After a whirlwind romance full of cheating allegations, scorned exes, and nonstop jokes, Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater’s relationship has come to an end. The confirmation comes after there were rumors of a split in 2025.
The couple has been under a microscope since their relationship started in 2023 because of all the messy details that came with it. According to TMZ, they quietly ended their relationship after carefully considering their future.
Sources told the outlet the split was amicable and that the two remain supportive friends. As for when the split happened, they noted it’s been “several months.”
Months of speculation
© Jamie McCarthyThe news doesn’t come as a complete surprise. Rumors that there was trouble in paradise have been swirling since late 2025. Throughout the Wicked: For Good press tour, fans analyzed everything from red carpet appearances to interviews, searching for clues.
When Slater appeared on Today in November 2025, he was asked what it was like working with his girlfriend every day, and shifted the conversation to praising the cast as a whole. This only added fuel to the rumors.
© GettyAt the time, sources shut it down, telling TMZ and PEOPLE that the relationship was still strong, and they were supporting each other throughout the massive Wicked rollout.
In a somewhat hilarious thing to note, TMZ reported that her upcoming album was not inspired by the breakup and that the songs are not about Ethan.
© ElsaBut considering that’s where most artists get their inspiration, people are definitely dissecting lyrics. In “hate that i made you love me,” Grande sings about moving on, seeing through someone’s insecurities, and finding her way away from a relationship.
The title is enough to spark speculation, considering the drama that followed him and the fact that he had a baby under 1 years on in the mix when his marriage ended. Lines like “got good at goodbyes” and “I will find my way from you” have already sparked countless theories.
Drama from the start
© GettyGrande and Slate spent most of their relationship trying to avoid public attention altogether because their romance was controversial from the beginning.
The two met while filming Wicked in 2022 while both were still married. By the summer of 2023, Grande had separated from Dalton Gomez, while Slater had filed for divorce from his wife, Lilly Jay.
The relationship quickly became one of the most talked-about celebrity stories of the year, generating endless headlines and intense scrutiny.
Jay later spoke publicly about the situation, saying her family had become “collateral damage” amid the media frenzy. “, “[Ariana’s] the story, really. Not a girl’s girl,” she told Page Six, a line that immediately went viral.
The clinical psychologist in perinatal mental health & child development went on to pen an essay for The Cut, where she shared her story and how the public spectacle impacted her. “I really never thought I would get divorced. Especially not just after giving birth to my first child, and especially not in the shadow of my husband’s new relationship with a celebrity.”
Grande eventually addressed the criticism herself, telling Vanity Fair, “The most disappointing part was to see so many people believe the worst version of it.” That was definitely a tough ride.”
As for Gomez, he reportedly got a tax-free payment of $1,250,000 “in lieu of any spousal support payments being due.” Privacy was also at the center; he hasn’t spoken about their relationship. They agreed not to “release, disclosure or publication of any photograph (and related negatives), tape, film or like embodiments in all forms whether now or hereafter created or other record or recording of any aspect of any activity in or about any home, office or other property owned.”
The news comes as she embarked on her 2026 The Eternal Sunshine Tour.
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