Ariana Grande gave fans another reason to talk about Ricky Alvarez after changing one of her most famous lyrics during her New York City tour stop.
People reported that Grande altered the Ricky Alvarez line in Thank U, Next while performing at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Monday, July 13.
Entertainment Weekly reported that the change immediately sparked crowd screams and online speculation.
Grande Changed the Ricky Lyric in Brooklyn
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During the Brooklyn performance, Grande changed the Ricky reference to say they “always find” their way back to each other. Fans in the arena quickly noticed the switch and reacted loudly as the clip spread on social media.
People reported that Alvarez has been spending time with Grande on tour, while a source said Grande “really trusts” him and values his support.
This Was Not the First Recent Ricky Shout-Out
Just Jared reported that this was the third recent time Grande changed the Ricky lyric.
At an Austin show on June 24, she changed the line to suggest the songs connected to Alvarez still held up. Two nights later, during her birthday show on June 26, she changed it again to say Alvarez “still got my back.”
Alvarez was reportedly in the VIP area for the June 26 performance, standing near Grande’s parents. People reported that video from that night showed Alvarez reacting to the lyric change before he and Grande shared a handshake.
Grande and Alvarez Have a Long History
Grande and Alvarez dated from 2015 to 2016, after he worked as one of her backup dancers. Their relationship remained part of pop-culture history because he was one of the exes mentioned in her 2018 hit Thank U, Next.
Even after their breakup, the two appeared to stay on friendly terms. Alvarez previously responded playfully to being named in the song, and Grande later clarified that the lyric was meant with affection.
Entertainment Weekly noted that Grande previously described their relationship positively in a 2016 interview, before the two eventually split later that year.
Grande and Alvarez have been spotted together more than once recently. People reported that they spent Fourth of July weekend in Florida with Grande’s family, adding more attention to their current closeness. Just Jared also reported that Grande recently liked posts on Alvarez’s Instagram page.