The Recipe | Big Freedia [Mixtape & Interview]

Big Freedia (aka Queen Diva) is a pioneer of twerk and a legendary party-starter who has been releasing raw, uninhibited bounce music—a genre focused purely on making your body move—for over a decade. Her uncanny ability to take the dance floor to another level is officially unparalleled; in fact, in 2013 she helped set the Guinness World Record for the most people twerking simultaneously. We wanted to know: what makes Big Freedia bounce? She was kind enough to answer a few questions and give us a killer mixtape of some of the music that has influenced her life. In the first edition of our Recipes series, we present to you Big Freedia’s Crucial Bounce Tracks To Get Your Booty Moving.

What kind of music inspired you as a child? I was a member of my church choir before I could walk. We sang Gospel! I eventually made it to choir director and if you look at what I do on stage now at my shows, it’s very much inspired by what I did in the church as a kid.

Which genre or artist(s) do you consider to be the biggest influence on the origination of bounce music? Hip-hop, for sure, but also electronic and the New Orleans big band jazz sound as well.

Who was the last artist to inspire you? Elliphant. What she is doing is so new and innovative. But it’s the reason for music: it’s very celebratory.

What are some of your creative influences outside of music? Flowers, decoration, and fashion. All of those get my creative juices flowing. I once decorated the mayor’s office and I had my own party decorating business for years.

What do you hope to inspire in fellow artists? I hope to not just inspire artists, but everyone to follow their heart and dreams. And, not to let anything stand in the way of that. I’m a perfect example that you can do anything if you put your mind to it.

Check out one of our favorite tunes by Big Freedia: “Dangerous”

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“A recipe is a story that ends with a good meal.” — Pat Conroy