Frankie Grande Brings Glitter, Guts, And Gay Joy To The Tonight Show
Frankie Grande just lit up The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon with a performance that was a powerful statement of queer presence and celebration. On Tuesday night, the singer and activist gave millions of viewers a taste of his debut album, Hotel Rock Bottom, which just dropped, and it was the perfect reminder that our stories and our sparkle belong in the spotlight.
He brought the club to the stage
Kicking things off with his high-energy single Boys, Grande and his dancers, decked out in glitter and club-ready gear, turned the studio into a full-blown party. The performance was a joyful and unapologetic anthem for men who love men. He then shifted the mood for the album’s title track, Hotel Rock Bottom. The song offers a look into his personal struggles, with raw lyrics sung while lying on a bed with his two dancers, showing a vulnerability that hits you right in the feels before exploding into a killer dance break.
For Frankie, it was more than just a performance
After the show, Grande shared on Instagram just how much the moment meant. “Thank you @JimmyFallon for giving this glowing little gay boy with a big heart a platform to share my music and my story with the world,” he wrote. “And thank you for allowing me to be a beacon of representation at a time when we need it in this country more than ever.”
He reflected on the progress made, adding, “10 years ago, I could not have appeared on national television like this, living my life as a proud and out gay man… but here we are!! As a little closeted kid, I could NEVER have imagined that I’d be on stage with Jimmy Fallon, looking gay, glam, and fabulous!!” How good is it to see that kind of progress?
His work doesn’t stop when the music does
This performance is just one part of Grande’s story. He serves on the board of directors for GLAAD, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, an organisation that fights for fair and accurate representation of the LGBTQIA+ community in the media. He and fellow board member Peppermint also recently pushed for more inclusivity in reality television, continuing the fight for visibility on all fronts.
Frankie Grande’s new album, Hotel Rock Bottom, is available to stream everywhere from today, June 27th.
