Ariana Grande kisses Ricky Alvarez in her end-of-tour video

The sequence, filmed behind the scenes during rehearsals in London, is part of a thank-you video dedicated to the 41 dates of the tour. Ariana Grande celebrates a period she describes as one of the most significant of her career, while also hinting at a much more intimate moment with Ricky Alvarez.

This kiss does not come out of nowhere. The two artists, who had previously been a couple between 2015 and 2016, had shown multiple public signs of reconciliation during the summer. They were seen together on several occasions, while Ricky Alvarez accompanied certain stages of the tour.

At the end of August, their relationship became more openly acknowledged on Instagram. Ariana Grande also repeatedly changed the lyrics of thank u, next when referring to Ricky. During the last concert at the O2 Arena in London, on September 1, she even altered the part dedicated to her ex to suggest that she would now like to keep him in her life.

The couple thus seems to be writing a second chapter, nearly ten years after their first story. A rekindled romance that the singer no longer really tries to hide, even though she continues to protect the core of her private life.

This romantic interlude accompanies a year that remains highly eventful for the singer. Ariana Grande is notably among the nominees for the 2026 Grammy Awards alongside Cynthia Erivo for Defying Gravity.

The video has been highlighted in recent days by several specialized media outlets, including ELLE, Page Six, and E! News. It comes a few months after the separation of Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater, announced in June 2026.