Big Freedia on Finally Releasing Her SOPHIE Sessions, Ten Years Later

Way back in 2016, Big Freedia spent a few hours holed up in SOPHIE’s Los Angeles home studio, where the pair knocked out several tracks that for a long time never saw the light of day. Ten years later, however, the Grammy-winning, legendary bounce artist and self-proclaimed Queen Diva of New Orleans is ready to unleash some of their collaborative heat onto the public in the form of the appropriately titled Released At Last, a three-song EP out June 19th that expertly blends the bass-thumping bounce vitality of Freedia’s biggest hits with the future-pointing hyperpop that defined SOPHIE.

"Everything happens for a reason," Big Freedia says of the decade-long gap between those sessions and now. Since then, the world has reckoned with the tragic loss of SOPHIE, who died in January 2021 after falling from a balcony in Athens, Greece, and Freedia wanted to give appropriate "respect to [SOPHIE's] family and all her fans." The timing now, she says, feels right: "It's more appreciated now. I get to enjoy it, and the fans get to enjoy it, and still have a piece of her going around the world. It's the perfect timing. It just feels surreal that she's not here to enjoy the fruits of her labor."

In anticipation of Released At Last’s official release, Big Freedia hopped on Zoom with W to talk about her Pride essentials, being too big for Bourbon Street, and performing with Patti LaBelle.

How did you and SOPHIE find yourselves in the studio together, and what was it like to work with her?

I was hooked up with SOPHIE through my publishing company. I went to SOPHIE's house in the Hills, and we hung out for a day and just made some bangers. I kind of just freestyled everything that you hear. Once she put the beat on, I just started to think of stuff in my head, and whatever came to me, that's what the magic was that we put down. And she was just living for it. She was like, "Oh my god, yes, yes," and that kept inspiring me. So we were knocking them out kind of quickly. I definitely gave her enough vocals to play with. It was a magical day.

There's something special about two artists who openly defy gender norms working together. What does that mean to you?

It makes you appreciate the work that we do and the community that we represent. It just made me appreciate even more that I’m not the only one out there fighting for us and that there are other people on the battlefield for the queens.

Okay, I’d love to get into Culture Diet questions now. Starting with: who would you put in your Mount Rushmore of queer musicians?

I would definitely use Sylvester. RuPaul. Myself, of course. And Little Richard.

Do you have a favorite queer film?

To Wong Foo, [Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar].

What is the last live show you saw that you really enjoyed?

The Queens Tour! Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan, Stephanie Mills, and Gladys Knight.

I’ve heard such amazing things about that tour.

I also got to perform with Patti LaBelle.

What was that like?

Patti has always been one of my dream collaborations. But as soon as I walked in the building, they were like, “Patti wants you to come on stage for the last song.” I got so nervous. I was trembling. But I went up there and just killed it. She was like, “My friend Big Freedia got to give me some more.” It was a dream come true.

What is your favorite city to celebrate Pride in?

It’s so hard to pick one city, because when I go, I’m celebrating everywhere and representing for that specific pride. But it’s a toss-up between New Orleans and New York. It’s no place like home, of course, but New York is so lively and so big and bold when they celebrate Pride. But I have celebrated all around the world, and it’s a great feeling everywhere. I just had a blast in Pittsburgh. You really get to see people’s true colors, and they really get to show out for our community. It’s a special thing to see how they celebrate it in so many other areas of the world.

If someone were coming to visit New Orleans, what would you recommend they do?

Go to all of the fabulous restaurants to eat: the Neyow’s, the Morrow’s. Go to Frenchman Street and check out the live music. Maybe swing by Cafe Du Monde and get you a couple of beignets. Maybe even take a stroll down Bourbon Street, which I can’t do.

You’re too big for Bourbon Street now! They’ll mob you.

Definitely! I pass through every now and then when I have events in the Quarters, and oh God, if I have to cross Bourbon Street, I definitely get mobbed. I can barely even enter the block. But check out where all the queer parties be at. St. Bernard is a popping place. Country Club, they have pool parties there. Try to check out some of the local bounce artists. And if you’re not afraid, go stop in the hood and get you a little ass-shaking going on, honey.

Are there any local bounce artists that we should have our eyes on?

Fly Boi Keno. BJ So Cole. HaSizzle. Sissy Nobby. Everybody’s doing their thing, and I’m so proud to be opening doors constantly around the world for all of them to be able to walk through. It’s just a blessing to see the things that I have done and the trends I have set, and to really be putting on for the culture of bounce music and New Orleans.

On a regular day, what’s the first thing you’re doing when you wake up, and what’s the last thing you’re doing right before you go to bed?

I feed my dogs and my parrot, and then I start cooking—I always cook when I'm home. The last thing I’ll probably be doing is eating again, smoking a cigarette, and watching a little TV before I close my eyes.

What’s your favorite thing to cook?

I love to cook it all, from bell peppers to gumbo to red beans and rice to cornbread dressing. Anything fried, smothered, baked—however you want it, baby, the queen is a chef in the kitchen. You got to get some of the booty-poppin’ potatoes.

Sounds like I might need to come over to Big Freedia’s to eat for Pride…

Listen, that’s a special invite. If you come here, you’re definitely going to eat good. You’re going to be trying to unbutton the pants…and the shirt, too.