Big Freedia takes bounce music to church on new album, ‘Pressing Onward’

['Ari Shapiro', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Coauthors.Is-Layout-Flow', 'Class', 'Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus', 'Display Inline', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Avatar', 'Where Img', 'Height Auto Max-Width', 'Vertical-Align Bottom .Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Coauthors.Is-Layout-Flow .Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Avatar', 'Vertical-Align Middle .Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Avatar Is .Alignleft .Alignright'] TPR: The Public's Radio 2025-08-05 09:00:00

With her new album, Pressing Onward, she just might be best known for taking everyone to church. It was the perfect place to record her first gospel album — music Big Freedia traces even farther back in her personal history than the bounce she’s made famous. Interview highlightsAri Shapiro: Did you always know that you would someday make a gospel album? Shapiro: There’s a song on this album called, “Church,” and the lyric says [We don’t need a preacher, to go to church. Shapiro: Is there a connection that you see between bounce music and gospel music?