Big Freedia, Grammy-Award Winning Artist and LGBTQ Icon in Havana
November 20, 2023
Grammy Award-winning hip-hop artist and LGBTQ icon, Big Freedia visited Havana from November 14 to November 19. During her visit, supported in part by the U.S. Embassy in Havana, Big Freedia met with artists, entrepreneurs, and the LGBTQ community, closing her stay with a concert.
Known as the larger-than-life ambassador of New Orleans Bounce music, Big Freedia is a Grammy Award-winning hip-hop artist, TV personality, and small business owner. In addition to three critically acclaimed EPs and a 2023 album ‘Central City’, Big Freedia has worked with numerous artists including Beyoncé, Drake, Lady Gaga, and Kesha to name a few.
Big Freedia met with Cuban musicians, visited the businesses of independent Cuban entrepreneurs, and engaged with members of the Cuban LGBTQ community. Throughout the visit, she highlighted the importance of inclusion and individual expression through the arts as essential elements in a healthy civil society. Visit highlights included a fashion show organized with independent entrepreneurs, a dance competition, and a public concert at the Fabrica de Arte Cubano. Big Freedia’s messages echoed the intrinsic connection between music, and the freedom of expressing oneself, as well as the power and beauty of individual liberties.
