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Big Freedia isnt feeling well on the day of our interview. A rigorous travel schedule promoting her first studio album in nine years has taken its toll on her shoulder, which gives her problems from time to time. Its severely affecting her today. It doesnt stop her, though. She shows up to the interview, standing a few inches above her 62 height with the assistance of platform shoes, gracious and open to telling her story.

Known as the Queen of Bounce, Big Freedia released Central City on Friday. Its a 16-track look into the heart and soul of the New Orleans that made Freedia and a reminder for anyone who thought bounce was only a moment, that the genre is here to stay.

Bounce music, the genre derived from the New Orleans club scene, utilizing up-tempo beats and call and response, has been more prominent in mainstream music. Its recent success is on the backs of many New Orleans artists and DJs who have carried the genre since it was first created in the 1980s. Big Freedias work, specifically, has undoubtedly been the most influential in the genres expansion. After alley-ooping Beyoncs Break My Soul to a Grammy win and No. 1 spot on the charts, collaborating with Lizzo on Karaoke and making Drakes Nice For What the bop we know it as it was time for Freedia to pour into her own full body of work.

I wanted to do something that is relatable to New Orleans, relatable to me, relatable to my story, going back from the things that Mom taught me, the things that the neighborhood taught me, the things that my church taught me, and my friends, Freedia, 45, whose real name is Freddie Ross Jr., said. So this album, I just dug deep and just thought about New Orleans and my upbringing.

The album boasts features from Ciara, Kelly Price, Kamaiyah, Faith Evans and others. She also scored a dream collaboration on El Nino with Lil Wayne, whom she connected with via Instagram DM. I wanted to have some legends, of course, she said.