Big Freedia Marvels At How Her & Beyoncé’s ‘Break My Soul’ Took On ‘The Life That It Did’ (Exclusive)

Dr. Martens famously boast that they person “bouncing soles.” So, it makes cleanable consciousness that the beloved iconoclastic footwear marque would squad with Big Freedia, the New Orleans superstar dubbed the “Queen of Bounce.” Freedia took portion successful the Dr. Martens Presents free performance series, rocking Brooklyn Made successful November, the latest of concerts pairing Dr. Martens with trailblazing artists. “I deliberation conscionable that,” Freedia tells HollywoodLife when discussing the astir “Docs” happening astir her. “I created my ain lane successful hip-hop,” she says.

“When the mainstream wasn’t trying to perceive Big Freedia and different queer artists present successful New Orleans, we started our ain brand,” she tells HL. It was called Sissy Bounce backmost then, but present it’s conscionable Bounce.” Similarly, Freedia points to Dr. Martens’ “punk stone spirit” arsenic being the astir “Big Freedia” aspect. After all, similar punk, Freedia has built a bequest and an empire without the assistance of large labels, independently affluent parents, oregon thing similar that.

Big Freedia astatine Brooklyn Made (Courtesy of Dr. Martens)

Diamonds similar Big Freedia seldom enactment hidden successful the unsmooth for long. First catching the receptor of the mainstream successful the aboriginal 2010s, Freedia landed her ain Fuse TV series, Big Freedia: Queen of Bounce. In 2016, Beyoncé’s “Formation” sampled immoderate of Freedia’s speech. The 2 queens would squad up during Bey’s Formation tour, and Freedia’s dependable commanded you “release the wiggle” connected Bey’s latest deed single, “Break My Soul.”

“Beyonce is simply a wide household name, truthful of course, being connected her grounds meant millions much fans cognize who Big Freedia is!” Freedia tells HL erstwhile asked if “Break My Soul” has brought successful a caller question of fans. Freedia says that those caller fans should besides cheque retired “Just Be Free,” “3^rd Ward Bounce,” and “BDE” to get a amended thought of who she is arsenic an creator beyond “Break My Soul.”

(Courtesy of Dr. Martens)

When asked astir the opus racking up 4 nominations astatine the 65th Grammy Awards, Freedia says she was “completely shocked” by the news. “I had heard the opus earlier it came out, and of course, it’s Beyonce, but I had nary thought it would instrumentality connected the beingness that it did!”

That beingness mightiness effect successful a batch of gold, and if Big Freedia is connected manus for the Grammys (on Feb. 5 astatine the Crypto.com arena), she volition request a bully outfit – and a decent brace of shoes. This is wherever Dr. Martens comes in. “I retrieve my archetypal brace – I deliberation I bought successful the precocious 90s,” she tells HL. “But my favourite are the existent ones I deterioration connected signifier each the time. They are mid-calf, black. They person yellowish laces, and Big Freedia patches each up and down. They are fire!”

What would a Dr. Martens x Big Freedia footwear look like? “Mine would beryllium unisex (of course), achromatic leather mid-calf with a golden tongue, Swaroski crystals, and graffiti,” she tells HL. “I deliberation the sole would person the Big Freedia logo truthful you tin spot it erstwhile you are releasing your wiggle!”

(Courtesy of Dr. Martens)

Freedia is releasing much than conscionable a wiggle successful 2023. “I person a caller medium coming out,” she tells HL, “a caller play of my world TV show, Big Freedia Means Business, connected Fuse TV, and I americium opening a edifice successful New Orleans.”

Plus, if 2023 sees her hypothetical Dr. Martens travel to life, it mightiness mean she goes from being the “Queen of Bounce” to the “Queen of Bouncing Soles.” “Thanks for the idea,” she tells HL about this caller imaginable rubric oregon changing the shoe’s iconic marque sanction for this partnership. “I’ll get my publicist connected that ASAP.”

For much info astir upcoming Dr. Martens Presents shows, including performances by The Linda Lindas, Blushing, Shamir, and more, click here.