Ariana Grande‘s new hit song “Thank U, Next” didn’t come as a surprise to her ex-boyfriends because she let them hear it first. And Grande now has an out of control meme on her hands.
“Thank U, Next” is essentially a song that has Grande going down the list of her most recent high-profile ex-boyfriends. She’s had a tough run to say the least. “Thought I’d end up with Sean / But he wasn’t a match / Wrote 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,” Grande sings in the self-love anthem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OeR5XBEahU
According to Page Six, one of these things is not like the other. While even Davidson, who Grande was seemingly subtweeting four days ago, was portrayed in a positive light, this “Ricky” got a real bum deal. The lyrics in question are about former backup dancer Ricky Alvarez, but most of the fans on Twitter totally forgot that was even a thing.
Can sum1 tell me who @ArianaGrande’s ex ‘Ricky’ is ? #thankunext
— louisa cash (@LouisaCash) November 5, 2018
BUT MY QUESTION IS WHO THE HELL IS RICKY?!?! DID I MISS SOMETHING #ThankUNextTonight @ArianaGrande
— Bree⁷ (@IiIbiscuitboy) November 4, 2018
but who is ricky @ArianaGrande
— leslie methyd (@lesli_xcx) November 4, 2018
Grande and Alvarez dated for a little over a year back in 2015 to 2016 after he began dancing for her in 2014. According to Refinery29, people started buzzing about their relationship when they kissed on stage during the 2015 Pride festival.
https://www.instagram.com/p/_BDm4Ur-6h/
https://www.instagram.com/p/xxacDXL-2R/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading
Alvarez is a professional backup dancer who rose to fame performing alongside pop superstar Ariana Grande since April 2014. He gained further attention after the two began dating in 2015.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bmlpf5Yge1r/
In 2015, Grande and a few of her friends, including then-boyfriend Alvarez saddled up to a donut shop where the camera caught them licking the donuts. Although it was all pretty immature and silly, it was still part of Alvarez’s 15 minutes of fame nonetheless.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3E2oirmkjOk
While Alvarez and Grande broke up in 2016 for unknown reasons, it’s speculated that songs “Moonlight,” “True Love,” and “Forever Boy” are about their relationship. Of course, those are also the songs Grande now “listens and laughs” about, but it’s all good since she reportedly let Alvarez and other mentioned-ex Big Sean hear the single before it was released.
they heard it before it came out 🖤 🙂
— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) November 4, 2018
Alvarez still keeps some photos of him and Grande on his Instagram, although only the photos when he was dancing for her remain. Some fans even say they wish the two could be reunited.
https://www.instagram.com/p/xKh7WYr-x-/
Some even apply Grande’s new “Thank U, Next” meme to those photos.
https://www.instagram.com/p/uzgWYer-yl/
Alvarez is also a talented photographer. He often showcases his skills on his Instagram account where he has accumulated more than 220,000 fans.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bfgh1wggQSo/
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bm61_S8AxN7/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BlytQOwgJkp/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BRKlCRzgeAT/
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bjn6N3Kgw7c/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BWotfl2A_gM/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BUtY61JgsVP/
If you want to keep updated of what Alvarez is up to next, or just want to see his photos, you can find everything on his Instagram @rickyrozay. He also has another Instagram account @allthingsmean as his photo gallery.