SPOTLIGHT: FRANKIE GRANDE
Credit of Casablanca Records
Frankie Grande has never been one to play it small, and with his debut album Hotel Rock Bottom now out in the world, he is officially ready to remind everyone that the party does not stop, even when life hits rock bottom.
Out now via Casablanca Records, Hotel Rock Bottom is not just a collection of disco-pop tracks; instead, it is a full circle for Grande, who has spent the last several years building a career out of all stages of entertainment. Featuring earworms like the infectious “Rhythm of Love” and the cheeky Pride anthem “Boys,” Grande’s new project is everything fandom's anticipated: bold, self-aware, and enough camp and heart to soundtrack your summer.
“This album has pieces of me I have never shared before. Parts that are broken, parts that have healed, and parts that still hurt a little. It is scary and beautiful to let it out into the world, but more than anything, I am grateful,” Grande shared.
For anyone who was following Grande’s career, that gratitude feels earned. After making a splash with the dazzling “Rhythm of Love,” which Queerty has proudly called a “dazzling debut,” Grande wasted no time in establishing himself as pop’s next unapologetic showman. The track already has over 1 million streams, adding a hypnotic chorus and joyous energy has secured it a spot on dance floors and Pride playlists everywhere.
Just seeking fun, “Boys" is a play on double entendre and a tribute to Cyndi Lauper's iconic "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" through Grande's playful, queerness-like lens of beliefs.
“It really did just start with me being like, why has there never been a gay man that has flipped "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun?" Grande explained. “There have been decades since that song came out and a bajillion gay men that have danced to that song all night long…how am I the first to do this?”
But “Boys” was not as simple as its carefree beat denotes. Grande cites his executive producer Prince Fox for daring him to try. “He gave me sometimes too many options, especially with “Boys,” he joked. “I think I had seven or eight versions that sounded nothing alike. But, when I heard this version (the final version), I'm like, no, that's it—THAT’S THE ONE."
A song with over 150,000 Spotify streams is not just a statement of legitimacy. Grande partnered up with MISTR, the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ telehealth platform that organizes PrEP and STI prevention advocacy. To throw a celebration that is spreading awareness for personal health speaks to the song’s grander impact.
"For me especially, and because we're talking about the video, I had a trans man play my boyfriend in it, and that was really important to me," Grande said. His dedication to visibility goes beyond the music, particularly at the end of Pride Month, and he noted, "My whole Pride this year is for my trans siblings." The balance between festivities and platforms for activism is what represents Hotel Rock Bottom. Grande processes heartbreak, loss, escapism, and euphoria throughout its tracks, embracing the joyous moments for queer folk, as well as the stillness of grief and growth that goes into living openly. The title track embodies that fragility, a disco-infused reminder that there's space to dance, even when you've hit rock bottom.
After all, as Grande reminds us, "Sometimes, the best way to survive and thrive is to dance it out together." With Hotel Rock Bottom, he gives listeners that permission, complete with glitter, heartache, and resilience.
Listen to “Hotel Rock Bottom” here.
