All about the relationship between Audrina Patridge and Michael Ray

Audrina Patridge and Michael Ray explore their newfound romance.

The hill The former alum and country star first confirmed they were together in July 2024 after hinting at their relationship on Instagram. Both Patridge and Ray have been married before, with Patridge having a daughter, Kirra, with her ex-husband Corey Bohan.

Ray and his ex-wife, country singer Carly Pearce, filed for divorce in June 2020 after eight months of marriage. However, three years later, in June 2023, the “Whiskey and Rain” singer told PEOPLE that he was open to finding love and settling down again.

“I think that’s what we’re put in this world to do: find someone you connect with, someone that makes you better, start a family and leave a legacy,” he said when asked if he would marry again in the future. “So sure, one day.”

From the first hint to the official appearance on Instagram: Here you can find out everything you need to know about the relationship between Audrina Patridge and Michael Ray.

Patridge and Ray first fueled dating rumors after Stagecoach in April 2024

The first rumor that the couple were dating emerged after Patridge posted photos of Stagecoach in April 2024 and fans quickly noticed that Ray liked her carousel of pictures. Since then, Ray and Patridge have been liking each other’s photos, even though neither posted photos of each other at the time.

Patridge hinted at her relationship with Ray in June 2024

Patridge gave the first glimpse into her relationship with Ray in June 2024 by sharing a photo on her Instagram stories of herself giving Ray a kiss while her legs are wrapped around him.

“This one…” she captioned the photo and added a smiley with hearts.

Patridge and Ray went official less than a month after the first hint on Instagram

Just weeks after their soft launch on Instagram, Patridge and Ray made their relationship official when the reality TV star posted a photo of the two embracing in July. In the sweet photo, Patridge caressed Ray’s face as they smiled at each other.

“‘There are many things in life worth letting go of, but the things that mean the most to you are the ones you have to hold on to’ 🤍,” she wrote in the caption, quoting Ray’s song “Hold.”

“Here we go baby!!! I’m thankful for you and Kirra ❤️♾️,” Ray wrote in the comments section, referring to Patridge’s daughter. She wrote back, “❤️❤️.”

Both Ray and Patridge reshared the post on their Instagram stories, with the latter adding a drawn white heart above the photo.

Patridge has previously spoken about her struggles as a single mother.

Patridge has been honest about her priorities as a single mother. She and Bohan separated in 2017, after which she was granted sole custody of their daughter.

“I have my daughter 24/7, so I don’t want to waste my time going on a date because I could be with my daughter,” Patridge told E! News in July 2022. “To be honest, I’m still coming to terms with it.”

Ray has spoken openly about seeking therapy after his divorce

Ray went through a painful divorce of his own in June 2020 when he split from Pearce. In June 2023, he told PEOPLE how the stress of the divorce led him down a dark path of depression and anger.

Ray comes from a family of divorced parents and said the feeling of following in their footsteps plunged him even deeper into crisis.

“I come from a broken home, so I thought, ‘Am I going to repeat the process?'” he said. “I never understood depression and never had it. Suddenly I became very angry. I didn’t trust anyone anymore.”

Ray said that after therapy, he learned to come to terms with his breakup and deal with what he was going through.

“Two people were involved in something, and two people individually screwed it up,” he said. “However I screwed up, I don’t want to continue this. I’ve done a lot of introspective work.”

Patridge said that communication in a relationship is important to her

Patridge has also spoken openly about what she looks for in her relationships after her divorce, including a good line of communication and knowing when to end it.

“Now it’s like, I love myself enough to walk away,” she told PEOPLE in July 2022. “You have to love yourself enough to say enough is enough. Or I’m not going to take this.”

She continued, “You have crossed the line and I don’t agree with that. It’s about communicating and setting boundaries and not giving in to peer pressure or regaining the strength, courage and reassurance that everything will be OK.”