What Ariana Grande’s Brother Frankie Has Said About Her Boyfriends
Singer Ariana Grande has one man in her life who’s been there for her since the very beginning. Though she was estranged from her father, Ed Butera, for some time, she’s always been close to her big brother, performer Frankie Grande, supporting his showbiz dreams alongside her own.
Ariana and Frankie may be many years apart in age, but that doesn’t stop her from talking to him about her high-profile relationships. Here’s what Frankie has said about Ariana’s past boyfriends — including the one who had the most significant impact on his life.
Dalton Gomez
As of July 2020, Ariana is in a relationship with realtor Dalton Gomez. They were first rumored to be dating earlier in the year and then began sheltering-in-place together during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Though Ariana hasn’t spoken about him outright, she made it official in her “Stuck with U” music video and her birthday Instagram shots (above).
In an interview with CHANNEL Q’s The Morning Beat, Frankie was asked how he feels about Gomez. He didn’t say much about the real estate agent, but did say he and Ariana are “the most interested in each other’s happiness.” Frankie continued, “It’s just unconditional love and unconditional support, and that’s kind of the way we’ve always been with each other.”
Mikey Foster
Before Ariana and Gomez got together, she spent more than a year single. However, during this time, rumors began to spread that she was dating Mikey Foster of Social House, who opened for Grande during her Sweetener Tour. When they collaborated on the song “Boyfriend,” fans were convinced it was an autobiographical message.
After teasing that Mikey and Ariana accompanied him and his boyfriend, Hale Leon, on a double date, Frankie clarified his statement. He told Us Weekly, “Ariana and Mikey Foster are not in a relationship, she is single. and my comments about our recent hang as friends were not meant to be taken literally.”
Pete Davidson
What led to Ariana’s hiatus from dating was, in part, her split from comedian Pete Davidson. The two were first linked in May 2018, getting engaged the next month. They stayed together through the summer but broke up in October 2018. Naturally, Frankie was asked to comment on their relationship both during and after.
At the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards, which Ariana and Davidson attended together, Frankie gushed about his “new brother.” He told Billboard of the engagement announcement, “I was so overwhelmed with her happiness, and it just washed over me.” Grande added he loved Davidson “because he’s so chill, and he adores her.”
Mac Miller
Ariana’s longest relationship to date was with artist Mac Miller. They began dating in 2016 and called things off sometime before she and Davidson got together in 2018. Miller passed away following an overdose in September 2018. And of all of his sister’s boyfriend, Frankie had the most touching things to say about Miller.
In a heartfelt Instagram post after Miller’s death, Frankie wrote, “I am beyond heartbroken over Malcolm’s death. He was a good friend and was wonderful to my sister.” Frankie wrote that Miller “was the reason” he went to rehab, saying that the rapper was “there with a gift and a card and words of encouragement,” through his early days of sobriety.
