Biography
Freddie Ross Jr., known as Big Freedia, was born on January 28, 1978, in Charity Hospital, New Orleans, and raised in the Third Ward of Uptown and near the Melpomene housing projects (also known as Guste Apartments). Growing up in a tough neighborhood, Freedia developed a love for performance through the choir at Pressing Onward Missionary Baptist Church, where she served as a member and later assistant director, while also attending Carter G. Woodson Middle School and Walter L. Cohen High School as a cheerleader. In the late 1990s, inspired by local bounce pioneer Katey Red, Freedia began her career as a backup dancer and singer in Red's shows, performing in clubs around New Orleans and contributing to the duo Big Freddie K Reddy before launching solo efforts.
Freedia's professional breakthrough came in 1999 with her debut single 'An Ha, Oh Yeah,' followed by local hits like 'Rock Around the Clock' and 'Gin 'N My System,' and her first album Queen Diva in 2003. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 displaced her to Texas, where she spread bounce music awareness through performances, eventually returning to New Orleans amid rising national interest. Collaborations with DJ Rusty Lazer and funk band Galactic expanded her reach to indie, punk, and electronic audiences, leading to festival appearances, late-night TV spots, and features in The New York Times and Pitchfork. Key releases include her autobiography God Save the Queen Diva! (2015), EPs like Third Ward Bounce (2018), and albums such as Central City (2023), alongside high-profile features on Beyoncé's 'Break My Soul' (2022) and Drake's 'Nice For What.' Her style embodies New Orleans bounce—bass-heavy electronic dance music with rapid-fire call-and-response lyrics—popularizing twerking beyond southern Black communities.
As the 'Queen Diva of Bounce,' Freedia has become a global ambassador for the genre, rejecting the 'sissy bounce' label in favor of inclusive bounce artistry despite her role in the LGBTQ-identified scene. Her high-energy, participatory live shows, reality TV series, and advocacy for LGBTQ rights have cemented her legacy in elevating underground New Orleans hip-hop to mainstream acclaim.
Fun Facts
- Big Freedia briefly attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette's nursing program but dropped out in her first year to pursue music full-time, performing weekly club gigs.
- Freedia popularized twerking to a crossover audience outside Black southern communities through her dynamic live shows.
- She released an autobiography God Save the Queen Diva! in 2015 and appeared in a local New Orleans TV ad rapping with bounce dancers for a law office.
- Freedia was part of the 'sissy bounce' cohort challenging gender norms but expresses ambivalence about the sexuality-based subgenre label.
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Katey Red - Early mentor and best friend; first transgender bounce artist from New Orleans who inspired Freedia's entry into bounce (Melpomene Block Party (1999); duo Big Freddie K Reddy; collaboration 'Stupid' in Ya Heard Me documentary) [late 1990s]
Key Collaborators
- Katey Red - Frequent early collaborator and duo partner (Big Freddie K Reddy performances; 'Stupid') [late 1990s]
- Galactic - Creative collaborations and tours introducing bounce to indie/punk audiences (Live performances and festival tours) [late 2000s]
- DJ Rusty Lazer - Local collaborator expanding national reach (Live performances and tours) [late 2000s]
- Sissy Nobby - Fellow bounce artist and loose cohort in early club scene (Club gigs and private parties) [early 2000s]
Artists Influenced
- Sissy Nobby - Protégé and fellow bounce artist who performed alongside Freedia post-Katrina (Shared displacement and performances in Texas) [2005 onward]
Connection Network
External Links
References
Heard on WWOZ
Big Freedia has been played 38 times on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.