Ethan Slater Shows Support for Ariana Grande’s VMA Wins Amid Relationship Speculation

After winning three MTV Video Music Awards on September 7, Ariana Grande's acceptance speech caught attention on social media when her partner, Ethan Slater, shared it. The post sparked fresh buzz about their relationship status.

At the USB Arena, Grande claimed multiple top prizes for the Brighter Days Ahead film — Video of the Year, Best Pop, and Best Long Form Video. Her Best Pop acceptance speech struck an emotional chord.

"Thank you so much. Oh my God, this is so kind.... I have to start by saying thank you so much to my fans. I'm gonna cry," she said to the crowd, as reported by People. "I love you with every fiber of my being. Thank you, MTV."

Grande walked the red carpet with family — parents Edward Butera and Joan Grande, plus brother Frankie and his spouse Hale Leon. On social media, Slater marked her wins by sharing her acceptance speech on his Instagram story with the simple caption: "Video of the Year" and "Best Pop," as noted in E! News.

The "We Can't Be Friends" hitmaker praised her father's first-time acting role during her speech. "Thank you to my dad, who acted in this video for the first time in his life. He is the best scene partner and dad in the world," she said.

She also credited her team, including Director Christian Breslauer, and the entire village behind creating the music video, from designers to editors to the glam team. "Thank you so much for bringing these songs and this vision to life and articulating them visually in a way that was fanciful and yet specific and vulnerable and yet protective, all at once," Ariana said.

"You are the best in the world. I just want to say these videos that mean so much and define us as artists forever take a village," Grande expressed, concluding her speech by saying, "thank you to my therapist and gay people. I love you."

Grande and Slater's paths first crossed in 2022 while filming the Wicked musical. She took on the role of Glinda, while he played the character Boq. By July 2023, they went public with their romance, each having split from previous partners Dalton Gomez and Lilly Jay.

"She's incredible," Slater shared with E! News in November. "She's not a singer who wants to be an actress or an actress who wants to be a singer. She's just the best of both."

The couple's last public sighting was at the March Oscars. Their film Wicked: For Good will premiere in theaters on November 21.

Speaking about how the character Glinda has inspired her in real life, Ariana shared with PinkNews last November: "She has given me a new strength and ability to listen to certain voices maybe I wouldn't listen to before, from my inside. That ability to trust myself."

Besides her wins at the VMAs, Ariana has been flourishing in all her endeavors this year. Just last month, she announced her upcoming Eternal Sunshine Tour across North America and the UK in 2026 on her Instagram, with the caption, "see you next year."

It marks an iconic return, as the pop star returns to the stage after six years since 2019's Sweetner World Tour. Want to see her perform hits like "Side to Side" live again? You can find all details on her upcoming shows, including dates, venues, and ticket prices, on Ariana Grande's official website.