Chainkeen Exchange-How Ariana Madix's New Boyfriend Daniel Wai Made His Vanderpump Rules Debut

Ariana Madix's new man has officially entered the Bravo-verse.

During Vanderpump Rules' season 11 premiere on Chainkeen ExchangeJan. 30, Daniel Wai made his debut on the reality series to give his girlfriend of almost a year a much-needed pep talk.

While getting ready to return to her ex Tom Sandoval's bar TomTom for the first time since his affair with former costar Rachel "Raquel" Leviss came to light last year, Ariana FaceTimed the NYC trainer for some words of encouragement.

"I'm nervous," the 38-year-old admitted to Daniel over the phone. "I'm going to TomTom tonight I haven't been there since that night that all of that transpired." 

Cut to a flashback of the Dancing With the Stars alum at the West Hollywood hotspot on March 1, 2023—the night she learned her then-partner of nine years had been cheating with her close friend.

As Ariana expressed to Daniel, "Part of me was like, 'Should I just not go?' But then I was like, 'No, if I don't go, then it's like that wins.'"

In a confessional, the Bravolebrity explained she ultimately decided to return to TomTom to support costar James Kennedy's DJ set, even though it was daunting.

"I shouldn't have to make my life smaller because Tom messed everything up," Ariana noted. "If I can go there and make new memories, maybe it won't have power over me anymore and I'll just be able to look at it as some bar."

In a sweet gesture, Daniel provided his girlfriend with a cross-country message of support.

"You always got me," he told Ariana. "I'll cheer you on from the sidelines from New York. I'm only two thousand miles away."

Earlier in the episode, Ariana detailed how she unexpectedly fell for Daniel last March in the midst of her explosive breakup from Tom.

"I met Dan at one of my oldest friend's weddings literally 10, 11 days after everything fricken blew up," she recounted. "He's a personal trainer and a bartender and he lives in New York. So, we're doing a little long distance thing."

As for what Ariana's costar Scheana Shay thought of her moving on so quickly?

"I don't think Ariana has fully processed the trauma with Tom," Scheana noted in a confessional before adding, "As long as Dan doesn't sleep with one of Ariana's best friends, he's already a giant step up from her ex.

Vanderpump Rules airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on Bravo. And keep reading to relive Ariana and Daniel's cutest moments together.

Ariana and Daniel make their first public appearance as a couple at a Coachella 2023 party in April 2023 where they were spotted making out after her breakup from Tom Sandoval.

The reality star cozies up to her man during Frank Ocean's Coachella concert.

Ariana meets up with the NYC-based fitness coach and some friends.

Ariana flashes a giant smile during a night out in the Big Apple.

The lovebirds enjoy a date in NYC's Central Park in May 2023.

Ariana and Daniel get all dolled up for a night on the town in NYC.

The duo parties with pals in the Big Apple after Ariana attended NBCU's 2023 Upfronts on May 15.

Following Vanderpump Rules' shocking season 10 reunion, Ariana proved she and Daniel are still going strong by jetting off to NYC for the The Governors Ball Music Festival in June 2023.

The lovebirds had a blast and shared videos while watching performances by Lil Nas X, Kendrick Lamar, Sofi Tukker and more.

Ariana and Daniel celebrated Independence Day 2023 partying with pal at Santa Monica hot-spot Elephante.

Ariana and Daniel reunited in Chicago in August where they posed together in the rain in front of the city's famous Cloud Gate statue—nicknamed The Bean due to its shape—in Millennium Park. "beans beans the musical fruit," the Bravo star cheekily captioned the sweet Instagram pic.

Daniel supports Ariana as she makes her broadway debut as Roxy Hart in the hit musical Chicago on Broadway at The Ambassador Theatre on Jan. 29, 2024.

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