Why Ariana Grande's love story with Ethan Slater is crumbling

Ariana Grande and Broadway star Ethan Slater’s romance is reportedly over, as per some sources. Grande,31 and Slater, 32 met in 2019 while working on the film Wicked, where Grande takes the role of Glinda. 

Their relationship blossomed seemingly out of nowhere, but now, the romance is reportedly over.

There has always been controversy surrounding their relationship. Slater, who is married to Lilly Jay and is the parent of a newborn, took Grande on a date in 2023 before the divorce was finalized. Grande has always been in the headlines lately, which has fueled speculation of timeline manipulation.

Initially, the couple appeared to have undying chemistry, accompanying one another to several events and, as the couple stated, reserved most of their off time to one another.

According to Page Six and Daily Mail, the couple’s apparent closeness resulted, to an extent, on the unrelenting pressure from the media.

Grande’s schedule barely allowed time for any form of personal life with Slater, as the Broadway adaptation of Wicked is only one of the projects lined for the artist, after the release of the seventh studio album, which is only expected to build on the success of the previous hits, “7 Rings” and “No Tears Left to Cry.”

Slater, on the other hand, had to deal with the sudden, overwhelming fame which is wholly different from the Broadway bubble he was used to.

People's responses on social media have been mixed. Fans on X (previously Twitter) argued whether or not the relationship was doomed from the start. One user said, “It felt like a rebound that got too messy,” while another user countered, “Ariana deserves someone who can handle her spotlight.”

While there is a silence regarding the end of the relationship from both Grande and Slater, the People magazine cover showed that there was still no comment from the representatives of either.

Those close to the situation have suggested, however, that Wicked will be hitting theatres in 2025 and that Ariana Grande is starting to concentrate on her music and other unfinished business.