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Frankie Grande Finds Power and Pride on the Dance Floor
Frank James Michael Grande Marchione, known to many simply as Frankie Grande, is a performer, producer, and advocate who has made a name for himself on stage, screen, and the digital space. Born on January 24, 1983, in New York City, Frankie is the son of physician Victor Marchione and businesswoman Joan Grande, and the older half-brother of pop icon Ariana Grande.
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From early on, Frankie gravitated toward performance. After graduating from Muhlenberg College with a triple major in biology, theatre, and dance, he dove into a career that would span Broadway, Off-Broadway productions, reality television and digital media.
Grande’s theater career includes standout performances in Broadway productions such as Mamma Mia! and Rock of Ages, and he is beloved for his recurring role as the flamboyant villain Frankini in Nickelodeon’s Henry Danger and Danger Force.
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Off-Broadway, he’s appeared in critically acclaimed shows like Cruel Intentions: The Musical and Titanique. He has also been a fixture in the reality TV world, including memorable stints on Big Brother 16, Celebrity Big Brother UK, and Big Brother Reindeer Games.
Beyond his performances, Frankie is a dedicated philanthropist. He’s co-founded Broadway in South Africa and actively supports causes like buildOn, and is a beloved presence in the LGBTQ+ community. His energy and enthusiasm are visible on red carpets, cabaret stages, during fashion week, and on YouTube, where he shares personal stories, glitter-filled content, and empowering messages.
Now at 42, Frankie is stepping into an exciting new chapter with the release of his debut pop album, Hotel Rock Bottom, coming out on June 27. Featuring singles like “Rhythm of Love” the album is a deeply personal, glittery dance record rooted in themes of resilience, healing, and community.
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During an interview on The Q Agenda while recently visiting LatiNation, Grande openly discussed the inspiration behind the album:
“In times where I’ve felt under attack or under pressure or kind of lost, I’ve always sought refuge on the dance floor. So even going back to me dancing to Madonna in mom’s living room when I was a confused little kid being like, ‘I don’t know what I’m doing, but this is the only place where I feel seen and happy.’ So I wanted to create an album that brought the community together. We can’t be fighting 24/7, sometimes we need to be reminded of what we are fighting for. And for me, that’s community and that’s dance floor. So let’s get our asses onto the dance floor and shake them so that when we go back to waging war, we feel a little bit better.”
The album promises a mix of club-ready bangers and introspective lyrics, drawing directly from Grande’s personal journey, including his experience with sobriety. As Pride Month rolls on, his message resonates deeper:
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“I know that Pride is a pretty big party time for everyone, but I will tell you, many of my friends are also sober and we have just as good a time, when we are sober and we are dancing and we are kissing and we are kekeing. Especially to my drag community out there, I love going to drag shows because there is a show. You don’t feel like, ‘Oh, I don’t know what to do, I’m in the middle of a rave with 3,000 people and there is nothing to pay attention to other than other people doing drugs or drinking.’ It’s like no, go to a drag show. Also, the cool thing about being sober at Pride is that when you’re tired, you can just go home, and no one’s going to know that you left because they’re all fucked up.”
Hotel Rock Bottom promises to be a celebration of queer joy, heartbreak, recovery, and identity, all set to catchy beats. It charts his evolution from the chaos of nightlife to clarity in sobriety, from heartbreak to true love (with husband Hale Leon), always returning to one constant: the healing power of the dance floor.
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In his own words: “This album came POURING out of me!! Every beat, every lyric, and every glitter-drenched tear… Whether I was lost or found, celebrating or surviving, I always turned to the music, and to you, my community.”
With this debut, Frankie Grande is doing what he’s always done best: bringing people together through performance, honesty, and lots of sparkle.
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