Drake and I have built a relationship, vibing and performing together.
— Big Freedia
I'm always honored to see my music and New Orleans Bounce make its way into mainstream culture.
Everything changed after Katrina. It's a new New Orleans now and I think it's better. It was a wake-up call and it rebuilt and cleaned up the city. It all happened for a reason. I'm now grateful for Katrina.
People should be able to do what they want in life and not be judged or put in a box or a category.
I was on subsidized housing for many years before my financial situation changed. I quickly found myself in a new economic structure and, frankly, knew little about how to handle my money.
Housing vouchers are a vital lifeline for many people I know in New Orleans and around the country, including struggling artists.
I basically go with whatever my gut tells me.
Being gay and coming up in New Orleans was not easy. At first I was very terrified and very timid.
Bounce is taking flight all over the globe. New York especially, and L.A., Canada, Portland, Washington. It keeps getting bigger and bigger.
The best times I've had backstage are when you have people around you who genuinely love you, respect your privacy, and have your back - that's what it's all about.
Definitely practice in the mirror before you attempt it. You have to use your body in the upright position, you can use your knees for support and that's the only way you can twerk.
You can see yourself in the mirror. You can see how you want your body to move. Everybody wants to look sexy when they're dancing, so that mirror will be, you know, that reflection of yourself of how you will look in the club, so definitely use the mirror at home.
A lot of people think that I am trans but I'm not trans. I am a gay male with hair and nails. So if you say 'he' or 'she' it doesn't matter. I know who I am.
Twerking is just limited to a certain, specific dance where it's hand on the knees and you're busting open. With bounce music, we do a whole lot more and everyone is so unique in the way that they move and their personality.
I met Icona Pop by chance because we were both recording at the same studio. I was a fan so when I heard they were in the next room, I went to say hi. Next thing I knew, they were on two songs.
There's so much fashion out there, and I'm so busy, sometimes it's even hard to look at TV to see who's wearing what.
I've always loved to cook. It helps me to relax and gives me peace. It's my nourishment.
I'm a performer, so when I get to any space, I make it my own for that moment and have fun.
Gay folks go to church. We pray to the Lord too.
I grew up in a Baptist church my whole life.
My mother was my rock and my inspiration.
I love Red Bull, they support everything that I do. They always support music and they're always pushing music.
I'm human, just like everyone else.
Real twerkers can use their knees for support.
I loved listening to music around the house with my mom on Saturday mornings when we would clean up.
We have a dance in bounce music called 'exercising' where you just open your legs and shake your butt a little bit from side to side.
When I go shopping, I try to specify certain things for certain events, but most of the time, I have so much stuff to pull from at home in the closet.
I feel very accepted, like I never have any slander. I never have any issues. You know, like, when people see me, they respect me. It's all about how you carry yourself.
When something get hot, everybody want to jump on the bandwagon and act like they created it.
Before I was rapping, I was an interior designer and decorator.
Everybody in the world now wants to twerk. We don't twerk here in New Orleans, we bounce, we wiggle, we wobble, we shake, we bust it open, bend it over, we do it all.
Some of my friends really rock out: Matt and Kim, Diplo, when RuPaul was performing. Beyonce... there's tons of people I saw perform and was like, 'I just want my crowd to be awesome like this!'
Everybody knows that at a Freedia show, you're definitely going to have some crowd participation, and they're anticipating and waiting for that moment.
That was one thing my mama instilled in me: to be well trained in the kitchen. Growing up, I was always in the kitchen with her. You name it, I make it: red beans and rice, lasagna, chicken, pork. I am the queen of cooking.
I've always been indie.
My church people supported me when I made my transition from gospel to bounce and that made it a lot easier.
I'm an artist. I'm a gay artist. My preferred identity is, 'any of the sort.' My fans like to identify me as 'she,' but I'm comfortable with who I am, I know who I am and it's all fine with me.
Twerking - and it's a lot more than twerking - comes from a long history of music and dance in New Orleans. Twerkin' happen around the world for a long time now, so I'm very excited that it's coming into the public eye, as long as it's respected.
I truly believe there needs to be more programs for artists and musicians to teach basic financial literacy and planning. Coming from where I came from, I know that I could have used that kind of assistance.
When I first started, I was definitely reserved,. I was still trying to find myself.
Being a big kid, I was kind of fat and chubby, and I got picked on quite a bit.
When I was little I was into gospel music.
Performing has always been a natural part of me.
I always try to have my hair and my nails did no matter what. As long as that's done, putting an outfit and some shoes together, and a little makeup, that's nothing.
First and foremost, I'm human. I'm a person.
I'm over twerking.
I got my style from my mom, she was a classy lady.
The first club that reopened in New Orleans was Caesar's, and they called me immediately and said let's do a regular night with you here. So we started FEMA Fridays. It was the only club open in the city, and a lot of people had a lot of money from Katrina, the checks and stuff, so the joy inside that club - I don't think that'll ever come back.
I was so big, so I had to always come up with my own creations. Like, when I would do junior prom and stuff, I would have stuff specially made or added to my outfit. I definitely was always into trying to do something a little over and beyond.
Generally, I cook from the soul and measure by eye, throwing in this and that along the way. But I want to be a certified chef. That's one of my goals.
