Ariana Grande Changed “Thank U, Next” Lyrics Amid Ethan Slater Breakup

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Ariana Grande is singing a different tune these days.

Just before news of her split from Ethan Slater became public on June 8th, Ariana Grande altered the lyrics to her song “Thank U, Next” during the first show of her Eternal Sunshine tour in Oakland, California. She referenced both her 2023 divorce from Dalton Gomez and the past difficulties in her parents’ relationship.

A video posted on X on June 6th shows Ariana Grande changing the lyrics to her song during a performance. Instead of singing about walking down the aisle with her mother and thanking her father for helping her mom move on from past difficulties, the 32-year-old singer acknowledged how her parents, Joan Grande and Ed Butera, handled their 2002 divorce with grace, singing that they all learned and grew from the experience.

Okay, so after that line – “Only wanna do it once real bad, gonna make that st last” – Ariana didn’t even sing it! She just looked right at us with this amazing, knowing little smirk, held up two fingers, and laughed. It was everything, honestly. Like, she knew exactly what we were all thinking and she was totally playing into it! I swear, it was the most iconic moment of the whole night.

Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez got married in a private ceremony at her home in Montecito, California, in May 2021. They announced their separation in July 2023 and completed their divorce three months after that.

After ending her previous relationship, Ariana Grande started dating Ethan Slater, whom she met while filming the movie Wicked. However, sources revealed to TopMob on June 8th that they had quietly split after almost three years together.

Before Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater separated, she had openly discussed the challenges they experienced during their relationship. A key issue was both of them insisting their romance didn’t begin until after their respective divorces were finalized. Slater’s divorce from Lily Jay concluded in 2024, and they share a son together.

Grande told Vanity Fair in 2024 that dealing with negative press from unreliable tabloids never gets easier. She also mentioned that both she and many of the people working on the movie were going through personal changes during filming.

She strongly defended Slater, saying the tabloids painted a completely false picture of him. She explained that he consistently goes above and beyond for the people he cares about and has a genuinely good heart, something the tabloids couldn’t diminish, no matter what they wrote.

For a look back at Grande and Slater’s relationship, keep reading.

Okay, so I’ve been totally following Ariana and Ethan since they met on the Wicked set, and apparently, a source spilled that they started dating back in July 2023! But get this – I was stalking (researching, obviously!) and saw that Ariana liked a post about Ethan landing a role in Spamalot on Broadway in September. It was such a small thing, but it basically confirmed everything! I knew they were meant to be! It’s the cutest, and I’m living for it.

Later that month, the pair were spotted together for the first time at Disney World – a place Ariana Grande loves. Photos published by TMZ showed them walking hand-in-hand through the Florida theme park.

According to a source familiar with Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater’s relationship, they recently spent time with a large group of friends and family – including Grande’s mother and brother – and seem very happy together, bringing out the best in each other.

Photos obtained by TMZ show the two actors displaying some affectionate behavior during a dinner date in New York City. Shortly after, Ariana Grande attended a preview performance of Spamalot on Broadway to support her costar, who played the roles of The Historian and Prince Herbert.

Ariana Grande was all smiles as she left the St. James Theater with friends, wearing a paper crown she received at the show and holding onto her Playbill.

Ariana Grande went to the opening night of Spamalot and shared photos from the evening on Instagram. She wore a stylish black dress with sheer black gloves and carried a Spamalot cup. Her post also included a shout-out to the cast, including Slater, wishing them a happy opening night on Broadway.

Ariana Grande shared a peek at her holiday decorations on Instagram in December 2023, posting a photo of a Christmas tree that included a unique ornament: a Spam can. Fans immediately noticed the connection to her then-boyfriend, Ethan Slater, who was starring in the Broadway musical Spamalot – a show famously based on the Monty Python film and referencing Spam.

On Dec. 23, 2023, the couple stepped out with Grande’s father Ed Butera for dinner in New York City. 

I was so excited when Ariana hinted at new music that same month, and then she officially announced Eternal Sunshine early in 2024! While she hasn’t said the songs are about Ethan Slater, a lot of us fans noticed something really cute – the album’s initials, E.S., are the same as his! It feels like a sweet little nod to their relationship, whether it was intentional or just a happy coincidence.

Okay, so it was March 2024 when things were officially over between Ariana and Dalton – it was so sad, but she deserves happiness! Then, thank goodness, over the summer, her brother Frankie basically gave his blessing to her new relationship, and honestly, that meant the world to me! It felt like a sign that everything was going to be okay and she was moving on to something amazing. I was so relieved!

“I love him,” Frankie said of Slater in a June 2024 interview with TooFab. “He’s a very sweet guy.”

Shortly after Frankie’s interview was published, Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater were seen together at the 2024 Stanley Cup Final in Florida. This was their most public appearance as a couple since they began dating.

Ariana Grande publicly discussed her relationship with Ethan Slater for the first time in a September 2024 interview with Vanity Fair. She clarified that their romance didn’t begin until after both were separated from their previous partners, addressing rumors about the timing of their relationship.

She admitted it hasn’t gotten any easier dealing with the negative press from unreliable tabloids. She also shared that she and many of her colleagues experienced significant personal changes while making the film.

Grande went on to defend Slater against any negativity thrown at him. 

Grande strongly defended the person being portrayed in the tabloids, stating the depiction was completely inaccurate. She explained that he consistently goes above and beyond for those he cares about, always putting others first. According to Grande, he has an incredibly kind heart, and no negative press could ever change that.

That same month, Slater finalized his divorce with ex Lilly Jay—with whom he shares a young son. 

Just a month after publicly backing Ariana Grande’s hosting appearance on Saturday Night Live in October 2024, Ethan Slater finally spoke about their relationship and the attention it’s been receiving.

In an October 2024 interview with GQ, Slater described falling in love with Grande while filming Wicked as “an amazing year and a really beautiful thing.” He expressed his excitement and pride in her dedication to the film, saying she’s “poured herself into it.”

Even so, Slater confessed it was hard to regain people’s approval while they held onto their old notes and writing tools.

Honestly, it just killed me watching everyone dissect their personal lives! It felt so intrusive, like everyone had a right to an opinion on things they knew absolutely nothing about. They were going through huge changes, really private stuff, and it was just awful seeing strangers comment on it all. It felt so unfair and… just wrong, you know?

He managed to tune out most of the distractions. When asked about Ariana Grande’s song, rumored to be inspired by him, called “Imperfect For You,” he simply said, “I love that song.”

During a quick visit to Sydney, Australia, stars of the musical Wicked, Natalie Grosso and Alex Newell, showed their closeness by hugging at a press event.

On June 8, a source told TopMob News the pair had “broken up after nearly three years together.”

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2026-06-09 03:17