Frankie Grandethe older half-brother of Ariana Grandespeaks candidly about the personal struggles that nearly derailed his life and career. In his upcoming memoir, “Supergay!: A Memoir,” the artist opens up about his battle with addiction, the guilt he carried following the Manchester Arena tragedy and the life-changing decision that ultimately led him to sobriety.
Frankie Grande talks addiction, identity and second chances
Frankie Grande pulls back the curtain on some of the darkest and most transformative chapters of her life. Ahead of the release of his new memoir, the artist opens up about his struggles with addiction, his journey to self-acceptance, and how rebuilding his relationship with his sister Ariana Grande helped save his life.
“Everyone has a version of me that they know,” Grande told PEOPLE, explaining why he felt ready to share his story. He added that he thought “it was time” for the public to actually meet him.
Grande says addiction almost cost her everything
As his career gained momentum thanks to Broadway productions and his memorable appearance on “Big Brother,” Grande revealed that he privately struggled with drug addiction.
In “Supergay!” “, he recalls resorting to drugs and alcohol to cope with life’s challenges. “They took away my pain. And so I happily allowed myself to be drawn into the abyss of addiction,” he writes. After several failed attempts to get sober, Grande reached what he describes as his lowest point in 2017.
A major catalyst was the aftermath of the “One Love Manchester” benefit concert, organized following the tragic bombing of Ariana Grande’s concert in England. “I still think about the ‘One Love Manchester’ concert, and I felt so useless and so disconnected from my family at a time when I just wished I could be connected to them,” Grande said.
“This feeling was in the back of my mind, and I used to drink and do drugs to escape this feeling,” Grande continued. “[But] I couldn’t run anymore. This shame and guilt was everywhere I looked and everywhere I turned.
Frankie Grande once reflected on the reality of sobriety
Years before opening up in her new memoir, Grande was already sharing an honest insight into her recovery journey. In 2019, the Broadway star celebrated 20 months of sobriety with a candid Instagram post, reflecting on both the challenges and rewards of sobriety.
“Today I have 20 months of sobriety,” he wrote. “I’m extremely proud. It hasn’t been easy. When you get sober…life goes on. You have to deal with the same ups and downs as when you were using, but now you don’t have the ability to numb yourself.”
Grande went on to explain that sobriety required her to fully experience every emotion, both positive and painful. “You feel it. You feel everything. The good and the bad. but there’s also beauty in it,” he continued. “Over the last 20 months, I’ve felt loss, but I’ve also felt love. I’ve felt joy, but I’ve also felt sorrow. but the bottom line is… I’ve felt. and it’s such a gift.”
Ariana Grande helped inspire her sobriety journey
According to Grande, the support of her family, especially Ariana, was instrumental in helping her get treatment. “There were two options: die or get clean. And that’s it,” he recalls. “Those were the only two options because it was the only way I could escape these feelings.”
Two weeks after the “One Love Manchester” concert, Grande checked into rehab on June 16, 2017. Now celebrating nine years of sobriety, he says the decision remains one of the most important moments of his life. “I’m so grateful that I chose life,” Grande shared.
Recovery also allowed him to repair relationships that had been damaged during his struggles with addiction. “It’s so indescribable to say how grateful I am to have [Ariana] in my life and to have repaired this relationship to the point where we are so happy and comfortable with each other again,” he said.
Broadway success is different this time around
In addition to publishing his memoir, Grande is currently starring in the hit Broadway musical “Titanic,” a role he originally played during the series’ run Off-Broadway. The production has become one of Broadway’s biggest success stories, earning four Tony Award nominations since opening earlier this year.