Reports have surfaced that Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez are set to divorce after two years of marriage.

Their romance started in March 2020, at the height of the  COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent restrictions. As the world has begun to recalibrate and re-open after the whirlwind of collective trauma, the announcement of Grande and Dalton’s divorce reveals how common their situation really is.

The reason why Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez are getting divorced is completely relatable.

The 30-year-old pop star first revealed her relationship with Gomez, 27, on her Instagram account, sharing photos as they quarantined together in March 2020. Gomez, who is a high-end real estate agent in Los Angeles, reportedly moved in the same social circles as Grande, selling multi-million dollar homes to wealthy buyers.

Grande and Gomez got married in May of 2021, in a private ceremony at Grande’s home in Montecito, California.

By April 19, 2021, all US states had opened eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine to people aged 16 and older, signaling a shift toward society moving ahead. Even as the world gradually resumed, the impacts of the pandemic were stark. According to a report from the World Health Organization published in May 2022, “the full death toll associated directly or indirectly with the COVID-19 pandemic between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021 was approximately 14.9 million.” While COVID-19 has by no means disappeared, the federal COVID-19 public health emergency was declared over on May 11, 2023.

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Grande and Gomez struggled to stay close as their lifestyles diverged in a post-pandemic world.

To say that the pandemic altered the world’s trajectory is an understatement. Every aspect of our lives changed, including the ways we conducted our most intimate relationships.

Grande and Gomez’s relationship took root during a time of extreme isolation when the two were able to focus solely on each other. As the world opened back up, it allegedly became clear that their relationship wasn’t going to last. Sources told TMZ that once restrictions were lifted, the differences in how Grande and Gomez lived were exacerbated.

TMZ reported that Gomez had not experienced the full impact of Grande’s celebrity, including her demanding schedule and the intense presence of the paparazzi in her life.

In December 2022, Grande left for England to film “Wicked,” and that physical distance led to the eventual unraveling of their marriage. TMZ also claimed that Grande and Gomez had separated by January 2023, yet remained on friendly terms. The two reportedly “began living separate lives until May,” when they attempted to salvage their marriage, only to split up after two weeks. 

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Sources stated that Grande and Gomez were “shocked” that news of their separation only recently surfaced. Grande was seen at Wimbledon on June 16, 2023, not wearing her wedding ring. TMZ also alleged that Gomez had been dating over the past few months, which was “fine” with Grande. 

Incompatibility is a major factor in divorce for both non-celebrities and celebrities.

The US Census Bureau conducted a study in which they found that 43% of divorces occur as a result of incompatibility. It’s no failure on the part of either Grande or Gomez that their marriage ultimately didn’t work out. Given the communal stress, grief, and change caused by the pandemic, it seems highly likely that many of the relationships established during the past three years will shift as time moves on.

While Grande and Gomez exist in a sector of society where the ups and downs of their relationship are under heightened scrutiny, the reality is that it’s completely common and entirely normal for people to grow apart during the course of a marriage. The end of Grande and Gomez’s marriage signifies that they’re experiencing loss, yet with that loss, their futures are unfolding. 

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Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers celebrity gossip, pop culture analysis and all things to do with the entertainment industry.