Big Freedia (pronounced "Free-da") is the undisputed "Queen Diva" of Bounce Music which is an original urban music dating back 20 years after having risen up from the intimate and fun-loving nature of the New Orleans housing projects dominating the city's street culture. Freedia performs a derivative of Bounce reserved for self-proclaimed "Sissies" (a locally used name for biological men with varied and ambiguous sexual identities) that has risen to prominence in recent years and features explicitly gay and cross-dressing musicians and themes. While also running a successful decorating business (for which she counts the Mayor's office as a client), Freedia recently developed a musical about her life entitled "Catch That Beat" which featured cameo appearances by a who's who of New Orleans Bounce artists alongside the story of her upbringing in New Orleans 3rd Ward. Freedia began traveling outside the city regularly in 2009 with her dancers and live DJ, Rusty Lazer, playing to audiences nationwide with artists such as Spank Rock, Ninjasonik, Japanther, Monique, Major Lazer, and New Orleans band Galactic, recreating her collaboration on the critically-acclaimed 2010 album "Ya-Ka-May". In 2010 alone she's been featured at North By Northeast alongside Kid Sister and De La Soul, FYF Fest in Los Angeles where she played as support to The Rapture & Panda Bear following sets from Wavves, Best Coast, Ariel Pink, Sleep, etc., and most recently at MusicfestNW where this live footage was recorded. Big Freedia is at work with producer Blaqnmild for her third album and her FIRST nationwide release after almost 15 years in the game.



This video marks a unique turn for people's perception of Freedia, who performs at and decorates a popular strip club called Little Darlin's back in New Orleans, while also hosting family reunions, block parties and birthdays as well. Fans of Freedia are familiar with her role as an impromptu dance instructor, and many women and queer people credit her with creating "safe spaces" that allow for all kinds of sexual expression while encouraging respect from spectators and participants alike. This video, filmed by Portland based production company, Intothewoods.tv, takes that idea a step further, as Freedia encourages the dancers at Sassy's to shake not for the customers specifically, but rather for their own pleasure and expression. The result is evident in the cheering and support of the crowd. In these three songs money rains on the stage (a necessary part of the work these girls do) despite the fact that the girls themselves rarely acknowledge the crowd. No longer performing "for" the men and women who are visiting the club, the energy of the room transcends the practical nature of "stripping as a profession" and illustrates that what works the best while trading sexuality for sustenance is a genuine expression of sexual joy. Happy people having fun and being a little dirty is simply more pleasurable (and in a workplace situation, more profitable) than performances that are designed to impersonate intimacy, but rarely are.

Big Freedia On Tour

Sep 18 - Mobile, AL @ Music Box
Sep 25 - Baton Rouge, LA @ Spanish Moon
Sep 30 - Miami FL, @ Vagabond
Oct 2 - Pittsburgh, PA VIA2010 @ Iron City Brewery
Oct 3 - Montreal, QC Pop Montreal @ Espace Reunion
Oct 9 - Hattiesburg, MS @ Thirsty Hippo
Oct 11 - Oxford, MS @ The Lyric Oxford w/ Matt and Kim
Oct 12 - New Orleans, LA @ House Of Blues w/ Matt and Kim
Oct 13 - Tallahassee, FL @ Club Downunder w/ Matt and Kim
Oct 15 - Milwaukee, WI @Stonefly
Oct 16 - Chicago, IL Decibelle Festival @ Subterranean
Oct 22 - Brooklyn, NY @ Southpaw (CMJ)
Oct 23 - New York, NY @ Santo's (CMJ)
Nov 6 - Austin, TX @ Fun Fun Fun Fest