Ariana Grande, 30, is reportedly eager to go public with new boyfriend Ethan Slater, 31, but those around her are urging caution.
“Ariana’s been told it’s too soon to go public with him and to take things slower,” a source told US Weekly.
The tipster added, “She’s very aware of how she’s perceived by her fans, and she’s trying to be mature. [But] if it were up to her, she’d be seen with him tomorrow.”
The two were both married to different people when they met on the set of “Wicked,” but wound up in each other’s arms.
“Things are heating up behind the scenes. Publicly, they’re backing off, but [in reality], they’re not,” said the US Weekly source.
Last week Slater filed for divorce from wife Lilly Jay, with whom he shares an 11-month-old son.
Some have said that Slater and Jay were already separated before he moved on with the “Thank U, Next” singer, but Jay’s comments to Page Six suggest it wasn’t quite a clean break.
“[Ariana’s] the story, really. Not a girl’s girl,” Jay said last week. “My family is just collateral damage.”
Grande and husband Dalton Gomez reportedly split back in January after two years of marriage, but have kept their breakup under wraps until now.
Grande even allegedly “hung out” with Slater, Jay and their son months before the drama, telling the couple that she “wanted a baby” of her own in the future.
Most recently, Page Six reported that Grande is giving “space” to Slater to allow the actor and his wife time to work things out, including custody of their son.
The new couple haven’t seen each other in weeks, according to TMZ, but are still forging ahead with their relationship.