The couple quietly ended their relationship months ago, sources tell Page Six — just as Grande launches her first tour in seven years and prepares a new album.

A Quiet Ending to a High-Profile Romance

Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater have parted ways after a relationship that lasted nearly three years, according to a Page Six report published Tuesday. Those familiar with the situation said the breakup had already taken place several months before it became public, with both parties choosing to handle the separation privately rather than through public statements or social media.

People close to the couple described the split as considered rather than abrupt — a mutual decision reached respectfully, with both individuals reportedly still holding regard for one another.

How They Met: A Wicked Beginning

The pair first crossed paths in 2023 on the set of the film adaptation of Wicked, the long-anticipated musical that put both of them in the public eye in new ways. Grande, already a global pop star, took on a lead role alongside Slater, who came to the production best known for his Tony-nominated performance in SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical.

Their relationship quickly drew intense media attention — partly because both had recently come out of prior commitments. Grande had separated from Dalton Gomez, while Slater had parted from Lilly Jay, with whom he shares a son. Those close to the couple maintained from the start that they had only begun dating after both prior relationships had fully ended.

“They handled it the same way they handled everything — quietly, and with care for each other.”

A Relationship Kept Largely Out of the Spotlight

Unlike many celebrity couples who document their lives extensively online, Grande and Slater kept their relationship relatively private. They made occasional public appearances and offered subdued gestures of support for each other’s work, but avoided the constant social-media visibility that often defines high-profile romances in the entertainment industry.

That low-key approach, Page Six reported, extended to the breakup itself. By the time the story surfaced, sources said the two had already been living separately for some months — a separation that had been managed entirely away from public scrutiny.

Career Focus: Tour and New Album Arrive at a Turning Point

The timing of the split coincides with a significant professional resurgence for Grande. She recently launched the Eternal Sunshine tour — her first headline concert run in seven years — and has spoken openly about the emotional weight of returning to live performance after an extended absence from touring.

Alongside the tour, Page Six reported that Grande is preparing a new studio album titled Petal, currently scheduled for release on July 31. Sources said the record is not built around the breakup, though listeners will likely approach the lyrics with that context in mind.

Where Ethan Slater Stands

Slater, whose profile rose considerably through Wicked’s theatrical and film iterations, has continued to focus on his professional work in stage and screen. While his relationship with Grande brought a level of public scrutiny he had not previously experienced, he has remained active in the industry throughout.

Industry coverage and his public credits point to a performer who has navigated the heightened attention without stepping back from his career.

What It Means: The End of a Chapter

For the many fans who followed this relationship from its origins on the Wicked set, the split marks the close of a chapter that was never straightforward. The couple faced persistent outside speculation from the very beginning — questions about timing, about prior relationships, about the nature of on-set romances under a public spotlight.

What Page Six’s reporting suggests is that both Grande and Slater ultimately chose an exit that reflected how they had conducted the relationship throughout: present but private, and without the public drama that often accompanies the end of celebrity partnerships at this level.

The Bottom Line

According to Page Six, Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater quietly parted ways after nearly three years together. The split arrived as Grande stepped back into the live-music spotlight for the first time in seven years, and as new music approaches — a personal transition that lands in the middle of a significant professional comeback.

Source: Page Six, June 8, 2026