a day ago
Frankie Grande on his debut album, sobriety and sister Ariana's advice
Frankie Grande's energy levels are off the charts. He's not long stepped off a flight from Los Angeles, but he smiles and chats with so much charm and charisma that you'd never have guessed it.
His leather jacket, glittered cheeks and heavily ripped jeans have somehow made me feel both underdressed and overdressed at the same time.
The 42-year-old is in town to perform at Pride in London, the capital's annual celebration of the LGBTQ+ community.
"It's a beautiful place with so many people of different backgrounds," he told ITV News. "The LGBTQ+ community has always been so accepted here, especially in music. I do think you have broken many queer artists here before the United States."
US native Frankie has long since been an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, using his fame and social media reach - which is in the millions - to raise awareness and call for equality.
He said: "I'm so blessed that I have such an amazingly accepting family who has allowed me to be my authentic self and supported me through some of the difficulties of being a public figure who is out, loud and proud!
"But I know there is a lot of people in this world, especially in my country, who are being told, maybe don't be so loud, maybe don't be so proud, maybe get back in the closet actually because it is getting a little dicey.
"As someone who has the privilege to be this gay publicly, I'm really grateful to be handing the microphone, and I'm hoping to inspire younger people to feel empowered and to be themselves authentically."
At the end of last month, the former reality TV star released his first album, 'Hotel Rock Bottom', which takes listeners into his life before and after sobriety.
"I'm eight years sober," he told ITV News. "Had I tried to release an album while I was drinking and using, I probably would have never released it, it probably would never have seen the light of day."
"If it did, god knows what it would have sounded like. I'm grateful that I took my time and waited until my instrument was clean and pure, and I could tell the stories that I wanted to tell."
Frankie's half-sister Ariana knows a thing or two about releasing music; the popstar has sold more than 90 million albums and won two Grammy awards.
Reflecting on her support and advice, Frankie said: "She's been unbelievable throughout this process. I think the thing she's learnt throughout her many years in the music industry is to trust her gut.
"For me, as a fledgling artist, I am scared to trust my gut; I will overthink things if I'm allowed to.
"I learnt from her to trust your gut, and it will lead you on the path that you are supposed to go down."
He's produced and starred in a number of Broadway shows and appeared on Big Brother USA back in 2014.
The fluidity of today's media landscape really appeals to Frankie, he loves that "you can be a multi-hyphenate."
"When I was coming off of Big Brother, people told me that I had to pick a lane, reality TV or stage actor. Now, we are embracing that you can do everything all at once, and so I plan on doing that."
"I just love performing."
