Inside Ariana Grande’s murky relationship history as Lilly Jay breaks her silence on Ethan Slater split

Ariana Grande was thrust into the limelight when she was just a teenager, with fans immediately becoming enthralled with every dirty detail of her life. 

After becoming a household name due to her performances in Nickelodeon’s hit TV show Victorious, the 31-year-old star turned her attention to the stage as she began busting out a slew of attention-grabbing hits that all had the same source of inspiration: her ex-lovers. 

However, the Thank U, Next hitmaker’s candid nature is seemingly coming back to haunt her as she has once again come under fire for her controversial romance with Ethan Slater, 32, whom she met while on the set of the Wicked movie.

Although it seemed like love at first sight when the popstar and actor locked eyes behind the scenes of the film, which sees Ariana starring as Glinda the good witch and Ethan playing the role of munchkin Boq, there was just one issue with their budding romance – Ethan was married to psychologist Lilly Jay. 

Despite being married to and sharing a child with the 32-year-old, it didn’t seem like anything or anyone could stand in the way of Ethan and Ariana’s relationship as insiders previously told DailyMail.com that the Hollywood heavyweights were ‘all over each other’ during filming. 

As their love for each other blossomed, Lilly watched her marriage crumble as she attempted to dodge the glaring eyes on her shrinking romance. 

Following a bitter divorce, Ethan and Ariana went public with their shocking relationship and didn’t pay any mind to the comments branding Ariana a ‘homewrecker’ as they showed off their PDA-riddled romance as Wicked hit theaters. 

After sparks between the actors flew on the big screen, Lilly admitted that she found it heart-wrenching to be reminded of her divorce everywhere she turned, as she branded the time after her breakup the ‘saddest days of my life.’ 

On Thursday, Lilly – who is bringing up their young son – confessed that she has been unable to ‘escape’ the ‘darkness’ of watching her ex fall in love with another woman in the hit film. 

She revealed her grief at having to witness her ex-husband promote Wicked around the world with the woman he left her for, branding it a very painful reminder of the ‘public downfall of my marriage’. 

Lilly – who became entangled in a whirlwind romance with Ethan in high school – moved to Britain to ‘support’ her spouse as he filmed Wicked. 

Although she stood by her hubby, his wandering eye soon got the best of him as he then left her for The Boy Is Mine songstress.  

‘I confidently moved to another country with my two-month-old baby and my husband to support his career’, Lilly wrote. ‘Consumed by the magic and mundanity of new motherhood, I didn’t understand the growing distance between us.’

In an explosive essay for The Cut, the clinical psychologist, who shares a two-year-old son with Slater, reflected on navigating life as a single mother and the end of their six-year marriage.

She admitted there are ‘days when I can’t escape the promotion of a movie associated with the saddest days of my life are darker’. Lily also said that as she rocks their son to sleep for ‘countless hours’ she is also trying to ‘accept the sudden public downfall of my marriage.’

‘No one gets married thinking they’ll get divorced, in the same way, we don’t board a plane expecting to crash’, she said.

In another slight on her ex and his new lover, she added: ‘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.’

As Lilly opened up about her overwhelming emotions surrounding her headline-making divorce, fans took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to throw fierce backlash at Ariana.

One fan branded the star: ‘Homewrecker of the century.’ 

Another follower wrote: ‘Sometimes it’s okay to admit that Ariana wasn’t forced to do any of that. she’s a grown woman who willingly took part in wrecking someone’s marriage.’

‘Oh Ariana homewrecker Grande, they will never make you love me, disgusting,’ someone else commented.

One user added: ‘So Ariana really did wreck a home and left the mother of a newborn feeling depressed & lonely after all. but Arianators told me it was all fake.

As the singer’s followers became more furious with her actions and began questioning whether this was the first time she had taken another woman’s man, FEMAIL has now lifted the lid on Ariana’s wild dating history that saw her going through her fair share of public heartbreaks. 

Dalton Gomez (2020-2023)

Ariana Grande and ex-husband Dalton Gomez split in January 2023 after two years of marriage.

Insiders revealed that the couple were heading for divorce as it emerged that Ariana had deleted all of the romantic photos of her May 2021 wedding from Instagram.

‘Ariana and Dalton have nothing but respect for one another. They’re still friends and want to remain that way moving forward. 

‘There was no cheating, no resentment between them, the marriage just simply didn’t work out. These things happen, a source close to the couple told DailyMail.com 

A spokesperson for Ariana confirmed the news to DailyMail.com. 

Ariana was then seen ring-less at Wimbledon following a string of outings that saw her ditching the flashy diamond.

The insider revealed that the former lovebirds tried to reconcile, however, they ‘failed.’ 

It was claimed that Dalton had flown to London in January in a last ditch effort to save the pair’s marriage – visiting his wife on the set of Wicked but it ‘didn’t work out’, reported PageSix.

In mid-May 2021, Ariana and Dalton tied the knot at her $6.75 million Montecito home. 

They started dating in January 2020 and made their romance public in her music video Stuck With You, a duet with Justin Bieber.

Five days before Christmas 2020, Ariana revealed she and Dalton got engaged.

They said ‘I do’ in May 2021 in an intimate ceremony in front of 20 guests. 

Pete Davidson (May 2018 – October 2018) 

In 2018, Ariana and comedian Pete Davidson, 31, shocked fans when they revealed they had entered a whirlwind romance, which caused Pete’s fame to soar to new heights. 

The couple wasted no time as the comedian got down on one knew after just weeks of dating. 

However, as rapidly as things began they also fell apart, and the pair broke up in October 2018 after just five months together.

Pete admitted he ‘knew it was over’ after Ariana was left grieving the death of her ex-boyfriend Mac Miller.

Ariana later mentioned Pete in her hit single ‘Thank U, Next’ singing: ‘Even almost got married/ And for Pete I’m so thankful’.

Pete covered up his neck tattoo dedicated to the hitmaker and wished her well during an episode of SNL, saying: ‘She’s a wonderful, strong person, and I genuinely wish her all the happiness in the world’.

Mac Miller (2016 – 2018)

The brunette beauty and the rapper began a loved-up relationship in 2016. 

They parted ways amicably in 2018, just months before he died suddenly.

Mac famously helped Ariana overcome her grief after a terrorist attack at her Manchester concert in May 2017. 

That year, he went back to England with her to put on a defiant performance at a tribute concert she arranged. 

Following their shock split, Ariana took to Instagram to address the public breakup. 

She said: ‘I respect and adore [Malcolm] endlessly and am grateful to have him in my life in any form.’

Ariana then began dating Pete shortly after and the two quickly became engaged, with their romance coming to an abrupt halt when Mac passed away.

Mac, born Malcolm James McCormick, died suddenly later that year on September 7 after an accidental drug overdose aged just 26. 

Ricky Alvarez (2015 – 2016) 

In 2015, Ariana began dating 33-year-old dancer Ricky Alvarez. 

However, after just a year of dating, the couple called it off in 2016.

They were first romantically linked when they were filmed kissing at a bakery in Lake Elsinore, California, where Ariana was also captured on video licking donuts and saying she hates America, an infamous incident that was dubbed ‘Donutgate.’ 

After releasing one of her biggest breakup hits, Thank U, Next, Ricky was shocked to hear what words the singer had to say about him. 

He took to social media to share a video of him reacting the joyful lyric. 

Hearing her sing: ‘Wrote some songs about Ricky / Now I listen and laugh,’ the star looked somewhat confused. 

His clip prompted the singer to chime in as she shared her intention behind the lyric. 

In 2018, Ariana then apologized for giving him the ‘worst line’ in her break-up song.

She responded: ‘HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAH IM SORRY U GOT THE WORST LINE. It was meant v lovingly (sic).’ 

Big Sean (2014 – 2015) 

Ariana and Big Sean began dating in 2014, with the couple quickly becoming overwhelmingly in love with each other. 

The singer constantly gushed over her then-boyfriend, with her previously branding him ‘one of the most amazing men in the whole world’. 

However, their romance was short-lived as they called it off in April 2015. 

Their romance raised eyebrows as fans speculated that Ariana stole Big Sean from his then-girlfriend, Naya Rivera. 

Naya and Big Sean began dating in 2013 and got engaged just months into their romance.

However, their romance ended in April 2014, sparking rumors that Big Sean cheated on Naya with Ariana. 

In 2016, Naya added fuel to rumors as she claimed that she ran into Ariana at Big Sean’s house before they called off the wedding. 

Despite the growing rumors, Big Sean has continued to deny cheating allegations. 

At the time of Big Sean and Ariana’s split she was said to be ‘humiliated’ by his track Stay Down from his album, Dark Sky Paradise. 

In it he rapped about having a ‘million-dollar chick with a billion-dollar p***y’, and Ariana’s beloved grandmother was said to have asked her to explain the lyrics.

They sparked reunion rumors when they were spotted hanging out in 2019, however, they insisted they were just friends. 

In Thank U, Next she referenced her past lover, singing: ‘Thought I’d end up with Sean, but he wasn’t a match’.  

Nathan Sykes (2013-2014)

Ariana and Nathan, 31, were first romantically linked in August 2013 after they recorded the duet Almost Is Never Enough for the Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones soundtrack. 

Just one month later, the pair confirmed their romance on Twitter, now known as X.

Their romance caused controversy when Ariana’s ex-boyfriend, Australian comedian Jai, accused her of cheating on him with Nathan, which she vehemently denied.

She blasted him on Twitter, writing: ‘I guess I shouldn’t be so surprised. You said to me if I didn’t come back to you, you’d make me look bad to the entire world…I’m no longer afraid of you or your lies anymore.’

Ariana and Nathan were spotted several times together, including on a dinner date in London in early November and in late August in New York City.

After just a five months of dating, the singer confirmed that they had split in January 2014, but that they remained on good terms. 

Jai Brooks (2012 – 2013)

Ariana and Jai began dating in August 2012 and called it quits in October 2013. 

Following their breakup, Jai accused the singer of cheating on him with Nathan. 

Jai, along with his brothers Beau and Luke, and their friends Daniel Sahyounie and James Yammouni, shot to fame in 2011 as YouTube pranksters called The Janoskians.

In addition to having their own MTV series and Netflix movie, the boys also toured as a band and at one point sold out London’s Wembley Arena.

However, their popularity eventually started to decline and the group stopped updating their main channel in 2018.

While Jai is still active on social media and YouTube, he largely promotes himself as an artist now and sells his paintings on Instagram.

Graham Phillips (2008 – 2011)

Ariana started dating Graham in 2008 when they starred together in musical 13 on Broadway. 

Graham was born in Laguna Beach, California and has starred in Riverdale, The Good Wife and Blockers.

The couple had a three-year relationship and stayed friendly when they split in 2011, and have been pictured heading out to dinner together as friends in recent years.