Frankie Grande’s New Beginning - °1824 Press Conference

Rising pop star Frankie Grande is building a resonating music career around LGBTQ+ advocacy and his journey to sobriety. After struggling with addiction and his identity, he hopes to make music that helps listeners who may be going through similar challenges. Before the release of his album, Hotel Rock Bottom, Frankie took the time to chat with us about the release and his journey at a press conference hosted by °1824.

Although he’s now preparing for this exciting release, Frankie once had to get through a rough patch which he details in his song “Hotel Rock Bottom”. “It was definitely one of the darkest and worst moments of my whole life,” said Frankie. “That was that moment where I decided, either I'm going to check out of life and be done, or I'm going to check out of this hotel and I'm going to go straight to rehab.” He struggles to remember the details, but this was a real hotel in London where his turning point took place.

That pivotal moment was an integral part of his album, which covers 20 years of his life from reckless partying and drinking to sobriety and love. Wherever life has taken him, he allows the music to dictate each story. “If it was a hard club beat, then it would take me to the box or something,” said Frankie. “And if it was like something beautiful, melodic, then it took me to being married or on vacation with my husband or my honeymoon.”

That pivotal moment was an integral part of his album, which covers 20 years of his life from reckless partying and drinking to sobriety and love. Wherever life has taken him, he allows the music to dictate each story. “If it was a hard club beat, then it would take me to the box or something,” said Frankie. “And if it was like something beautiful, melodic, then it took me to being married or on vacation with my husband or my honeymoon.”

Although sobriety made things better, his song “Cognitive Dissonance” is about the hard part some may overlook. “It is about the time in my life where I got sober, but I had to go through a mourning period for the old life that I had left behind. I was so sad for a while when I got sober,” said Frankie.

His lead single “Rhythm of Love” connects his pre-sobriety past to his current artistic identity. “ I'm not only introducing this album to the world, but I'm introducing myself as an artist to the world for the first time,” said Frankie. “That song is about a time in my life where I knew sobriety existed, but I wasn't ready to make that choice yet.”

Every song on his new album represents a different version of himself. He is a visual storyteller, and believes visuals are crucial in creating a timeless pop song. “I remember music videos so vividly from when I was young,” said Frankie. “I think that when you marry music and visuals effectively, that's what makes it stand the test of time.” He emphasizes his dedication to giving fans full visuals for all his singles, and rejects newer practices like 15 second TikToks.

Although his album has a lot of personal topics, he also hopes to celebrate all queer identities. In his “Boys” music video, he transformed a traditionally masculine gym locker room into a space of queer joy. Frankie recalls feeling self-conscious doing a full face of makeup at the gym surrounded by masculine presenting men. “Guys were like, that's not too masculine, and I'm like yes, it is. So I'm reclaiming that,” said Frankie. “I think that it's a good time right now to be having this dialogue because in society, we love to try to queer shame, and that is not what I'm about.”

Frankie believes that art and activism are intertwined. Simply existing as an openly gay artist along with messages like the one in his “Boys” music video have allowed him to create music that is truly meaningful for the LGBTQ+ community. “I think we're still at a place where there are not enough openly really, really gay male pop artists,” said Frankie. “So sometimes just creating fun music as who I truly am is in itself shocking and protesting. I just tell my stories and I tell them in a way that is organic to who I am.” He hopes to be an inspiration to young artists who may be hesitant to publicly embrace their sexuality.

Releasing his album during pride month and partnering with organizations such as MISTR for his “Boys” music video makes him a great advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. “I was really confused a lot as a kid, and I think that that affected me throughout my entire life,” said Frankie. “I would like to use my platform to make as many queer, confused kids in this world a little bit less confused about the fact that maybe they're perfect exactly as they are.”

Frankie’s album Hotel Rock Bottom is more than just a collection of songs, it’s a vulnerable, unapologetic reflection of a life marked by transformation, resilience, and self-discovery. From addiction to embracing sobriety, he channels his experiences into art that resonates deeply with both longtime fans and those still finding their voice. By combining personal storytelling with bold visual expression, Frankie is finding his voice in pop music but he’s also carving out space for queer joy, healing, and representation.