Pop star Ariana Grande and her boyfriend of several months, rapper Big Sean, are no longer an item, Newsday reports. 

In a joint statement Monday, representatives for the two confirmed the split, saying “They both care deeply for each other and remain close friends. We kindly ask that the media respect their wish for privacy regarding this personal matter at this time.”

The rumor mill kicked into high gear around Grande and Big Sean’s potential pairing back in August, after he lent some lyrics to her sophomore album “My Everything.” The two also reportedly attended a screening together of the film “The Purge: Anarchy” that same month. Finally, a camera crew caught a shot of the performers with clasped hands backstage area during the MTV Video Music Awards.

Big Sean — who called off his engagement to “Glee” star Naya Rivera in April — had nothing but praise for Grande in a radio interview with Ryan Seacrest in September. “Ariana is very, very special. She’s very special to me. Everything she has going on is good with her, everything I have going on is good with me, everything between me and her is good. . . . ”

The following month Grande confirmed in an interview with British newspaper the Telegraph that she and Big Sean, whose given name is Sean Michael Leonard Anderson, were dating. “He is one of the most amazing men in the whole world, and that includes my grandfather and my brother. I think the world of him, and he’s an amazing person,” the singer gushed.

Grande was previously dating Nathan Sykes of The Wanted for a brief period in 2013 after the two recorded the song “Almost Is Never Enough” for the film The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. Before and after Sykes, Grande and Australian comedy group member Jai Brooks were on and off as of 2012, reportedly splitting for good in July of 2014.