son. Despite the end of his marriage, Slater and Grande navigated the complexities of their respective pasts, even attempting to live together in New York City in October 2023.
Grande, aware of Slater’s ongoing journey with his estranged wife, has been supportive, allowing him the space needed to work through matters. Despite the challenges, the couple is currently going strong, seen enjoying quality time together on dinner dates.
However, Slater’s ex-wife, Lilly Jay, has expressed her perspective on the situation, referring to Grande as “the story” and noting the impact on her family as “collateral damage” in recent interviews with various outlets.
But even after all the trolls on the internet and calling her ‘homewrecker’ they seemed to be going strong. Ari stayed unbothered by the whole thing as she sang in her latest track from her upcoming album Eternal Sunshine, “yes, and?”
And well, that’s a wrap for now in Ariana Grande’s high-profile dating history.
(Main and featured images: Instagram/Ariana Grande, Ethan Slater)
This story first appeared on Augustman India
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
– How many boyfriends has Ariana Grande had?
Ariana Grande has had about 10 public relationships.
– Did Justin Bieber date Ariana Grande?
There’s no concrete evidence of a romantic involvement between the two pop stars but the on-screen chemistry between Justin and Ariana has been palpable. A nearly shared kiss in 2015 sparked rumours, giving rise to the possibility of a budding romance between the two.
– Who was Ariana’s last boyfriend?
Ariana was last married to Dalton Gomez and is currently dating Ethan Slater.
– Who is Ariana’s husband?
Ariana Grande was married to real estate agent Dalton Gomez from May 2021 to February 2023.
