It’s been years since the world lost Mac Miller, yet people still can't stop talking about his relationship with Ariana Grande. It’s one of those Hollywood stories that feels less like a tabloid headline and more like a tragedy written into the lyrics of a song. If you’ve ever scrolled through TikTok or Reddit, you’ve probably seen the debates. People want to know the specifics: how long did Ariana and Mac date, and when exactly did "just friends" turn into something that defined an entire era of pop culture?
Honestly, the timeline is messier than most people think. It wasn't just a two-year blip. It was a slow burn that started long before they ever went public.
The 2013 Spark: More Than Just "The Way"
Most people think they started dating in 2013 when they filmed the music video for "The Way." You know the one—where they’re rolling around in balloons and share a kiss at the end. That kiss sent the internet into a literal meltdown. Ariana was 19, Mac was 21, and the chemistry was, frankly, undeniable.
But they weren't a couple back then. Not officially.
Ariana was actually dating Jai Brooks at the time, and Mac was in a long-term relationship with his high school sweetheart, Nomi Leasure. Even though they weren't "dating," they were close. Like, really close. Ariana later told Cosmopolitan that they had "loved and adored" each other since they first met. They even recorded a cover of "Baby It's Cold Outside" together in late 2012 before their big hit ever dropped.
For the next three years, they were just best friends. They supported each other’s careers from the sidelines while navigating other messy public breakups.
So, How Long Did Ariana and Mac Date Officially?
The official, romantic relationship lasted almost exactly two years.
They went public in August 2016. They were spotted at a sushi restaurant in West Hills, California, looking very much like a couple. By September, Ariana confirmed it on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, looking visibly flustered when Ellen showed a picture of them.
From that point on, they were inseparable.
- August 2016: First spotted kissing at a sushi date.
- September 2016: Ariana posts the "baabyyy" photo on Instagram, making it "grid official."
- 2017: Mac is by her side through the Manchester Arena tragedy, even performing at the One Love Manchester benefit.
- March 2018: Their last public appearance together at Madonna’s Oscars after-party.
- May 2018: The breakup is officially announced.
Basically, if you’re looking for a hard number, they were an "item" for about 21 months. But that doesn't really tell the whole story, does it?
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Why They Really Broke Up
The split in May 2018 felt sudden to fans, but the signs were there. Ariana described the relationship as "toxic" toward the end, largely due to Mac’s struggles with sobriety. She loved him—that was never a question—but you can’t fix someone who isn't ready to fix themselves.
She posted a heart-wrenching Instagram story after the split, calling him one of her "best friends in the whole world" and saying she would support him forever. But just weeks later, she was with Pete Davidson. That "rebound" (if you want to call it that) made the timeline look even more chaotic. It led to a lot of unfair vitriol being thrown at Ariana, especially when Mac was arrested for a DUI shortly after they ended things.
The Musical Legacy of Their 2-Year Romance
You can’t talk about their time together without talking about the music. It’s the closest thing we have to a diary of those two years.
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Mac’s album The Divine Feminine is widely believed to be inspired by Ariana, specifically the track "My Favorite Part." On the flip side, Ariana’s Sweetener and Thank U, Next are haunted by him. The song "Ghostin" is arguably one of the saddest things she’s ever written, detailing the guilt of being with someone else (Pete) while still mourning the loss of Mac.
And then there's "Imagine." Fans are 99% sure that’s about the domestic, quiet life she had with Mac—the one that wasn't for the cameras.
The Bottom Line
If you want the short version: Ariana Grande and Mac Miller dated from August 2016 to May 2018. But they were in each other's lives for nearly six years. They went from being teenagers flirting on Twitter to being two of the biggest stars on the planet leaning on each other through unimaginable trauma. Their relationship didn't last a lifetime, but its impact on their music and their fans certainly has.
Quick Facts to Remember
- First Meeting: 2012 via Twitter.
- First Collab: "The Way" (2013).
- Relationship Length: Just under two years (2016-2018).
- Final Split: May 2018.
If you’re looking to understand the depth of their connection, don’t just look at the dates. Go back and listen to "Cinderella" by Mac Miller or "Better Off" by Ariana. The lyrics tell you way more about those two years than a calendar ever could.
To get a real sense of their journey, start by watching their live performance of "My Favorite Part" from Mac's The Divine Feminine special. You can see the exact moment they were at their peak—just two people who really, truly "got" each other before things got complicated. Look for the subtle glances; they say everything the tabloids missed.