Visiting Hotel Rock Bottom with Frankie Grande
Just in time for summer, Frankie Grande, who is known for his stints both on the “Great Wide Way” and on the small screen, is set to make his debut into a new world- the pop diva world.
A natural performer at heart, it was a pleasure to hear some of the stories that inspired the new album, Hotel Rock Bottom and the visuals around it. From sobriety to stigmas against gay men, Grande’s goal is to break down barriers and tell his story in an authentic and passionate way that only he can do.
The elements of great pop songwriting- “the hooks and the visuals”, according to Grande- are found all over the singles and live performances supporting Hotel Rock Bottom. The singles all feel like an exploration of passion and the queer experience without watering anything down for a “mainstream” appeal. Press attending this sit-down were among the first to hear what Grande called one of the musical “hearts” of the album, “Cognitive Dissonance”. A club banger that doesn’t hold back with its vocals and production, there are layers of orchestral and expansive instrumental elements beneath the typical bass booms of a club hit that lean into the theme of the song. Grande said of the track, “[This track is] The time in my life where I got sober but had to go through a mourning period for the old Frankie”.
An artist who is not afraid of sharing his personal hardships, Grande was open with the fact that much of this album was inspired by Grande’s journey through addiction and sobriety. For example, Hotel Rock Bottom is based on a real hotel where Grande locked himself after One Love Manchester. A dark time in his life both because of events and the increasing severity of his addictions, he gave himself an ultimatum- “Either I’m going to check out of life… or I’m going to check out of this hotel and into rehab.” These events and many others influence much of the album, discussing the difficulties but simultaneous joys of sobriety in our society, especially our queer communities. While it is difficult, it is never impossible, something that Grande proves in his work.
The talent and raw passion don’t stop in the studio, however. A Broadway-trained performer, Grande knows how to command a stage, and demonstrates that with his performances supporting Hotel Rock Bottom. A live performance for “Sex Shop” demonstrates that perfectly, complete with background dancers and a Brittany Spears mashup that gives his fans everything they could possibly want from a performer of his caliber.
While entertaining, Grande’s music doesn’t only serve a superficial purpose. A natural-born activist, Grande had used his music to promote causes important to him and his fans. Grande believes that pride is a time for everyone to protect everyone in the community, and that the things happening to our queer and trans community “[are] our problem, it is our community… if it is happening to one of us, it is happening to all of us.” A huge example of activism and visibility this is the music video for the second single off Hotel Rock Bottom, “Boys”. The music video transforms a naturally masculine place, the locker room, into a place of queer celebration, void of any stigmas around sexuality and promiscuity. The music video is presented in collaboration with MISTR, a company whose mission is to promote sexual health and awareness to the LGBTQ+ community, paring perfectly with a promiscuous video about expressing sexual desires. In doing this, Grande brings more safety, visibility, and pride to his community.
Grande’s upcoming album, due out June 27, promises a good time with a good cause, and it promises to tie together people from all backgrounds through his experiences and hardships. However, that doesn’t mean it’s a sad album, quite the opposite. The album promises to be a celebration of survivorship and a reminder that life is short and we should use it to have a good time.