Big Freedia is best known as New Orleans' queen of bounce – now, her influence is spreading to every genre of music

In The Know by Yahoo

Born and raised in New Orleans, Big Freedia has always been determined to represent for her hometown. Learn about her impressive 20-year career, and how she brought the locally-grown genre of bounce music to the mainstream in this episode of In the Know Profiles.

Video Transcript

[BOUNCE MUSIC]

- (SINGING) [INAUDIBLE]

BIG FREEDIA: Bounce music to New Orleans, it's-- it's the home. It's the birthplace.

- Big Freedia!

- Big Freedia!

BIG FREEDIA: From the babies to grandmoms, they twerk and they shake. It's all New Orleans, baby.

- Freedia, we love you!

BIG FREEDIA: Love you too, baby.

[CHEERING]

[BOUNCE MUSIC]

My name is Big Freedia, the queen diva you best believe her. And I'm a music entertainer.

[BOUNCE MUSIC]

Never, never, never, never.

BIG FREEDIA: I have been working at this for 20 years now. And being that girl who has went around the world and show people what New Orleans culture and bounce music is about, that's how I get the title, "Queen of Bounce." I think I was just drawn to creative outlets as an escape goat.

I grew up on Josephine Street here in New Orleans. You know, back then, it was really difficult just being Black and gay in the neighborhood. It wasn't something that was so accepted.

Giving love to the world, I guess, is the way I get through. Music is a way to relieve all of that. Get in the studio, go make a great song. You know, all of those forms of energy help keep getting me through each day by day.

I'm the one and only Big Freedia the queen diva representing right here from the one and only New Orleans, Louisiana. (SINGING) You already know.

[MUSIC - BIG FREEDIA, "N.O. BOUNCE"]

I'm that queen that will make you bounce.