A Definitive Timeline Of ALL Of Ariana Grande's Relationships
46 "Yuhs" on Thank U, Next. Ariana Grande's album has only just dropped, and Cosmopolitan is already breaking it down into microscopic detail. Fenty Beauty gets a mention, the whistle register is beyond amazing, and #thankunext is probably slowing social media down.
Ariana Grande breaks records like she makes them. While her relationship with Pete Davidson didn't last long, it clocks in with a record of its own. 24 days of dating was all Ari seemed to need before getting engaged, although we all saw how that ended back in October 2018.
Thank U, Next wouldn't have happened without Pete. While Sweetener had an entire track dedicated to Ari's then-boyfriend, the music Ariana is making in 2019 is taking a different turn. "I'm so [… ] grateful for my ex" is probably the most famous line from "Thank U, Next."
The relationship didn't just launch a track (or an album). It basically redefined the way we talk. "7 Rings" made "lashes and diamonds, ATM machines" our new #Goals, but love will always be at the root of Ariana's music.
This girl might not come with a dating portfolio on Leonardo DiCaprio's level, but she's had her fair share of relationships. At 25, Ariana is currently single. The footprint of exes is there, though. No, it isn't just Pete. It's time for a definitive timeline. Here are all of Ariana's exes (with or without the "Thank U, Next").
20 "Thought I'd End Up With Sean, But He Wasn't A Match"
Raw, honest and 100% getting to business, the opening line of "Thank U, Next" starts with a pretty brave move. Listing your exes and how you feel about them is a giant enough deal in the real world- that's without the whole planet watching.
Ariana dated Big Sean in 2015. The #Couple debut was made at the 2015 Grammy's appearance. The relationship didn't last long, though.
Hot New Hip Hop records fans asking who "Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored" is about. Was it about Big Sean? In any case, E! reported that they "both care deeply for each other" following their 2015 split.
19 "Wrote Some Songs About Ricky, Now I Look Back And Laugh"
Probably the closest thing you'll get from Ari in terms of shade. This line from "Thank U, Next" isn't necessarily dissing her ex, Ricky Alvarez, though. As The Daily Mail reports,
Ari apologized for throwing Ricky the "worst" line in the song.
2015-2016 was the timeframe for this relationship. One year older than Ariana, Ricky was Ari's backup dancer (but things moved forward fast). Ricky found himself filmed during Ari's (mostly-forgotten) doughnut incident, and Seventeen suggests that "Moonlight," "True Love" and "Forever Boy" were all about Ricky. It wasn't meant to be, and the couple split in 2016.
18 We'd Be Doing A Bad Job If We Didn't Mention Pete
Ariana's whirlwind engagement to Pete Davidson was all anyone could talk about for the second half of 2018. It all came to an abrupt end in October 2018. These two met on SNL, where Vogue quotes Ari's words to her manager at the time:
"I'm not a crushy person - like I don't have crushes on people, I don't know - but I left and I, like, jokingly said to my tour manager, 'I'm marrying him. 100 percent. I'm literally marrying him.'”
Ari and Pete went from dating to engaged in just 24 days. Then it fell apart. On the plus side, we got "Thank U, Next."
17 Back To Basics, Though: 2008 Was Graham Phillips
It's looking at pics like these that remind us just how much Ariana has changed. A teeny-bopping sweetheart was the vibe back in the day, although at 25, Ari is now all grown up. 2008 marked the start of a three-year relationship with Graham Phillips, Pop Sugar reports.
They met on the set of Broadway musical, 13. As Style Caster chronicles, Ari and Graham were friends for about a year before taking things to the next level.
Three years is pretty good going when you're that young. The couple called time on their relationship "amicably," as the media outlet states. Onto the next guy, right?
16 Jordan Viscomi (2011): A "[Really Bad] Breakup"
Quite how a pic this cute wound up with a quote that sad, we aren't sure. Then again, hands up who saw pics of Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan (or Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie) and thought it would totally last. 2011 was the year Pop Sugar reports Ari dating her Victorious backup dancer, Jordan Viscomi.
"I was crying through hair and makeup, like I couldn't even pull myself together." Ari said her "heart was broken and shattered."
Speaking to Just Jared in 2011, Ari made it clear that this short-lived relationship had hit her hard. Jordan doesn't get a mention on "Thank U, Next," but he's still part of the timeline.
15 Jai Brooks (2012): When The Guy Throws Out Stories, He Isn't On "Thank U, Next"
2012 marks the Jai Brooks era. As Floor 8 reports, Jai and his twin brother "competed" for Ari's attention- clearly, Jai won. For the girl whose lyrics claim: "They say I move on too fast," we'll give Ari a break, here. Jai and Ari were an item for two years.
Long-distance and Skype calls formed part of this unusual relationship, although if you're looking for familiar territory, you might relate to how it ended.
As Style Caster reports, Jai threw out rumours that Ari wasn't fully committed to the relationship (and he was pretty open about it). They called it quits. Big surprise, this guy doesn't feature on Ari's tracks.
14 Although Calling Ari "A Contest" Isn't Cool, Either
There's a side to Pete Davidson that's throwing us a lot of question marks. With some pretty outlandish comments on his masculinity, Pete hasn't held back since dating Ari, although it looks like the attitude was there all along. As NME reports:
“It's [… ] lit, Jimmy. I feel like I won a contest.” Um, you date the girl. You don't own her. #Thoughts?
Pete was still engaged to Ariana when he appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in June 2018. The lovebirds had already moved into their shared $16 million apartment and everything seemed rosy. Maybe next time, hold back on the "contest," Pete?
13 Nathan Sykes (2013): Puppy Love
She's cute as a button, right? 2013 seems a million years ago. There wasn't much of a ponytail and there certainly weren't any over-the-knee boots, but there was a guy. British singer Nathan Sykes was Ari's man for the year, as Seventeen reports.
"I saw him in March on a red carpet, and we locked eyes with each other all night. I thought, he was cute as hell."
Speaking about their relationship, Ari corrected herself on when they actually got together. "No, actually we didn't really start talking until we met again at Justin Bieber's tour in August,” she said, as Seventeen reports. The relationship was over in a matter of months, though.
12 Mac Miller (2016): "I Got A Bad Boy, Must Admit It"
No words for how much this hurts- seeing pics of Ariana and Mac Miller isn't just a reminder of their relationship. It's a reminder that 2018 saw us (and Ariana) lose Mac. Here they are performing at One Love Manchester.
"The Way" is the collaboration track that sees Ari admit: "I got a bad boy, I must admit it, You got my heart, don't know how you did it." While Mac had a touch of the bad boy vibe, everyone knew he was a softie underneath.
Ariana and Mac dated from 2016 to May 2018. "miss u" was Ari's recent Tweet on what would have been Mac's 27th birthday.
11 "Wish I Could Say Thank You To Malcolm, Cause He Was An Angel"
When Ariana nails a lyric, she really nails it. "Wish I could say thank you to Malcolm, cause he was an angel" is probably the most touching line from "Thank U, Next." The news of Mac's loss seemed to shake Ari to the core, and nobody's forgotten it.
"i adored you from the day i met you when i was nineteen and i always will. i can't believe you aren't here anymore. i really can't wrap my head around it."
In a powerful and heartfelt IG post following Mac's loss, Ari shared her thoughts. She added, "I hope you're okay now. rest."
10 Current Status: #Single, "Most Stable Part Of My 20s"
If anything sums up Ariana Grande right now, it's stable. Following the release of Thank U, Next, Ari updated her IG with a string of celebratory pics. It's friends galore, big smiles and clearly the fact that she's having the time of her life.
"Most stable part of my 20s" was Ariana's caption to an IG pic of herself in December 2018. #Single is how this girl now rolls, and not one of those "7 Rings" involved a guy.
Stability isn't easy to pull off after a major breakup. Most celebs hide out. This girl hasn't got time for moping, though. She's got way too much to live for.
9 Pete Davidson: "Six Beanbags And No Forks," They Weren't Ready At All
Zooming a million miles an hour is how we watched Ari and Pete in 2018. The trainwreck had to come. As the relationship fell apart and fans wondered why, details emerged. TMZ reported:
A "hollow" relationship. They never made any plans to prepare for a future wedding. Pete told GQ: "It's like, we have six beanbags, but we have no forks - you know what I mean?"
Yes, we do. But also, no. A relationship between two adults does involve some responsibility. While the love seemed to be solid between these two, the reality of what they were getting into seemed much less certain.
8 Big Sean: Released "Big Mistake" Together, But They're Cool
There's a tenderness to watching Big Sean and Ariana perform "Big Mistake" live. Given how childish celebs twice their age can be about breakups, this former couple's vibe is nothing short of inspiring.
"Ariana and Big Sean have had a great relationship and they are still very close friends and will remain in each other's lives," E! News reported back in 2015, calling the status "amicable."
Of course, fans are already going nuts over whether or not "break up with your girlfriend, I'm bored" on Thank U, Next is about Big Sean. Come to think of it, a lot of those tracks need decoding.
7 "Now I Listen And Laugh": Ricky Posted A Reaction
Yes, Ariana has apologized to Ricky Alvarez for allocating him the "worst" line on "Thank U, Next." Saying that you "look back and laugh" on your relationship with a guy is a touch insensitive, and Ricky clearly had a reaction.
In an IG story that is quite possibly the best #Reaction ever, Ricky basically listens to the lyrics and just throws us the biggest "what?"
Watch it for yourself. Aside from this lyric, Ariana has steered clear of pulling a "Barbie Dreams" when it comes to her exes. Each to their own, but you've got to admit, this one must have stung.
6 "And For Pete, I'm So Thankful," She's No Nicki Minaj
We've yet to hear a bad word from Ariana about Pete. Bear in mind the power this girl has. One bad word on The Ellen Show could ruin this guy's career, but dissing the ex isn't Ari's style. That arena is more than covered by Nicki Minaj.
"Even almost got married, And for Pete, I'm so thankful." R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
As E! News reports, Ari's post-split IG message kept Pete out of it. "It's very sad and we're all tryin very hard to keep goin. love u. and thank u for bein here always." Bonus points for thanking the fans. No wonder they're called Arianators.
5 "7 Rings," Six Girlfriends, The #Squad Is Important
"Wearing a ring, but ain't gon' be no "Mrs," Bought matching diamonds for six of my [… ], I'd rather spoil all my friends with my riches." Can we be your friend, Ari? We're still squinting from all the pink in "7 Rings," but the video was amazing.
"Me and my friends went to Tiffany's together, just because we needed some retail therapy. We bought seven engagement rings, and when I got back to the studio I gave everybody a friendship ring."
Speaking to Billboard, Ariana made it pretty clear. There might be seven of them, but not a single one of those rings is for a guy. Besties all the way.
4 When Nonna Gets A Tattoo At 93, She Gets A Mention
Okay, so this is beyond awesome. If your grandma is more into knitting and china teacups, you might want to show her this pic. Ari isn't short on the ink, but she equally didn't miss out on the chance to get her 93-year-old grandma to join in.
"Nonna got a tattoo- sick" was Ari's take. Cosmo called Nonna "the baddest grandma on the block."
As The Daily Mail reports, Ari's split paved the way for a moon and stars hand tattoo, while Nonna got her husband's name, "Ciccio," inked on her finger. This lady gets a mention just for that.
3 Ariana "Isn't Bothered" By Pete Davidson And Kate Beckinsale, #BrandNew
Newsflash- Pete Davidson is dating Kate Beckinsale. Admittedly, it's not one we saw coming. At 45, Kate Beckinsale is a fair bit older than Pete's 25 years, but age doesn't seem to be a problem.
This #BrandNew couple hit us in February 2019. “They're planning a holiday to get away from the cameras and get to know each other better," Cosmopolitan reports.
Ironically, it was Ariana's "so cute" reaction that made more headlines than the actual relationship. While that's all Ari has said, we've seen pics of Kate and Pete holding hands. She's ducking the cameras, but he isn't (big surprise).
2 And Nobody Really Cares About Pete's Personal Comments (#GrowUp)
"Eighth grade." Great choice of tees, Pete. At 25 years old, Pete is a grown up. The man has a respectful and prestigious SNL career, he earns his cash and we'll admit, he's got a lot of charm.
At the same time, there is a side to Pete that most girls probably wish wasn't there. Pete doesn't hold back when it comes to commenting on himself. With a pretty #Adult nature, they make for massive headlines, but let's remember the girls, here?
If you comment on yourself in that way, it's bound to factor the ex-girlfriend in. Ariana has stayed away from responding. Well, someone has to be the grown up.
1 "Who Is Ariana Dating Now?" Her Reply: "For The Rest Of This Year, My Life"
If you want something to smile at, picture the number of guys currently Googling "Is Ariana Grande single?" The answer is yes. What the guy won't have bothered to research? What her intentions are.
Ari has made it pretty clear who she's dating right now- “Spoiler[:] for the rest of this year/probably my life: it's no one,"
Capital Xtra reports her saying. After the string of guys we've seen here, we're pretty okay with that. Well, that's unless the absolute, perfect guy is right around the corner and Ariana bumps into him during her daily Starbucks run. Well, now you have it. More guys that we thought, right?
