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Ariana Grande Reveals Exes Big Sean and Ricky Alvarez Heard ‘Thank U, Next’ Before It Was Released

Ariana Grande, Big Sean, Ricky Alvarez, Thank U Next, Single
Ariana Grande, Big Sean and Ricky AlvarezTheo Wargo/Getty Images for Huffington Post; Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for PUMA; Jun Sato/GC Images

Courtesy and class. Ariana Grande revealed to her fans that she gave her ex-boyfriends Big Sean and Ricky Alvarez a heads up before name-dropping them in her new song, “Thank U, Next.”

Related: Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson: The Way They Were

One fan tweeted, “Sean and ricky hearing they names in thank u next,” along with a confused GIF on Saturday, November 3, not long after the song’s release.

Grande, 25, cleared up any hint of ill will when she replied: “They heard it before it came out,” along with a black heart emoji.

Related: Song Lyrics Inspired by Celebrity Breakups

The pop star references several of her exes, including Pete Davidson and the late Mac Miller, on the new track. The lyrics read, “Thought I’d end up with Sean / But he wasn’t a match / Wrote songs about Ricky / Now I listen and laugh / Even almost got married / And for Pete, I’m so thankful / Wish I could say ‘thank you’ to Malcolm / ‘Cause he was an angel.”

Grande and Big Sean, 30, split in April 2015 after eight months of dating, with a source citing conflicting tour schedules as their reason for parting ways at the time.

Related: Celebrities Who Got Tattoos for Love

The “Breathin’” singer was linked to backup dancer Alvarez, 26, in July 2015. The two broke up one year later.

Davidson, 24, spoke out about his breakup from the Scream Queens alum on Saturday Night Live a mere hour after his ex-fiancée released “Thank U, Next.” After joking that he had to move back in with his mother, the comedian got more serious. “I know some of you are curious about the breakup, but the truth is, it’s nobody’s business, and sometimes things just don’t work out, and that’s OK,” he told viewers. “She’s a wonderful, strong person, and I genuinely wish her all the happiness in the world.”

Us Weekly confirmed on October 14 that the Saturday Night Live star and Grande had broken off their engagement after four months. The split occurred in the wake of Miller’s death at age 26 from a suspected overdose on September 7. The rapper and the “God Is a Woman” singer parted ways in May, shortly before she began dating Davidson.

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