Most pop stars don’t drop their debut album at 42. Then again, most pop stars aren’t Frankie Grande.After years in the spotlight—on Broadway, on Big Brother, and all over social media—Frankie Grande is finally introducing us to who he really is. This week on Pride, Caitlynn McDaniel sits down with Frankie to talk about Hotel Rock Bottom, a bold, unfiltered debut album that weaves together decades of heartbreak, addiction, love, joy, and queer self-discovery.He shares the very gay inspiration behind his new single Boys (spoiler: it involves a steam room at Equinox), opens up about the mental toll of reality TV, and explains how sobriety gave him the clarity to step into his full, authentic self. This is Frankie, no filter, no character—just the real thing, and he’s never sounded better.Here’s what we get into:

• Why Hotel Rock Bottom tells the story he’s never shared before
• The unexpectedly raw, hilarious, and sexy inspiration for Boys
• What reality TV got wrong about queer representation (and how to fix it)
• His journey through addiction, recovery, and finding love
• And the pop wedding anthem he’s been waiting his whole life to write
  
  

Follow Frankie:
Instagram: @frankiejgrande
Listen to Boys and Hotel Rock Bottom wherever you stream music.