Ariana Grande, 33, released her eighth studio album Petal on Thursday with fans immediately dissecting lyrics from the track “bad thing (bunny hop)” as a love letter to her rekindled romance with Ricky Alvarez, 35, her former backup dancer.
On Friday (July 31), the 33-year-old Grammy-winning and Oscar-nominated actress released her highly-anticipated new album Petal, which features the track “bad thing (bunny hop)” that many fans believe is about her rekindled romance with Ricky Alvarez.
In the song, Grande sings, “Yeah, I like your butterflies / The kind you’ve been making with your hands / Yeah, I can see them finally / Can’t believe they’ve been right there.”
The opening hook became a focal point for fan theorists.
Grande then sings, “You know you make a real good boyfriend / In my dreams, and in real life / Meet you by the staircase where we / Fell in love, let’s do it twice,” which is what has fans convinced the song is about Ricky, since they first dated in 2015 and seemingly started dating again in 2026.
After hearing the lyrics to ‘bad things (bunny hop)’ fans instantly began to speculate that she penned it about her boyfriend Ricky Álvarez who she recently started dating again.
Multiple fans flocked to social media with their interpretations.
“OH THIS IS GETTING SERIOUS, can they officially announce their reunion,” one user wrote on X in relation to the latest lyric change, while another added, “ariana said we always find our way back and the entire internet just felt that in their soul ricky arc is writing itself better than any album.”
Some fans have also theorised that ‘bunny hop’ is used in the song title to reference Ariana’s Dangerous Woman era, as she famously wore bunny ears on that album cover and photo promo, and she was dating Ricky at the time.
The tour performances had already hinted at Grande’s feelings for her ex.
Ariana Grande has fuelled speculation that she and former boyfriend Ricky Álvarez have rekindled their romance after changing a well-known lyric during a performance of ‘Thank U, Next’ as new reports suggest the pair are back together but are taking their relationship ‘very slowly’. During her Eternal Sunshine Tour stop at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on Monday, 13 July, Grande surprised fans by singing, ‘Wrote some songs about Ricky, we always find our way back,’ replacing the original lyric, ‘Now I listen and laugh.’
The moment sparked immediate buzz across all platforms.
The moment quickly went viral on social media, with many fans interpreting it as her clearest public nod yet to their renewed romance.
But the Brooklyn show was only the latest shift in her onstage storytelling.
For the June 24 show in Austin back, Ariana changed the lyrics to, “Wrote some songs about Ricky / Now they kinda slap.” One day later, they were seen hanging out together in the Texas city. At the next show on June 26, Ariana changed the lyrics to, “Wrote some songs about Ricky, I know he still got my back.” He was in the audience and standing next to her parents in the VIP section for this show.
Alvarez’s presence at that particular show made fans take notice.
Fans have noticed that each version has become increasingly affectionate, leading many to believe the changes aren’t random. Ricky Alvarez himself was present at one of the earlier concerts in Austin, where he smiled and reacted positively after receiving the onstage shoutout.
Ariana Grande and her former boyfriend, Ricky Alvarez, are officially back together after weeks of rumors that the two were giving it another go according to TMZ. Sources close to the situation tell TMZ Ariana and Ricky, who first dated in 2015 for about a year, are dating, but they are taking things slow.
A source close to the reunited pair addressed the pace of their relationship.
The Eternal Sunshine singer, 33, and her former backup dancer, 35, have reportedly rekindled their romantic connection, a decade after they first broke up; however, a source told People that the pair, who dated for about a year before splitting in 2016, are “taking things very slowly” as they spend more time together.
The insider painted a picture of deep trust between them.
“Ariana has always considered Ricky a friend,” the source said. “She’s not held ill will against him [since their split]. Ricky is dependable, trustworthy and very supportive. Ariana feels she can be herself around Ricky.”
A second source from another outlet weighed in on the cautious approach.
The insider added, “They’re not jumping into anything serious right away, but Ari is happy to have him back in her life.”
The pair have been publicly spotted together in recent weeks.
They’ve been seen hanging out in recent weeks, including a group hang in Texas in June and a Fourth of July celebration with Ariana’s family in Florida.
Ariana and Ricky were spotted in her hometown of Boca Raton, Florida celebrating the July 4 holiday during a break from the tour.
She’s also been making gestures on his Instagram to show affection.
Just days ago, she also went on Ricky’s Instagram page and liked every single one of his posts.
A source pointed out that Alvarez’s loyalty to her family mattered.
“Ricky has remained close with Ariana’s family over the years, and that’s something she really appreciates,” the insider said. “He has also made an effort to show up and support her while she’s on tour, which hasn’t gone unnoticed.”
In the viral moment that first set off reunion rumors, Grande changed her “Thank U, Next” lyrics during a concert performance. Originally, Grande sang, “Wrote some songs about Ricky / Now I listen and laugh,” on the 2018 track that references several of her exes. But as her tour progressed through June and into July, she began shifting the line each night—first to “Now they kinda slap,” then “I know he still got my back,” and finally to “We always find our way back” in Brooklyn. Each iteration grew more affectionate than the last, and fans who had been following the concert setlists noticed the escalating hints of reconciliation. Alvarez was reportedly in the audience for some of these performances, and video clips captured him smiling when he heard the updated lyrics. The changes suggested that Grande was publicly signaling something had shifted in her feelings toward her former flame, and the combination of the tour lyric tweaks, their public outings, and now the new “bad thing (bunny hop)” release has cemented fans’ conviction that the two are giving their relationship another shot after nearly a decade apart.
Ariana is currently on tour, where she has changed certain song lyrics that were about Ricky. The new lyrics are more positive.
Grande’s Eternal Sunshine Tour continues through September in London.