Thank U, Next: Ariana Grande's Dating Timeline
The complete guide to the singer's sweet and complicated dating history.
July 7 2019, Updated 7:50 p.m. ET
“Thought I'd end up with Sean,
But he wasn't a match,
Wrote some songs about Ricky,
Now I listen and laugh,
Even almost got married,
And for Pete, I'm so thankful,
Wish I could say, "Thank you" to Malcolm,
'Cause he was an angel.”
- "Thank U, Next," by Ariana Grande.
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Ariana Grande has a face that could launch a thousand ships. She has had guys fighting and falling for her left and right. Grande has had the type of love life that could make most people jealous — she has dated comedians, rappers and dancers, and she has even sung about some of them in her hit, "Thank U, Next."
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But what do her fans know about her private relationship moments? What really happened between her and Mac Miller? What went on with her and Pete Davidson? And who is she dating now?
MORE: Ariana Grande Throws Major Shade After Winning Grammy But Skipping Performance
Go behind the scenes and under the covers to examine her dating life. No stone will be left unturned. Thank you ... next!
1. Graham Phillips.
Grande’s first boyfriend was Graham Phillips. According to Heatworld, they met when they were both just 15 and starring in the Broadway show 13: The Musical.
2. Thank U, Next!
The pair dated for three years, even releasing a track called "Stick Around" in 2010. But neither of them did and the relationship ended in 2011. He didn’t even make her "Thank U, Next" song.
3. Rumors?
It’s rumored, according to the London Evening Standard, that right after Phillips left the picture Grande dated backup dancer Jordan Viscomi. It was also rumored that Grande paired up briefly with Avan Jogia, who played Beck Oliver on Victorious.
4. Jai Brooks.
According to Heatworld, Grande took up with Jai Brooks — a member of Australian prank-pop band The Janoskians a year later. Capital FM claims that Brooks began a competition with his brother to see who could grab Grande’s attention first. Grande’s mom saw the trending hashtag #JaiVsLukeForAriana and told her daughter to contact him. Spoiler: this wasn’t going to go so well.
5. Cheating? Syke!
So how did it end? Trouble began when Brooks claimed on Twitter that Grande was cheating on him with The Wanted’s Nathan Sykes. She denied it and ultimately they got back together for a couple of months. But Brooks didn't make her song either.
6. Nathan Sykes.
Next up on Ariana’s list was … wait, Nathan Sykes? According to Heatworld, Grande and Sykes collaborated on "Almost Is Never Enough," a track on her first album.
7. Grande’s Muse.
Sykes did not get a reference in "Thank U, Next," but Grande did write an entire song about him entitled "Break Your Heart Right Back." According to US Weekly, one source said that the reason for their split was that the two “hardly ever saw each other” while another source added, “They just weren’t into it anymore."
8. Thank U, Next!
In 2016, Grande and Sykes hooked up again, but this time it was only in the studio when they created a track entitled "Over and Over Again." Sykes later told TMZ that it was “good” that he didn’t get a mention leaving fans to wonder just what happened in their brief relationship.
9. Big Sean.
Big Sean made "Thank U, Next's" opening line, “Thought I'd end up with Sean, But he wasn't a match.” It looks like Grande thought this was a relationship for the ages when it began in October of 2014.
10. Cheating.
According to US Weekly, Grande called Sean “one of the most amazing men in the whole world.” But was Big Sean cheating on his then-girlfriend, Glee star Naya Rivera? Rivera wrote in her book, Sorry Not Sorry, that she walked in on Grande at Big Sean’s when they were still dating.
11. Thank U, Next!
Grande and Sean ended the relationship after just eight months in April, 2015. According to Capital FM, it ended because of their busy schedules.
12. Ricky Alvarez.
Ricky Alvarez was a dancer who had started working for Ariana Grande in April of 2014, but it wasn’t until Big Sean became ex-Sean that the two of them took up a whirlwind, yearlong relationship.
13. Doughnuts.
According to Capital FM, talk of a relationship between Grande and Alvarez began when they kissed on stage during a 2015 performance. But they made headlines when they were caught secretly licking doughnuts in a doughnut shop. US Weekly reported that Grande said she “hates Americans” and “hates America” as she was doing it.
14. It’s Over.
Grande and Alvarez ended their relationship after a year with no word as to why. According to Capital FM, Grande tweeted that “'life is wild and change is f***ing fantastic" hinting that their relationship had ended.
15. Thank U, Next!
Was Alvarez mentioned in "Thank U, Next?" Oh boy was he ... Grande sang, “Wrote some songs about Ricky / Now I listen and laugh” which, according to Heatworld, refers to "Knew Better/Forever Boy."US Weekly reported that Alvarez posted a video of himself listening to the track, and Grande responded, "IM SORRY U GOT THE WORST LINE ... IT WAS MEANT V LOVINGLY."
16. Mac Miller.
Grande met Mac Miller after they worked on the track "My Way" together in 2013, but Heatworld reported that they didn't start dating until 2016. The 26-year-old rapper, Miller, was Grande’s longest relationship to date as it lasted through 2018. According to Capital FM, the relationship was announced when Grande appeared on Ellen.
17. Manchester.
Miller was there to comfort Grande after the tragic bombing that took place in the Manchester Arena when she was performing there in 2017, but things between them weren’t great. According to Capital FM, Grande said she couldn't date a man "who couldn't keep his sh*t together" and struggled with his sobriety. Just days after the split was announced, Miller was arrested after totaling his car while driving under the influence.
18. What Happened Next?
Grande and Miller parted ways around May 2018 when, according to US Weekly, Grande took to Instagram to post, “I respect and adore him endlessly and am grateful to have him in my life in any form, at all times regardless of how our relationship changes or what the universe holds for each of us!”
19. The Aftermath.
Miller himself added a few public words a couple of months later, in July 2018, when, according to US Weekly, he told Beats 1 that "I was in love with somebody. We were together for two years. We worked through good times, bad times, stress and everything else. And then it came to an end and we both moved on. And it’s that simple.”
20. Thank U, Next!
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According to US Weekly, Miller passed away from mixed drug toxicity. Grande posted, “I adored you from the day i met you when i was nineteen and i always will.” Miller also made the lyrics on "Thank U, Next," with Grande singing “Wish I could say, ‘Thank You’ to Malcom, ‘Cause he was an angel.”
21. Pete Davidson.
22. A Magical Engagement.
Sparks flew fast and furious and within a month the pair had gotten engaged with, according to US Weekly, Davidson buying Grande a $93,000 ring. He was so excited he told Jimmy Fallon, “I feel like I won a contest, so sick. It’s f--king lit.” According to the Standard, Davidson also got multiple tattoos dedicated to Grande.
23. A Magical Summer.
A magical summer followed their magical engagement with the two adopting a pig and moving in together in a very fancy condo in New York City’s hip Chelsea neighborhood.
24. All Good Things.
All good things come to an end but no fans were expecting it to end so quickly. According to US Weekly, by October 2018 it was all over. Davidson told SNL viewers that “I know some of you are curious about the breakup, but the truth is, it’s nobody’s business, and sometimes things just don’t work out, and that’s OK. She’s a wonderful, strong person, and I genuinely wish her all the happiness in the world.”
25. Thank U, Next!
Grande made sure to mention Davidson in "Thank U, Next" when she wrote that she was “so thankful” for him. So who could be next? According to Seventeen, in January of 2019 Grande tweeted, "Spoiler for the rest of this year / probably my life: it’s no one. Please refer back to this tweet for future questions."
