Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater have quietly split after three years of dating, Page Six has confirmed.
“Ariana and Ethan broke up a few months ago but have remained friends ever since and have nothing but respect and admiration for each other,” a source said on Monday. “This was not a decision they made lightly, but they realized they were better off as friends than in a committed relationship.”
The source added: “Ariana is truly happy and focused on her next chapter: the Eternal Sunshine tour and the release of her album Petal.”
TMZ was first to report the news.
The newspaper also reported that Grande’s new album, scheduled for release on July 31st, was not inspired by her breakup or her relationship with Slater.
Grande, 32, and Slater, 34, met on the set of “Wicked.” Both were married at the time, Ms. Grande to her ex-husband, Dalton Gomez, and Mr. Slater to his high school sweetheart and estranged wife, Lily Jay. Slater and Jay have a 3-year-old son, Ezra.
In June 2023, Slater’s ex-wife exposed Grande on Page Six after her romance with Slater was reported.
“[Ariana’s]story, really. It’s not a girl’s girl,” Jay exclusively told Page Six. “My family is just collateral damage.”
However, a source told Page Six at the time that Grande and Slater “did nothing wrong.”
“[Jay]is understandably upset about the breakup of his marriage, but Ariana and Ethan have done nothing wrong,” the source said, adding that Slater had been separated from Jay for two months prior to his relationship with Grande.
Grande and Slater have kept their romance mostly private over the past three years, but Slater shared an intimate photo of Grande celebrating the holidays at home in December.
Grande seems to be accepting her single status well.
The pop star kicked off her long-awaited “Eternal Sunshine” tour Saturday at Oakland Arena in Oakland, Calif., and playfully referenced her divorce while singing her 2019 hit “Thank U Next.” The song is a famous song about ex-girlfriends including Pete Davidson, Big Sean, and the late Mac Miller.
Lyrics include, “One day I’ll walk down the aisle / Holding hands with my mama…I just want to do it once, really bad / Gon’s gonna make it the last time.”
After singing “I Just Want to Do It Once, I Really Bad,” Grande jokingly held up two fingers and laughed, seemingly referring to her openness to remarrying after her first marriage to Gomez didn’t work out.
