Ariana Grande Reunites with Ex Ricky Alvarez on Birthday Week as She Tweaks "Thank U, Next" Lyrics

Ariana Grande rang in her 33rd birthday on June 26 with some familiar faces in tow. The Grammy-winning pop star was spotted enjoying a casual lunch with ex-boyfriend Ricky Alvarez and a group of friends while taking time off from her tour schedule in Austin, Texas on Thursday, June 25.

According to insiders, the outing was purely platonic. "There is nothing romantic between Ariana and Ricky this time around," sources confirmed to TMZ, emphasizing that the two were simply spending time together as part of a larger friend group.

The reunion made headlines partly because of a recent change Grande made to her music. During her Austin performance on Wednesday, the singer altered the lyrics to "Thank U, Next," one of her biggest hits. In the track's opening verse, where she typically sings "Wrote some songs about Ricky / Now I listen and laugh," Grande instead performed "Wrote some songs about Ricky / Now they kinda slap."

The song has long served as Grande's reflective look back at her past relationships, with the opening bars serving as her introduction to the various exes she references throughout the track.

The birthday celebration comes as Grande navigates a new chapter following her recent breakup with actor Ethan Slater. The pair had been dating for several years after meeting on the set of the Wicked film adaptations, where Grande portrayed Glinda and Slater played Boq.